Need advice on dropping crate 350
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,538
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From: Winston Salem NC
Need advice on dropping crate 350
Ok. I've finally decided to bite the bullet,
and drop a new crate 350 in the old gal.(uh, vette)
I have a pathetically lacking knowlege of 350's.
(I apologize)
I didn't realize there were so many flavors out there.
I, of coarse, want a strong engine, but I'm not out
to hit warp speeds. Just trying to find the sweetspot
between price and performance.
As far as the engine in it now; It will be taken out back
and shot, along with it's cohort: the transmission.
Oh yeah, gonna put in a new one of them too.
I sure would appreciate any tips, thoughts, ideas,
life-lines before I really screw-up.:lol:
thanks - Kelly
oh, this is what it's going in.
(sorry, I just love postin' that pic)
[Modified by McphailK, 1:01 PM 11/4/2003]
and drop a new crate 350 in the old gal.(uh, vette)
I have a pathetically lacking knowlege of 350's.
(I apologize)
I didn't realize there were so many flavors out there.
I, of coarse, want a strong engine, but I'm not out
to hit warp speeds. Just trying to find the sweetspot
between price and performance.
As far as the engine in it now; It will be taken out back
and shot, along with it's cohort: the transmission.
Oh yeah, gonna put in a new one of them too.
I sure would appreciate any tips, thoughts, ideas,
life-lines before I really screw-up.:lol:
thanks - Kelly
oh, this is what it's going in.
(sorry, I just love postin' that pic)
[Modified by McphailK, 1:01 PM 11/4/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (McphailK)
I can't speak from experience yet, but from what I've read here on the CF, you can't go wrong with a ZZ4.
As for the trans, are you going for a stick or automatic?
As for the trans, are you going for a stick or automatic?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,538
Likes: 0
From: Winston Salem NC
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (6t9l4t6)
wow! those were pretty impressive specks on the ZZ4.
Goin' with auto on the transmission. Thats whats in there
now. Stick would probably just get me in more trouble anyway :lol:
Goin' with auto on the transmission. Thats whats in there
now. Stick would probably just get me in more trouble anyway :lol:
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (McphailK)
How much you looking to spend? Hard to beat the GM Goodwrench cheapy crate eng or under $1,300. Buy a set of used alum vette heads ($400 on e-bay I have seen) and put a biger cam in and for about $2,000 you got the same power (more depending on the cam)and $ left over the tranny. I bought one and ran it for while with a larger cam than stock, was a great little eng. I then put some alum heads and roller cam it making about 375+/- hp and beat on it pretty good taking to over 6000 rpm's at the track (and on back roads :)) a few times. If my heads where not in need of new stem seals it would still be in my vette. I now have a 377 stroker awaiting the alum heads and a roller cam.
Here is what you can do with the cheapy GM eng:
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...320/index.html
Here is what you can do with the cheapy GM eng:
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...320/index.html
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (McphailK)
The ZZ4 is a nice mod. I did it to my car last year in May. It pretty much just swapped right in. The only changes I needed to make where a short water pump, HEI plug wires, zz4 Crate Demon carb, and a manual fly wheel since the motor comes set up for an Automatic trans. The motor runs great and is a good base for improvements. It has a forged crank, pink rods, LT1 pistons, aluminum heads, and best of all a roller cam.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 29,077
Likes: 0
From: Deep East Texas
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (Sigforty)
Everybody has their own opinion when this comes up, but I think the ZZ4 is a good engine. It's streetable and got plenty of power and not real tempermental. Best thing I've done to mine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 888
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From: Angola IN
CI 5-6-7-8-9 Veteran
Cruise-In 7 Car Show Winner
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (Sigforty)
My ZZ4 Fram sallee Chevy is supposed to be here on Friday. Thats the good news, the bad news is the car is no where close to being ready for the drop!!
I ordered the option 4 motor from them with 420HP, and 440 lbs torque. Paid the money to have it set up with everything except the starter and alt.
Need to finish the firewall and compartment repaint/refurbish before I can drop it.
Still on schedule for a late spring rebirth of the 70!!
