85pjcamaro

As most of U guys know I bought a car and have slowly been tearing it down and seeing what needs to be done.


Well so far I have found out the block is cracked,the cam was severly warn,the transmission sucks.Bla bla.


That isn't the issue though.It is getting to be summer time and I will be working alot more and almost have my 4-wheeler done.So I will start on my car soon.


I though about building a big block.But seeing as I am 16 and work for 6.20 an hour.I don't think a big block is for right now.


I bought a 350 4 bolt main block already.Now comes the machine work.I am going to have it bored.(needs about .030 over)Block baked,align bored(if it needs it)And the heads rebuilt.with minor porting.


I am not sure right now if I want to use my cast 350 crank and just get a summit rebuild kit with hypereuctic pistons(10.72:1 compression ratio)Or go with summits 383 cast crank and do there kit again.The price isn't that much more.But I am on a tight budget.Would the performance between the 355 and the 383 that much different?



Thanks for any insight.

Spifz

eh dude, my friend bought a 383 crank (cat or scat, I can't remember which) on ebay for like $110 +sh. We then bought the summit 383 kit for 5.7" rods, cam, intake, yada yada yada. Anyway, long story short, the motor kicks ***. We put it in his '79 cutlass supreme, in place of the 231. One note, we did have to clearance the block.

If you go here:
Scorched Web Server

You can see exactly what we did.
First we tried to assemble the engine. After we got four pistons in, we realized it wasn't going to clear. So we took it all apart. Bolted it on the mill and I went to work.

The very first picture shows the connecting rod clearance on the oil pan rails, and the connecting rod bolt clearance at the cylinder wall.

Then we tried to assemble again, but not enough clearancing was done, so we had to re-mill. Then another test fit, and the third milling is when we cleared out the cylinder walls up near the cam tunnel. Yes, almost every bit of clearance that you see was needed. Yes we cleaned the block before reassmebly...

Anyway, considering what we did, and the fact that it all works, I'd say go with the 383. It took about an extra 5 hours of careful work, and hoping that we didn't hit the water jacket (we weren't ever really close) But the motor has already broken a transmission and a rear. Its fast.

85pjcamaro

That looks pretty good.I knew about clearancing the block.My dad did it to his old big block.

My cousin has a 388 stroker in a blazer.And with 38 inch swampers it will roast the tires easy.I am not sure the gears he has.


Right now I am probably going to go with the 355 though.I can build it cheaper and put that extra money to maybe a roller valvetrain or something.


Well A couple more weeks and my 4-wheeler will be done and then the money starts going to the machine shop.