budget build 350

Hey all,
New to Club Hot Rod. My 98 S10 2.2 died after a good long life and off to the great junk yard. I pounder around for awhile and decided to build another ride. I have a 79 I think 350 sitting around and wound like to build drop in my S10.

I'm building this on a very tight budget so I know I'm very limited. Decent cam that hits good but doesn't require a large torque converter. Any suggestions or tips you my have to Improve its power with out getting way over the top due to budget limits.

I basically for the time being to build a some what daily driver but sounds like a weekend worrier. My plan is to one day pull it back out and build a street/strip setup

so any thoughts, tips, suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Eddie P.

Do you want to build the motor to have the experience? Or, are you thinking you'll save some money by doing it yourself?
And since I'm full of questions!! What's the budget size?

In many cases you can get a rebuilt long block ( or short) already completed and even get a guarantee with it. Another thought I have with a 79 block, it's probably a smog motor and not really a performance platform.

In any event, glad you're here and many SBC kinda guys will be along to offer you mucho info to help guide you.

Keep the lift under .5 and you shouldn't have any issues.

Thanks for the replys,
Well budget is 1500.00 or so, Long block Crate Motor is out at the moment. maybe for the future build for the truck. But the budget does not include the rebuild of the 350 so that's a plus.

Just hope all is good with the block. I do have 64cc heads with big valves hidden away if someone hasn't lifted them when I was not looking so if I understand things right that is a improvement over the stock heads that's on it.

I have rebuilt a couple of sbc and they ran great. but really don't know much on performance side of things. What works with what you that kinda thing.

So again any thoughts, suggestion, tips is greatly appreciated.

welcome to chr. I would hunt around your local craigslist and see what is out there. you might come across something that is exactly what you are looking for and go from there.

Find a 4.8 or 5.3 LS takeout package

Our local AutoZone had a few rebuilt units sitting on the floor for 1800 clearance price. Maybe an option?

I'll check out criaglist and continue to look around. I did score a Holley intake form a friend today that he had lying around. I guess I should have stated in my post that I'm going to take it to carb, and HEI. so the computer is coming out along with a lot of other stuff.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking at take outs to so that option is possible to if I come across the right one.

keep the ideas coming LOL

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

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Originally Posted by firebird77clone

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

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I have consider that and have my eyes open. I'm not hell bent on building the engine I have. My uncle has a 86 Camaro with a 350 in it with carb setup. I am considering that, at lease there's the tranny, engine, pully's, radiator so a lot can be used from this car for 1200.00.

how about this cam
COMP Cams Thumpr Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cam and Lifter Kits K12-600-4 At Summit Racing.

sorry Try to add a link but wouldn't work.

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Originally Posted by firebird77clone

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

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DING, DING, DING, DING.....(LIGHTS FLASHING)......There's the winner. I've done this many times over the years. You can defray the cost of the donor car by selling off the glass, suspension, tires and wheels, brakes, sheet metal, interior, etc., etc. and just use the running gear for your project car. As Jerry mentioned, an LS package would be all that little S10 would need. You wouldn't need any speed parts for it. Just use all the electrical from the donor.

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Yep think I'll go with the Camaro, Now that I have really set and thought about it I may hold off on the rebuild too if the 350 is in good shape. Like I said in a year or sooner it will come back out and built so really what would be the point of rebuilding it twice.

think I'll go back to my original plan, drop the motor in get the bugs and fitting modifications done then when its ready build the power house.

Now the fun begins,
Thanks to all that posted responses:
Sure I'll have some other questions along the way.
EddieP:)

Update

Got the 350 in her. But the little rear end crapped out but was a blast until then. Got a rear end out a 4.3 S10 on the way according to what I have read it will hold up under the V8 we'll see LOL. On another note my plans to build a mild motor is still the same. I was thinking on building a 377ci according to the on line ci calculator a stock bore 350 with a 3.75 stroke crank comes up to a 376ci if this is correct what size rods should I use?

So you need to re fiqure the budjet---------stroker is going to be way over $1500

Well that budget is gone the new is some what bigger uncle sam desided to take it easy on me this year LOL. Yep I agree but got the procomp heads already I know there not great. Now that I think about it I got all the stuff now except for the cam and rotating assembly and what block work if any which I expect something we need to be done if at lease a good cleaning.

Well that budget is gone, Uncle Sam decided to be nice to me this year LOL. I have all the parts, procomp heads, intake, carb on hand now. most of the stuff I need is rotating assembly and cam but can't buy that until I figure for sure what I'm going to do with the short block and of curse getting everything balance.

sorry be having internet issues didn't think post 16 went up

You can buy a rotating assembly balanced-you'll need a crank for a block with one piece rear seal-plus I'd suggest that you use a roller cam(especially if the block you have is already factory rollers---- Have block cleaned, alighn honed, decked and bored/honed at least 0.020 or 0.030 over with torque plates

Well the 350 I have is a 2 piece main but I got what you mean. On another note I was thinking today and looked a few spec's up and was wondering if I couldn't use a 305 block. Since I have to bore it anyway finding a used 350 block with no wore is impossible just bore it to 350ci spec's and put the 3.75 crank in it. Just to make things clear I hope to build a 377ci with 4 inch bore and 3.75 stroke. Basically a 383ci with a stock 4 in bore.

