I have been seeing a lot of guys wanting to build small engines.(smaller than 350cid) One question for you.

1. WHY????

A-1. I'm restoring a #'s matiching vehicle.
A-2. I'm building a 8,000 RPM screamer.
A-3. The engine has sentimental value.

If none of those three answers matched yours, your wasting time and money. If someone gives you a small cube engine, you still come out behind. After you bore, rebuilld, and reassemble the engine, you still don't have a 350. You could have saved that money and bought a 350 and have more than what you just built.

Cubic inches is where your power is at. Unless you have a 4-speed and a 2000lb car, anything under 350cid should be left where you found it. Buying a used, running 350 is money better spent. That's a worst case scenerio. The better idea is to get a 350 block and build a 383. With the aftermarket the way it is, the 350/383 is identical in price. For what it used to cost to get a crank turned, you can buy a new cast 383 crank. That puts you 33 more cubic inches ahead in the game, which on a stock built engine, will equal up to about 20 extra horses and a likewise amount of torque. You will feel that lowend when your pulling, towing, climbing, etc,. It makes a notable difference. The 383 can be built just as stock as the 350 that came in the vehicles. There is hardly a downside to this build, with plenty to gain. These engines are dependable, easily buildable, and plenty reliable.

If your going to spend money on a engine, spend it wisely. Stroking a 350 in stock form will give better results than adding a cam, intake, etc. to a 350 in a heavy vehicle or towing rig.

The performance usage engines are much more reliable and streetable when you use cubes to make your power instead of radical combinations. If you build a 1-hp per cubic inch engine, you will have a very long lasting, streetable, performance engine and the more cubes, the better.

Just remember, a 327 is 23 cubic inches behind a 350 and if you put $250 worth of cam and intake on it, you still don't have nothing but a 327.

It's your money, your choice. Build what YOU want. I am just giving advice on why to stay away from small cube engines.