Is it true that .....
 

IF these trucks came with a 350 it would automaticly be a 4-bolt main engine?

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false

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The 1 tons more than likely. I took a 350 out of my 69 GMC 1 ton. It had/has a 4 bolt main with a steel crank.

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I've had a few and they were all 4 bolts, but that's just my experience.

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Every 69-72 chevy truck I have had that had the original 350, or one of the 69-72 PICKUP era, was a 4 bolt main. I am fairly sure that is TRUE!!

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4 barrel most likely 4 bolt mains. 2 barrel most likely 2 bolt mains. Ripped apart a 71 chevy with original 350, 2 barrel, and it was a 2 bolt main engine.

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Well, that about 1/2 and 1/2, but no definite answer. I was wondering because I have been selling engines like crazy and most people seem to want 4 bolts. Is pulling the pan the only way to tell for sure?

On a side note, I wonder if I am selling these engines too cheap. I have been getting about $400 for a complete non-running 350 engine right out of a truck, and have sold every one of them I can get a hold of.

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WOW!!

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well id say if you tore it down and went through the block,,you would get more..might get more even with out the work..since everybody wants a 4 bolt main

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Six of one half dozen of the other.
I have always had to use the engine code on either the back of the engine or on the front near the water pump
Most that I have torn apart were two bolts

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I thought a quik guide was the harmonic balancer, if it was in the 8" range then that would say 4 bolt main to me. jm2c. other opinions? J.

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I see a lot of fairly knowledgable people looking for 4 bolt mains to build.I have to wonder why since if you are building for major power,you are better off to start with a 2 bolt and have it machined for splayed 4 bolt caps.The main reason given for this is that the webs of the 2 bolt are stronger and the splayed caps are even stronger than the factory 4 bolts.If someone were building a serious engine with the cost involved I would think buying the caps and having it machined would be a fairly simple and cheap way to get that strength.Also it seems like most of the aftermarket blocks use splayed 4 bolt mains also.
As to whether the engines are 2 bolt or 4 I have taken a couple of original to the truck apart,One 2 and one 4 that I recall.

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My '72 GMC 3/4 ton, 350 4bl (original engine) is 4 bolt main but with a cast crank. I have no idea if they all were this way.

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Pull the pan and count the bolts. Then you know for sure.

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dropping the pan is the only 100% sure way

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Drop the pan cause some of the casting numbers say 2 or 4 bolt when you look them up.

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Usually in sales if you sell 100% of your inventory your price point is too low. For example selling 100% of your engines for $400 is too low. Try adjusting you price points higher until you reach 85-90% So if you charge $500 per engine and only sell 90% of you are about right, then if your inventory of the remaining amount drop your price a little or hold on to them for a while if you can.

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Sounds like sound advice!

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I heard once a long time ago that all of the GMC's came with 4-bolt mains, 'cause GMC only sells trucks, they would go a little out of their way to make sure they could justify someone buying a GMC over a chevy. FWIW.

In my blazer, with a 2-barrel original 350, it was a 2-bolt main.

Personally, if I were going to build a small block from stratch I'd prefer the 2-bolt because of this. When you are doing a full rebuild on an engine, it is totally worth it in my mind for the added assurance that this little mod would provide. Granted, it's a 3-400 dollar upgrade, and maybe it's not really needed for a truck motor, but when you decide to go all out with the supercharger or nitrous, you sure wouldn't have to worry about the bottom end here.

Later,
Buddy

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The old "rule of thumb " that we went by , was..... 4 brl carb in a heavy (3/4 or 1 ton 2wd), or 4 brl /4wd was generally a hit for a 4 bolt block. the 1/2 ton 2wd's could be hit or miss, but the heavy trucks had em......:crazy: L

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the original engine in my 72 cheyenne is a 2 bolt main and its an orginal 4bbl 350.

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the original 350 in my old 70 longhorn was a 4 bbl and 4 bolt high nickle (1020) block.

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:agree: This isn't a new topic in the Chevy universe - there just isn't any other way to tell and all the rules of thumb out there (and there have been some really nutty ones!) have been disproven at one time or another.

Besides...that's part of the fun - SBC treasure hunt!

As for 4-bolt vs. 2-bolt; 2-bolts are good up to 400 HP w/studs, factory straight 4-bolts to 500 - anything beyond that and you'll definitely want steel caps. If you're not turning something past 6K or using power-adders (NOS, forced induction, etc) I wouldn't sweat bullets about it. Steel caps add about $450 to the build for the caps and machining. I'll probably have to put on my Nomex for this, but I've never seen a broken cap on a STREET 2- or 4-bolt factory block.

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I dropped my pan today to get a woodruff key out, re-seal etc. I also wanted to know if it was 4 bolt main or not. It is infact a 4 bolt.
So here's what I have: GMC with original 350 & 4 barrel carb.
s/t

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Longhorn what is a high nickle?