I don't own a vette yet but I will be getting one within the next year. I am going to get one from the 70s. I would like to build a 350 with about 400hp to put in it. I am wondering if anybody has any suggestions for intakes, heads, carbs, cams(lift, duration, type), headers, pistons, rods, cranks. I don't want to bore it out more than .020. I also would like a 10:1 or so compression ratio. I am also wondering about what type of cam to get. I also plan of keeping the a/c and whatever else comes with it and was wondering it is possible to put all that on the motor I build. I know a little bit about this stuff but haven't really worked with it enough to figure out what is the best combination to give me what I want out of it. I am also wonderingwhat would be a good brand water and oil pump to go with. I am also open for suggestions for ignition also.


[Modified by King James, 6:42 AM 12/11/2003]

 

The possibilities are endless. I assume you want to keep the engine streetable and you will be spending most of your time on the street as opposed to the track. The "easiest" way to get 400HP is with good flowing heads. The secret is to maintain port velocity. AFR 180 are an excellent choice for this. In regards to cams, going the hydraulic roller route allows you a faster ramp and more lift for less duration. Go to www.airflowresearch.com and check out their dyno page. There is an 355 with the 180 heads. Using Com Cams 270HR cam (218/224 duration, 0.495/0.503 lift) will get you to 400HP easy. Use Edelbrock RPM manifold. Search for forum for "hood clearance" and you can learn whether the Edelbrock RPM manifold fits under your hood. Also search for "headers". There is one popular header on the forum but the brand escapes me.

This engine should produce 400HP very easily, meaning less compression required and less cam required. But, AFR 180 heads are some of the more expensive heads and hydraulic roller cams are more then double the cost of regular hydraulic tappet cams.

Welcome to the forum!
:seeya

 

Edlebrock or Holley make it very simple for you, both have kits which will deliver around 420 HP. About 5 years ago I purchased the Holley Systemax II. It comes with aluminum heads, head-bolts, cam, roller timing-chain and gears, guide-plates, hardened push-rods, intake manifold, etc. The only things you need to provide extra are: around 10 : 1 compression, roller-rockers, a 750 Holley carb, and headers. I found the engine to be compatible with 92 octane fuel and very streetable. With that combination my drag strip times were right at 13.0's at 104 MPH.
Holleys Systemax II kit sells for around $1400 from Summit or Jeg's.

If you want to save a few bucks I still have a used set of coated headers, dual exhaust, and like-new Warlock mufflers that came off my 77 Vette (I went to side-pipes). $200 plus shipping

Deen

 

This is the kit I found. Kit. I was looking around at pistons and have found some that would provide about 10.3:1 ratio. I found these, these and these. The last ones would provide about a 10.1:1 ratio but they use 6.0" rods instead of 5.7. When I buy rods should I go with whatever the it says in the piston description? I am wondering about the crankshaft also. Should the oem one be good enough after a regrind or should I buy a new one? You mentioned a holley carb. This is what I found.

 

The Systemax kit you are listing has hydraulic lifters with a milder cam. Mine is a solid lifter. Call Summit or Jegs to see what the differance in advertized HP is.
Summit or Jegs can also help you find the right piston/rod combination. You need to stick with a flat top to be able to run pump gas, the domed pistons you listed will give you too high of compression. The Holley heads have a 66cc combustion chamber so even the smallest dome will bump you up over 11 : 1. There are pistons available that will allow you to retain your stock rods, Summit or Jegs can help you find them. Don't buy your pistons until you get the engine apart and determine whether it needs an overbore or not.

Same thing with the crank, you may or may not have to grind it. A stock crank is safe to 6500 RPM, maybe more. You can probably find a factory forged crank off the internet for $200 or so for a fairly inexpensive upgrade. Both Eagle and Summit have upgraded rods for around $300 but if you stay below 6500 RPM (the upper limit for a hydraulic cam) stock rods with the additon of ARP rod-bolts would suffice for street use. If you plan on spinning over 7000 RPM then go with a quality 4340 forged rod.

You didn't say whether your running a stick or auto trans. The 750 Holley double-pumper you listed would be fine with a stick but I'd probably opt for the Holley -O-3310S vacuum-secondary ($249.95) for street use with an automatic. Your also going to need to increase your stall-speed to 2000-2400 RPM depending on the duration of the cam. I've found stall-converters up to 3000 stall to be liveable on the street but once you go higher than that it's a pain in the bu**.

Good luck on your project