Hey everyone. I just got a 350 block from a friend with casting 010 on it. It's a 4 bolt main as the title says. I got a iron crank from him as well. I was wondering what would be a good set of heads, and a cam shaft to complement this engine to get it up to 350 horsepower. Thanks!

 

We need to understand where and how you are measuring this horsepower. If you mean 350 gross flywheel horsepower, like crate engines are rated, that's pretty simple - upgraded Vortec heads, Comp XE268 cam, RPM intake manifold, and 650 DP Holley carb. With good headers and exhaust, of course.

If you want 350 net flywheel horsepower, which is the way the factory rates horsepower, that's going to be more difficult. You'll need more cam, like a Comp XE282, and really good exhaust.

If you want 350 rear wheel horsepower, that's going to cost you. You'll need good aftermarket heads like AFR, a mighty big cam, perhaps a single plane intake manifold, and large primary tube headers. It will be marginally streetable.

I'm guessing Door #1 is the one that would best suit you.

 

Heh.

350 rwhp isn't as easy as everyone says. I wonder how every single factory car now gets a 400 hp rating....

If all these cars were truly 400hp, everything would be running low 12's- high 11's.

 

five7kid, that was the most beautiful thing I have ever read! It should be a sticky! Most people on this board understand what it takes to make real power but once you get on the street things get a little twisted.

When I tell people how much power I make they ask why it's so little. They say things like "You spent that much money and only make that much power? You should be making at least this much." It's very annoying trying to describe to them what it takes to make power and how little cars making lots of power are actually driven on the street.

Let me make my story a little more informative by stating some facts. Let me start by saying that I was once one of those kids who thought I could make a 500hp engine and drive it to work every day and just spend a little more in gas money. Here's the reality.

I spent about $5,000 including the cost of the car.
This includes: Heads, cam, intake, complete bottom end rebuild with stock components, carb, ingnition system, complete exhaust system, and all the little pieces to put it together. I bought some real good stuff and according to DD2000 I should have been making about 480hp. What do I make? 348 RWHP. That is the reality of it.

With that being said there are a few very cool things you should know about my car. I have a relatively small cam, 502 lift on both exh and int. I run a dual plane intake and a 750dp carb and still get 15 mpg. I do drive this car more than at the track. In fact I drove it 300 miles to and from the Woodward Dream Cruise this year and participated in it to, meaning I drove 10 miles in 3 hours in 90 degree weather without issue.

In conclusion, 350hp is obtainable with a stock block and bottom end. Is it cheap, no. Is it streetable, can be. Can you do it with vortec's and a cam, no. (I'm talking RWHP)

cleetus - I don't believe 400hp even at the rear wheels puts you anywhere near the 11's, especially in our cars. Like I stated, I've got 348 RWHP (On a Mustang dyno mind you which are notorious for underrating power compared to a DynoJet) and could only muster a 12.8 last year. I can't drive, but 11's? I don't know.

 

In response to five7kid yes I was talking about gross flywheel horsepower. And thanks to everyone so far that has responded. This will be my first engine build and I'm hoping for the best!

 

I disagree just a hair. With vortecs and a cam, you CAN hit that 350 mark, but the vortecs need to be cut for a bigger cam. With my vortec 383, I was running 13.3's at 104, and that's shifting at 5k for the 1-2 and 6k for the 2-3. Estimates of flywheel hp were 390-400, with nearly the same torque.

That means 300rwhp, but for a budget build, you can't beat it.