fastest low budget sbc truck?

[68c10owner]

Who has the fastest low budget sbc truck? Doesn`t have to currently have a small block but I`m curiouse what you guys are doing with little money. What i mean by low budget is either factory gm heads or cheap aftermarket heads like the iron spotmans that can be bought for under $1000. I`m not made of money and all I can afford is to rebuild the 4 bolt main 350 I have in the garage. I don`t care if you run 14`s or 11`s, I want to hear how you did it cheap.

[70rs/ss]

I am building a Vortec 383. I bought the complete longblock for $150 (GM core charge for guys replacing a Vortec with crate), so you can get them for that as I have bought two for the same price. Inexpensive 383 cast set up and I hope to have less than $1500 in it, worked Vortecs(062, screw in studs, guide plates, port work, better spring for over 500 lift!), big roller cam mutha thumpr (roller block) and throw down 400+hp. It won't go in my truck, but I would say it is about as low buck as it can get (by the time you R&R the crank, rods, etc a cast 383 rotating assembly is near even and a lot more power/torq) and if you need more umpff, NO2 if needed??

[fast_dev]

its been together awile so i can't give you an exact price but, i have a 400 4 bolt block .030 over, gm 5.7 rods from a 350, hyperutectic pistons, dart iron eagle heads, solid cam, 750 holley. best pass is 11.91 with a 4 speed. all motor. nothing special, no port work, all off the shelf parts.

[chevy72blu]

Originally Posted by fast_dev

its been together awile so i can't give you an exact price but, i have a 400 4 bolt block .030 over, gm 5.7 rods from a 350, hyperutectic pistons, dart iron eagle heads, solid cam, 750 holley. best pass is 11.91 with a 4 speed. all motor. nothing special, no port work, all off the shelf parts.

Wow, I'd like to hear more about that build. What compression, and what did that bump stick look like?

As many of us have said, going fast in these trucks isnt cheap. My old setup - 355 with worked TBI heads, stock HEI, z-28 springs, Comp 270-H flat tappet hyd cam, Edel rpm intake, edel 600 cfm carb, open hooker comp headers, TH-350 with vette' converter, posi 12 bolt/3.73, 28x14.5 DOT slicks, went low 15's @ 2200 ft above sea level and a hot evening w/ full weight (1/2 ton SWB fleet).

The motor was a crate when I got it with around 20k miles on it. The heads/cam/top end were around 1000 all together. Another 1000 in the rear, converter was free.

It wasnt fast, but I still had a ton of fun with it bracket racing on the weekends.

My 496 should go into the 11's on the bottle - I've built it for less than 2k... I even worked for parts for a while at a local machine shop

[hotrod 80]

$100 -2 bolt 350 638 tbi truck block (salvage yard)
$88 - used 2256 trw 4 relief forged flat tops ( ebay )
Free- powdered metal rods ( machine shop has a pile of them )
$35 - nodular iron vortec crank ( ebay )
$860- GM fastburn heads + rpm airgap(factory out of box except comp springs )
$211-650 speed demon (ebay)
$46-factory HEI with MSD board(ebay)
$65- used roller lifter set W/retainer and hardware (local recycler)
$450- machine work including balance (Jim's machine)
$239- XR288HR Kit
Lets just say $2250 with a gasket set and a new pump . Made 364 HP on chassis dyno ( which they all very ) and 501 hp on a mild N20 tune up .
Best motor pass was 11.65 @ 3000 #'s . I have over 250 passes on this combo and it is still giong strong . Will be spraying 250 this weekend with new slicks , hoping to get in the 6.60's

[68c10owner]

Originally Posted by hotrod 80

$100 -2 bolt 350 638 tbi truck block (salvage yard)
$88 - used 2256 trw 4 relief forged flat tops ( ebay )
Free- powdered metal rods ( machine shop has a pile of them )
$35 - nodular iron vortec crank ( ebay )
$860- GM fastburn heads + rpm airgap(factory out of box except comp springs )
$211-650 speed demon (ebay)
$46-factory HEI with MSD board(ebay)
$65- used roller lifter set W/retainer and hardware (local recycler)
$450- machine work including balance (Jim's machine)
$239- XR288HR Kit
Lets just say $2250 with a gasket set and a new pump . Made 364 HP on chassis dyno ( which they all very ) and 501 hp on a mild N20 tune up .
Best motor pass was 11.65 @ 3000 #'s . I have over 250 passes on this combo and it is still giong strong . Will be spraying 250 this weekend with new slicks , hoping to get in the 6.60's

was this in a truck? Sounds like a fun combo.

