GM 350HO Crate engine, who has one?
 

Been looking at the 350 HO long block crate engine. At 330 HP, how does it compare with the zz4 in performance? The price difference is is quite a bit!
Thanks :)

Have one in my 77. Good little engine! A little weak on bottom end[ most likely due to A/T,stock rear gears and jetting] but a great ride the rest of the way. Dependable,easy on gas,and great on emission tests. Enough power on tap to run with most other idiots like myself! Have headers,Edlebrock Q-jet on it.

Have one in my 79 with ceramic-coated Sanderson’s headers, 2-1/2 inch true dual exhaust, 700r4 transmission and 3.73 rear end ratio. I've got about 2800 miles on it and it runs great.

Vortecs a good heads but really limit what you can do with it as far as intakes. Better idea might be to get a cheaper LM1 and drop a set of alum L98 vette heads on it, think you can even get the LM1 as a short block but not much cheaper than the long block. Drop a better cam in and you got more power for prolly less $. I got my LM1 up to about 375-400 hp with Trick Flow alum heads and roller cam using the stock bottom end.

What's a LM1?

I thought a ZZ4 had alum Vortec heads, the 350 H.O. he is talking about has angle bolt heads but center bolt valve covers. If it is the engine I think he is talking about ( like the one I have ). they are OK, but I think only two bolt mains, but I also have an auto and 3.08 gears so the engine is really not my problem.

LM1 is the cheapo 4 bolt GM Goodwrench crate engine, gm part # is 10067353. The 330 has vortec heads that require a vortec pattern intake, it is 4 bolt main with 1 peice rear main seal, nodular iron crank, cast pistons and forged rods (same rods are in the LM1).
I just think you can get the LM1, then get a good set of heads, decent cam while spend about the same $ and leave yourself room to grow.

Almost forgot that I have a 350HO in my Formula, guy who I bought th car form bought one and sold the vortec heads before install. One bonus is the 350HO is set up to run a roller cam so you can get factory roller tappets along with a retainer to run a roller cam much cheaper than a retro roller set that I ran in the LM1.

There is a good article at car craft where they took this very motor and by changing the intake, carb, and using headers they achieved 377hp and 415 tq. So by purchasing the long block, adding similar components that they did you could get it for less than a zz4. They also went on to change the cam and increased the hp to just over 400.

Only question is will this fit under the hood.

And yes this is a 4 bolt main.

Thanks for the info everybody