BillZ260 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 OK, the block is torn apart and everthing looks decent. Motor had some pretty serious miles on it but none of the bearings were torn or gouged. Some showed quite a bit of brass but that is it. I am wanting to get a feel for the work I should have done in the machine shop so I am not standing there for an hour filling out his work sheet. Is it worth it to balance is the power is under 300hp? Do I let him tell me whether the crank needs turned or polished? What should I expect to pay to have the heads redone completely vs just a valve job and new seals / stuff like that. Or should I bother and just get the Vortecs? I trust the guy I am taking to, have worked with him before as have others here at work. BUT it has been a while, and I am a bit rusty. I want everything done right, but I don't want to have any un-nessesary work done. This is phase I Mild SB so anyone have some insight? Still haven't gotten my perf SBC book, hopefully today! This might answer some of my questions. Sorry if this is too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 IMHO if you are rebuilding an engine (low HP), balancing is not an option - blueprinting would be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest crazymike Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Your best bet on a 350 sbc would be to go with the vortech heads--they are amazing for the price. Car Craft did a build up w/ vortech heads and got 440 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque for 3 grand, and 1100 of that was spent on the short block. Soggin-dickey sells 3 stages of vortech heads for killer prices-www.sdpc2000.com. paired with a comp cams extreme energy cam, probably a 274 or so your lookin at the same 440hp for just a few grand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Do you have a link or a copy of that article, sounds like a good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 UPDATE: Took my block and rotating assy to the shop today, said he will let me know about grinding the crank and all that by Tuesday. The heads that came with the block were 1.74's, so looks like I will be looking for some vortec heads. The guy at the machine shop said he liked them better than the aluminums he had on he sprint car. So anyway, will see how it goes. Have any of you uesed the Vortech heads with the older style intakes??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 You will need to to get a new intake as the Vortec heads have a different bolt pattern (although, I believe that Grumpy, in one of his recent posts said that the newer Vortec design could accommodate the older style intakes and valve covers)..... If you need to get a nice new aluminum intake, then it's not an issue. I have the Vortecs (with Edelbrock RPM performer intake and 750 DP) on my 71 Chevy truck, and they work nicely.....that motor pulls like a locomotive Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 I have the Vortecs (with Edelbrock RPM performer intake and 750 DP) on my 71 Chevy truck, and they work nicely..... So what cam are you using in your truck? I read this 'article' http://www.2quicknovas.com/vortecheads.html and basically this guy says you can run Trickflow's for the same over all price as these vortecs. He was saying that the stock vortec valve springs are too weak to rev or use any cam bigger than .400 lift and eventhough the intake gaskets and intakes seal better, they are expensive, and the rockers are expensive if you upgrade and blah blah blah. SO, if i run a mild cam (dunno what spec) can I run these heads stock? I want to bolt them on to my shortblock and go. I am ok w/ buying a new intake as I really have no other parts anyway. I want about 300 hp and and good low end. That is all i need (for now) and untill I can afford to upgrade my rearend and trans, that is all the car will handle. I can "buy it now" a complete set on ebay for $515 shipped, I just called the local chevy dealer and they wanted $383 each! OUCH. What do you all think? Again, the heads that came on the long block i bought ended up being weiners, 1.72/1.5's. Useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I'm using the L98 corvette grind. great for torque. I got the heads from Scoggin Dickey with the upgraded valve springs. Also read this: http://hybridz.org/nuke/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=1569&highlight=vortec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 So looks like 900 bucks for the "upgraded" vortec's, intake setup and gaskets. Will mull it over.... $515 Ebay new Vortec's ~$200 Performer Intake Surely I could get set of springs an the heads modified for less than 200? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest crazymike Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Hey billz260, about that article from Car Craft You can find it at http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/81998/ Its a pretty sweet deal, I'd definitely recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest crazymike Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 another thing bout soggin-dickey, for about $630 you can get the vortech heads set up for a roller cam (guide plates and stuff) that are good for .575 lift. That eliminates the vortech's biggest flaw of limited lift capability, and if you want to go more than that, then vortech heads won't cut it it, cuz they sing untill you go above about .550 lift, but that is about the point of dimishing return for those heads. You cannot, however use traditional-style intakes on these heads, because the intake bolt holes are vertical instead of angled, and there are only 4 per head vs. 6. Edelbrock still sells performer, performer RPM, and performer RPM air gap intakes for these, so you won't know the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 19, 2004 Author Share Posted March 19, 2004 I read most of this book last night, Small Block Chevy Engine Build-Ups: How to Build Horsepower for Maximum Street, I got it in the mail yesterday. I read all the first chapters dealing with the cheap power build up, and the chapter on the vortec's. Wow, so i can easily attain my 300hp mark these heads, and the 268H cam they used. Seems like what I am going to do. The only thing is I am wondering if it will be cheaper to buy.. SD Modified vortech's w/ intake and springs $900 + shipping or... stock heads and have them modified. $500 shipped + intake + springs (which could come with my engine kit/cam kit) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 For $900 you could buy Pro 1 aluminum heads off ebay http://search.ebaymotors.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Febaymotors%2Fws%2F&siteid=100&from=R8&s_partnerid=2&categorymap=6000&category0=6000&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ebaytag1=ebayreg&query=dart+pro+1 They flow more cfm and the $900 ones lift to .525" but they aren't set up for a roller. Also look at Power House they have great prices on everything. http://www.enginekits.com/catalog.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 19, 2004 Author Share Posted March 19, 2004 Thanks for the input everyone, i think I will be running the DS modified vortec's and go ahead and get their kit with the RPM intake and all the gaskets and bolts. I am wanting to run the CompCams HE268 cam with pistons that will allow me to run 9.5 or so comp. With a 750 carb and one of those mallory HEI's, should be all over 300 hp. Now all I have to do is spend spend spend and bolt everything together. Any other opinions or suggestions will be appretiated. I am trying not to break the bank, so I am wanting to get by as cheap as possible, but will never sacrifice quality. I want to be driving this set up for years to come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 29, 2004 Author Share Posted March 29, 2004 Machinist found a hairline crack in the lifter gally called the guy that sold it to me and he is giving me my money back. anyone need a crank and a set of rods ? He didn't want any of it back. Back to the dwg board. This sux. Side note, I went 4 wheeling on my wife's uncles land this weekend (first time). What a blast, going to be looking to buy one soon, need you guys to tell me to finish the car first Anyone here have a Yamaha Wolverine? Likes dislikes? Will start another thread when i find alother pwr plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aguyandaredhead Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Bill, That sucks. It was nice of him to stand behind it and give you your money back. I'll keep an eye out for a sweet deal for ya. So have you been getting much else done while this was at the MS.. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 Cell is mounted and in place, looks good. I still have to get my fuel filter and lines aranged. I got my JTR kit and when I get this cracked block back I am going to bolt it up the tranny and dry fit it in the car, drill my holes and any other fab stuff that will need to be done. There is another block in Manford with new pistons and the machine work done, just needs to be put together, for the same price 200. Will see how that goes. Oh and I have been working on the Free pooltable, that is going fairly smooth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyro Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Buy the cheap gm crate engine (1400.00) and install a HE268 cam, intake, carb, and header and it will make over 300 hp. Go to chevyhiperformance.com and there is a 8 part build write-up up on the cheap GM crate engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Bill- If you haven't bought your pistons yet, these list as 9.6 CR with a thin gasket: Keith Black KB193. They have a 12cc 'D' shaped dish (for quench). For less CR KB142 has 18cc dish (9.1); more CR (10.2) KB106 & KB120 have 7cc eyebrow (but most anyone's flat tops will be in this approximate CR range). Take a look here: http://www.beckracing.com/page25.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 THanks for the input fella's, I am open to suggestions. The crate's seem to be a bit too pricy for me. I don't want to spend 1400 on a long block that is bone stock. I am going to see about this $200 shortblock that needs assembly this eve. Seems like a good deal. I want to run the Vortecs, the HE cam PYRO mentioned, a RPM or Performer intake (Any input on the actuall differences between these?) and a 600-750 carb, I think I am getting a deal on a 750 from a member on here, so most likely will be that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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