to molest or not...hum
 

As some of you know I have a low mile unmolested (other than by me) longhorn. After setting for years the engine now leaks oil, bad. There are some other issues as well. Also the 350 doesn’t give me the torque I need to pull my trailer.

The first idea was the 383 stoker, using my current original motor with 50k on it. Great idea, but the money is a bit high right now. I do have a friend who has a 396 big block that he just rebuilt, that he is whiling to sell at an attractive price. This would solve my torque prob as well as all the other ones too.

The down side is I would be violating my fanatical “keep it as stock as you can” rule. Now I have violated it before, HEI, trany temp gauge, wheels, ect” but nothing that cant be undone easily. The question is, how many modes will I have to do with this swap? Will the motor mounts work? Use the same fan shroud?

I will have to put on headers, and find some a/c brackets, but from what I understand this isnt a big deal as far as swaps go. The old 350 I can just wrap up and stick in a corner until Im ready to rebuild. Mean while id have a reliable torque filled motor..

Input? Opinons?

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

If you're plannin' keepin' it forever go for it. Mine had the full trim package not now!!!

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

i cant see me ever selling it....

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

I would do it. You really won't be hurting it to the point you couldn't put it back. And besides do it how you want it. As far as the mounts, what kind does it have in it now? I'm not sure about the tower type but I think they should interchange. I put a bbc in my 70 K20 and used sbc mounts. I did have a hard time finding a fan shroud so I made one.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

I'd stroke the smallblock.... lot less hassle in the long run. You can get plenty of torque with this set up.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

For the money your going to spend on the swap you could redo the 350 and make it right for towing. The right cam for one thing would make a big improvment. Don't get me wrong. My nova ,camaro and truck are all big blocks and there great. If your buddy had a 454 I would think it would be a no brainer . I just dont think you would see that big of a difference between the (396) and the (350 with the right towing cam). My .02

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

What do you want? If you're not going to sell it, do whatever you want. But if you do end up selling it, there's plenty of people who would want to have a BBC in it.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

Do what ever you want. It will not decrease the value by making it more functional.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

I think a swap will devalue a low mile pretty low production truck.I`d do up a small block for torque and keep it in stock appearance.Not to mention how much classier that approach is.I had a nice`68 short fleet w/396 that was tired.I set it aside and put an LS6 in it using all the 396 stuff on top so it looked original.But,that s.o.b. didn`t run like an original.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

My thing is, did these trucks come with a 396 (402) option when new?

Yes, so it would in my opinion, not devalue the truck in any way unless there was something special about the truck.

Now, if you wanted to put a Viper V10 in there, now were talking devalue ;)

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

Id keep the original motor around, incase you ever decide to sell it numbers matching. But, there will always be someone out there who wants a Big Block Chevy truck.

If I were building a tow rig, I would go with the 396 without a doubt. Of course, it depends on if I would need to re-cam it/work the heads, ect. If its built for your application, its a no brainer.

73-87 sbc mounts will work just fine to put a BBC in you 72 and can be had pretty cheap. Its a fun weekend swap and easilly reversible.

Have fun with it whichever way you go =)

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

Keep the 350 and make it into a 383. Just save $$ for the day you can do it.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

Set the original 350 aside along with all the small block parts if you ever want to do a 100 pt. restoration back to stock. Put the 396 in there for now and enjoy it. 396 transplant is easily reversible!

Molesting it would be shaving the stake pockets, door handles, drip rails and chopping the top. Those mods are pretty irreversible!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

do the 396 make sure it has a cam in it and but in a good 4 core radiator. as far as I know the engine mounts and bell housing are the same. I don't know about the fly wheel and torque converter. a 383 is a good motor for high revs and playing but the stroke and bigger bore give the 396 more bottom end. you said that it has been freshend up right? it would only take a few days to put it bak to small block if you wanted. in the end a vehical is just a tool we humans use.so we will always craft the tool to better meet our needs.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

I am probably going to go 383 on my next motor for the shortbed so I can keep all my SB parts.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

If money is the issue you could always put the 396 in there use it, since you can get it cheap. If you can swing the extra cash, the 383 would pull better and get better fuel mileage. I took a 396 out my '69 C-30 car (which frequently has loads up to 12K - 15K lbs including the weight of the truck) and swapped in a 383 stroker and it is better in every area. It pulls hills loaded better than the 396 ever did, runs cooler, and gets 4-5 mpg better mileage. I will never own another BBC truck unless it built for all race or is a numbers matching factory big block truck. For something I use and drive though, I'm going with the small block.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

all good points, thanks.

i have the money to do the 383, i just cant bring myself to spend it on a motor!

since im not a motor head i cant build cant it myself, so the quote i got was around 4k to build the 383..seems high to me, but the guy is very good.

id drop 2k tomorrow, but 4,,eeeee dont know.

after thinking about it, i just cant do the big block to THIS truck. if it were any other i have owned, it would be a no brainer move, but not with a truck this orginal and unmolested.... so.....dam, ill have to do something soon.

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

Well Dave, i'd prefer to see you do the 383 swap since it would still have the stock look and I already told you once, building the engine is not a big deal, i'll help out anyway I can.

Oh and 4 grand is not rediculoust for a 383 it all depends on what you're getting for that money. If all it is is a stock like 383 then no way but if it has some decent goodies then hell yeah!

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

I would say that since your truck is not a car, nobody will care about numbers matching mumbo jumbo. Wrap your old parts in Cosmoline, shove em in the shed, slap in the big block, spend the same money on the engine that you would have spent on the 350/383, and enjoy even more power at the same price. Head porting, stainless steel valves, roller tip rockers, good low end torque camshaft, better gears, an overdrive unit to keep the rev's down, the list goes on and on. My vote, save your money and go big block :D

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

guess ill have to filp another house with the idea that the profit gets put into the truck lol...

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

if done properlyit could be looked at as an upgrade not a molestation. workmenship makes the differance

Re: to molest or not...hum
 

The 396 is not much of an upgrade over a nicely built 383 ---- if it was a 454, i'd say big block all the way , but 383 vs. 396 is a push , as far as i'm concerned.

The 396 is not a hard swap and was an option in your truck anyway -- just paint it orange and keep the bling factor down and it'll be good to go

A lot of people like opening a hood and seeing fender to fender valve covers anyway