Frank
I ordered the option 4 motor from them with 420HP, and 440 lbs torque. Paid the money to have it set up with everything except the starter and alt.
Need to finish the firewall and compartment repaint/refurbish before I can drop it.
Still on schedule for a late spring rebirth of the 70!!
Frank
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (garandfan)
I HIGHLY recommend the ZZ4 motor, or it's near twin the Fastburn 385. I have the ZZ4 and it is a great motor. Very smooth idle, power on demand, awesome low end torque.
I too got mine from Sallee Chevrolet. Tell them you are putting it into a C3 and they can swap in the correct water pump, correct flywheel and any other accessories you may need.
It drops right in, all the accessories from the old motor fit on there with no problem.
I too got mine from Sallee Chevrolet. Tell them you are putting it into a C3 and they can swap in the correct water pump, correct flywheel and any other accessories you may need.
It drops right in, all the accessories from the old motor fit on there with no problem.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,349
Likes: 1
From: Colorado
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (BSeery)
You know, Car Craft has been souping up cheap crate motors for years, to prove to all the hotrodders that you don't have to get a second mortgage to have a strong, torquey, sweet running street engine.
So in the spirit of Car Craft, I'd go get a GM Goodwrench cratemotor with powdered metal rods and cast crank, swap the heads for a set of $490 Vortec heads, swap the cam with something a bit more interesting without too much lift for the Vortec springs, get an RPM Air Gap intake, a 625 Street Demon carb, a decent set of headers, and go beat up on Mustangs all day long with my 3 grand motor.
So in the spirit of Car Craft, I'd go get a GM Goodwrench cratemotor with powdered metal rods and cast crank, swap the heads for a set of $490 Vortec heads, swap the cam with something a bit more interesting without too much lift for the Vortec springs, get an RPM Air Gap intake, a 625 Street Demon carb, a decent set of headers, and go beat up on Mustangs all day long with my 3 grand motor.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
From: Point Pleasant NJ
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (Bearcat)
I went ZZ4 route myself. I ordered it from summit during a 10% off period and got a deal on the shipping of it so all in all saved a ton of money. I changed my torque convertor rather than the zz4 flywheel and did the water pump myself. I have to say that it is a sweet engine and best of all its rather complete right out of the crate.
Not to mention there is plenty of beef for additionals in the future. I dont think you'll get any arguement from anyone about the ZZ4 package.
Other options would be going with the home brew from a cheap 350 crate. Or going to small shop and getting something you can see some AR racing engines on ebay http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...sort=3&rows=50...
As far as tranny goes I would remove the engine with the tranny and have someone rebuild it and add a shift kit. Will probably be pretty cost effective that way since your removing it and reinstalling it yourself. You could if so inclined do it yourself but thats not something I would be comfortable doing at present.
Lots of opinions on here about engine swaps. Hope we give you the help your looking for.
Spook
:reddevil
Not to mention there is plenty of beef for additionals in the future. I dont think you'll get any arguement from anyone about the ZZ4 package.
Other options would be going with the home brew from a cheap 350 crate. Or going to small shop and getting something you can see some AR racing engines on ebay http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...sort=3&rows=50...
As far as tranny goes I would remove the engine with the tranny and have someone rebuild it and add a shift kit. Will probably be pretty cost effective that way since your removing it and reinstalling it yourself. You could if so inclined do it yourself but thats not something I would be comfortable doing at present.
Lots of opinions on here about engine swaps. Hope we give you the help your looking for.
Spook
:reddevil
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,538
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From: Winston Salem NC
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (Spook)
Wow, thanks for the Info guys!
It looks like it's a coin toss between the ZZ4 or building up a Goodwrench.
I'm leaning a little more toward the ZZ4, but I've got a couple of months to
decide.
Beat up Mustangs hunh?....hmmmm, my brother has a mustang....heheheheh
It looks like it's a coin toss between the ZZ4 or building up a Goodwrench.
I'm leaning a little more toward the ZZ4, but I've got a couple of months to
decide.
Beat up Mustangs hunh?....hmmmm, my brother has a mustang....heheheheh
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Need advice on dropping crate 350 (McphailK)
Either option will be a good one. Just remember modifing the motor takes from the warrenty.
