Quote:
Originally Posted by Bandit130
Want to overhaul and use original block, if possible, and also want to modify to give it more kick. What do you recommend?
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OK, so $1,500 will be tight, but maybe doable
if you want more kick than start out by deleting all SMOG systems, Air Pump, etc.
ditch the stock cylinder heads, they are SMOG heads and the best way they were described to me since I also have a 1974 truck is that they were "The Best of the Worst Heads" LOL so ditch them not worth the $300 dollars to have them freshened up
Vortec cylinder head option, this is what I went with but they tend to crack so I had to buy 5 cylinder heads from a junkyard to end up with two "good ones" I think I paid like $100 bucks for both heads since I got them at a 50% OFF sale so you could get them and take them straight to a machine shop and drop the $300 on them for a basic valve job, wash, magnaflux, and new valve stem seals, nice little freshen up job. Remember Vortec heads will dictate you getting a Vortec style intake manifold so add $200 to that bill so you are already $600 out
A lot of guys overlook the gaskets, seals, and fluids. It all adds up. So add $350 for this part. That will be about $300 for a master gasket set (the machine shop may ask you to go out and get one on your own and deliver it to them) plus $50 for break in oil, etc.
we are up to $950
most machine shops stock .030 (thirty over pistons and rings) instead of .010 and or .020 just because of shelf space (got this from three local shops by interviewing them this year) so they will take your block to .030 over if not more, about $300 for wash, magnaflux, bore, and hone block. So now you need larger pistons, $100 for those, get them pressed on by the machine shop $50
we are up to $1,300
most likely you will want to replace your oil pump since you got the oil pan off, so $50, most likely you won't want to put your old water pump back on so $50, how's your distributor is it H.E.I. if not if it is points you will want to swap that to an HEI for $150
so we are up to $1,550
again just trying to be realistic and help you out