Your plan is flawed. The 305 has a 3.736" bore and 3.48" stroke. When bored +0.030" and fitted with a 3.750" stroke, it yields 334.17 cubic inches. That's why practically nobody uses the 305 block to begin a project. Of course, if you're between a rock and a hard place, you may find the 334 acceptable. With the proper turbocharger fitted, it would think it was 500 cubic inches.
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Is the block you have a 350???? roller lifters??????A 350 that you already have is more economically bored to 4.030 to clean up bores than buying ANY block no matter what size---------In todays REAL world---if it doesn't have roller lifters--get a used block that does-------then buy a balanced rotating assembly from a respected supplier, a gasket set, oil pump/pan( one piece seal pans are different(I also have a billet adapter from K-Tech(bought all they had) to put a 2 piece seal crank in a one piece block(needs 2 p pan))))

Well think I may have caused some confusion sorry I'll try to clear some things up.

Ok Jerry the running stock 350 I have in the truck now I believe to be a 78 through 81 350 I don't know the exact year. I do believe it to have a 2 piece seal and sure it's not a roller motor. So by your post I'm taking that I should look for a newer 350 to build that is a roller motor.

Ok Techinspector1 I guess my basic question is can a 305 block be bore out to a stock 350 bore safely. It was just a thought and was trying to learn something LOL if I looked at the right spec's on the 305 crank journal size is the same as a 350 crank journal. I was thinking it was another way to build this engine.

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Originally Posted by EddieP

My basic question is can a 305 block be bored out to a stock 350 bore safely.

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No, not even close.
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Ok tech1 I learned something. I had read that when all the small blocks where casted they had the same sleeve thickness so that put me under the assumption that it would. So now I know they do not. LOL

You might also want to keep your eyes open for a 400 small block------might have everything you need for only a mild rebuild

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Originally Posted by EddieP

Ok tech1 I learned something. I had read that when all the small blocks where casted they had the same sleeve thickness so that put me under the assumption that it would. So now I know they do not. LOL

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They may have been produced with close to the same cylinder wall thickness, but they were not all produced with the same bore diameter.
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Well not going to find a straight 350 block for a 377ci. So its gonna be a 383ci. I guess there nothing wrong with a few more ci LOL. But ether way ready to get this build going and have on the road in spring.

Thanks for the info and i'll post updates as I go.

Thought I would share this,Chevy SBC 350 - 383ci 2pc RMS Engine Stroker Rotating Assembly Kit | eBay great price but bet quality is crap.

My suggestion is to get an internally balanced assembly for a 2 pc seal and to find a factory roller lifter block-------internal balance won't require a special flywheel or front dampner-----2 pc seal type crank allows you to use the standard bolt pattern flywheel/flexplate---block for factory rollers is all set up for roller lifters but will probably be an one piece seal block and you will need an adapter--- get system with 6 inch rods------

If you find a 4 bolt main block good---if not studs will do or even have 3 center main caps changed to angle side bolts---

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Originally Posted by EddieP

Well not going to find a straight 350 block for a 377ci. So its gonna be a 383ci. I guess there nothing wrong with a few more ci LOL. But ether way ready to get this build going and have on the road in spring.

Thanks for the info and i'll post updates as I go.

Thought I would share this,Chevy SBC 350 - 383ci 2pc RMS Engine Stroker Rotating Assembly Kit | eBay great price but bet quality is crap.

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Research Pro-Comp, I think you'll decide to use Scat.

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Update

Well had a accident some weeks ago and had to put it all on the back burner. But on my feet again so ready to continue. Pulled the old 350 out and placed it in storage for a future project. Now came up with a 96 350 vortec for the build. Decided to go with this one cause it's a roller motor. the block looks great. Got lucky and got the heads with it and their not cracked both block and heads were checked at the machine shop. But the bad was it had spun a rod bearing. He bought a new crank but got to hurting for money and sold the crank. So on that note I got the rest.

Now as stated before I'm going to take it to carb. So a aftermarket intake will take care of that. Buy steadying the vortec I see sensers in the timing cover for firing. I was wondering if I got a older 1 piece seal crank and changed the timing cover would that work. Sure I'll have to change the damper and flex plate. I don't think the block change any, say from 86 to 95 compared to the 96 vortec but I could be wrong. Any thoughts would be very helpful.