Notbychance

Hey guys, I have an 87 350 GTA t-top 350 wth 101k on it that we are retoring in my dad's garage. I have the engine and heads fully disasembled ready to bring to the machine shop along with the crank. It looks like the cylinder walls can get by with a hone. Can I save the pistons they seem to have little wear? I want to put a zz4 style cam in. How much will it cost to put in screw type studs in the heads and do I need to get the heads machined to fit better springs? Do I "need" or do you recommend anything beyond this and how much $$$$ will it run me, I can turn wrenches. Thanks for the input!!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

If you hone the cylinders, you need oversized pistons. If wear isn't beyond allowable, you can break the glaze on the cylinder walls, use the old pistons, new rings, and put it back together.

A shop will probably charge you around $10/stud to remove, machine, tap, and install screw-in studs. May be more, may be less. Just ask the shop.

It's usually a good idea to have the top of the valve guides cut for positive type valve stem seals and more valve travel. You can get stock diameter springs that will handle a ZZ4 cam with no problems.

Atilla the Fun

I usually power-hone the block up to .0015" over for a project like this, and then running new rings. But if the bores are too worn for that, you're buying pistons.

Atilla the Fun

Also, don't waste any money on screw-in studs, just keep your spring pressure under 300 pounds open.