Originally posted by 76GMC1500
The displacement gains from boring an engine are typically minimal. At maximum overbore, a 350 Chevy becomes a 361. That's a 3 percent increase in displacement. A slightly more than mild 350 might put out 350 hp. In this situation, boring the engine might result in a 3% gain in hp or 10.5 hp. That isn't much and there are much better ways of going about it. By boring a block .060, you have just ended it's life. There is no more rebuilding it.

To me, in an application where having 10.5 more hp than the other guy makes no difference, a block should never be bored for any reason other than making the cylinders round, the walls straight, and to bring the cylinder diameter for the proper specs of the smallest piston that will fit in the bore. I just rebuilt my engine and had it bored to .020". If I burn it out, I can bore it .040, then .060. Going .030 means then next time you burn up your motor you have to go .060 and then your block is no good anymore.
This is sound advice, newbies pay attention!!!!!