utvolman99 Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 Hey Grumpy, sorry to keep bugging you but I have another question. As you know I am planning this conversion on a budget. As of today another option has opened up for me. A friend of mine has a 69 impalla and is willing to give me the 350 if I help him get rid of the car. The engine ran good a couple of years back with no smoke. Which do you think would be the better option? 1. USE 1969 350 short block = $100 Freshen bottom end Bearings, rings, timing chain, oil pump, pushrods and gaskets = $200 Dart Iron Eagle heads/ w 80cc combustion chamber complete = $600 (summit) Comp cams Xtreme engergy kit = $160 TOTAL = $1060 2. 96-98 Vortec motor. = $1000 stock I know the vortec would have a much better bottom end. I would be mainly using autozone parts in the 350 rebuild but I really think I may get a lot more out of the dart heads What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 get the DART IRON EAGLE HEADS/older block combo, BUT GET AT LEAST THE 200cc size and the 215 cc size is better,now I know what your thinking..I used to worry that useing the 215cc-230cc iron eagle heads on street strip car engine builds,because they would have too big a port for the street even on a 383- 400 sbc but then I stopped and thought about it... a bbc has oval port heads known for huge torque on a 396 and those posts are between 267-290 cc and they get ported even larger and still have super torque. now a sbc with 230cc heads is actually restricted by those smaller port sizes of less than 200cc in comparison. a sbc 383 would need to run a 258cc port to be at an equal port to cylinder ratio so useing the larger heads is really not a problem, yes I know thats what youve always been told that bigger ports loose low end torque but its got more to do with cylinder dia., compression ratio, valve sizes and cam timeing than port size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted March 8, 2002 Author Share Posted March 8, 2002 Well Grumpy, Im taking your advice. Im now the proud owner of a 1969 Impala and a 1983 charger! The deal was that I got the Impala for free if I would move it and the charger out of his yard. I figure I will just call a scrap yard to come get the charger, grab the engine/trans out of the impala, strip everything I can unload on ebay and then send it to scrap as well. All and all I think I got a pretty good deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted March 8, 2002 Author Share Posted March 8, 2002 does anyone know how I can find out what 350 was in the 69 Impala? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Star 1 Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 Well I know I'm getting old but I don't think GM made a 350 in 69. Maybe its a 327! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 Nah, GM definitely made 350s back then...I know 'cause I have one. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 yep, I think 69 was the first year. I remeber the 69 SS350 Camaro was nice. Grumpy, I have thought the same thing about head port volume. SO do you think 215 Canfields would be too much for a street 327, if I keep the dynamic compression at 7.7:1 (my present setup)? How about the 195 AFRs? I'm thinking of maybe doing AL heads in the next 6-12 months and just dropping them on the 327, but I don't want to buy too small a head if (probably more like when) I go to a 377,383,or 406. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted March 8, 2002 Share Posted March 8, 2002 I agree with Grumpy 100% on the 215cc heads and about larger intake ports/vavles not hurting torque. Somebody did a test on this, and the 215 were 2nd place winner in the below 4000 rpm torque average. The winner was a 165cc runner. They came to the conclusion (Duh!) that the CAMSHAFT determined the power band. Imagine that. However, comparing big block to small block just doesn't work since the length of the intake port drastically changes the volume. It's the cross-sectional area that is more important rather than total volume when talking about flow velocities, and unless the lengths are the same, comparing volume has no real meaning. Most 350 in 69 will be the 290-300 horse 4 barrel motor depending on vehicle. This is an excellent motor that will have stock small chamber heads, possibly double humps. (I have a set from a '70 Kingswood wagon that was 300/350.) The nice thing about the Vortec motor is the hydraulic roller cam. Either choice will be great, and either way, you'll spend more than you want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Smith Posted March 9, 2002 Share Posted March 9, 2002 My 69 Chilton, has one 350 listed. It reads 10-1 comp. 295hp. With a 4bl. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.