[hotrod 80]

Originally Posted by hotrod 80

$100 -2 bolt 350 638 tbi truck block (salvage yard)
$88 - used 2256 trw 4 relief forged flat tops ( ebay )
Free- powdered metal rods ( machine shop has a pile of them )
$35 - nodular iron vortec crank ( ebay )
$860- GM fastburn heads + rpm airgap(factory out of box except comp springs )
$211-650 speed demon (ebay)
$46-factory HEI with MSD board(ebay)
$65- used roller lifter set W/retainer and hardware (local recycler)
$450- machine work including balance (Jim's machine)
$239- XR288HR Kit
Lets just say $2250 with a gasket set and a new pump . Made 364 HP on chassis dyno ( which they all very ) and 501 hp on a mild N20 tune up .
Best motor pass was 11.65 @ 3000 #'s . I have over 250 passes on this combo and it is still giong strong . Will be spraying 250 this weekend with new slicks , hoping to get in the 6.60's

I will be duplicating this motor except the intake is now port matched and drilled and tapped for a fogger and putting it in a full size . I still have the top end and valve train . Oh , and it went 6.24 on 250 on a 275 drag radial @ 3018

[djracer]

This one did pretty good for cheap! http://www.dragtruk.com/ENTRIES/U1G6UF5XJGYS.html

[nxtruck]

I had a 377 in my '66 that consisted of a $50.00 400 block ( .060 over ), a $75.00 factory steel 350 crank, a set of stock 5.7 rods, a set of TRW L2311F pistons @ $300.00/set, an old pair of ported Sportsman heads, a used .660 lift solid roller cam and lifters, a strip dominator intake, and an 850 holley that ran 7.40s in the 1/8 @ 4020 lbs. For what it was, I think it ran pretty good, especially considering the money spent on it. It also saw a 400 hp n2o shot a couple of times and a 250 hp shot a bunch of times. The block finally split in the #4 cylinder, but not before a lot of passes and street-driving.
Forgot to add that the 7.40s were on motor only; it ran 6.60s w/a 250 shot. I only hit it with 400 a couple of times on the outer road close to my house, so I don't know how much quicker it would've been at the track.

[BADGMC]

$100 2-bolt Block
$200 Bore/Hone .030, Align Hone for ARP main studs
$1000 Eagle Cast crank, SIR Rods, Probe Forged Pistons, Balanced
$750 180cc Pro Topline Iron heads Assembled
$300 Comp Cam and Lifters, Pushrods, Used roller rockers
$100 Used intake
$100 Oil Pump, Gaskets, other BS
$500 Two Garrett T04B turbos (ebay)
$1000 CSU carb and hat
$500 Used Waste Gates, Blow Off, Home built headers, cold side plumbing

$4,550 Total All rounded up to nearest $50

Ran 10.91@123 (6.93@100 1/8th) in my 85 at 8psi boost weighing 4250 lbs.

No bottles to fill and only 91 octane needed. Never had a problem with it and could drive it anywhere (12-14mpg). Only need 1 set of spark plugs a year and normal oil changes. Operating costs were basically gas and tires.

[fast_dev]

they are .100 dome speed pro pistons, and a 565 lift lunati solid. about 11.8-12.1 compression.

[nxtruck]

Originally Posted by BADGMC

$100 2-bolt Block
$200 Bore/Hone .030, Align Hone for ARP main studs
$1000 Eagle Cast crank, SIR Rods, Probe Forged Pistons, Balanced
$750 180cc Pro Topline Iron heads Assembled
$300 Comp Cam and Lifters, Pushrods, Used roller rockers
$100 Used intake
$100 Oil Pump, Gaskets, other BS
$500 Two Garrett T04B turbos (ebay)
$1000 CSU carb and hat
$500 Used Waste Gates, Blow Off, Home built headers, cold side plumbing

$4,550 Total All rounded up to nearest $50

Ran 10.91@123 (6.93@100 1/8th) in my 85 at 8psi boost weighing 4250 lbs.

No bottles to fill and only 91 octane needed. Never had a problem with it and could drive it anywhere (12-14mpg). Only need 1 set of spark plugs a year and normal oil changes. Operating costs were basically gas and tires.

This sounds like a COOL combo! I've always wanted to try a turbo deal with mine. All my experience has been with spray, so it would be a whole new ballgame for me. Any chance that you have any underhood pics of your setup?

[BADGMC]

Here, this was the old setup I listed. The air filters were piped up into the rad support for cooler air after these pics were taken.

[djracer]

Sweet!

['72customdeluxe]

Hey Couch, how much compression are you running, or atleast are the pistons domed or flat tops. A 244@.050 cam and 8.5:1 compression just doesn't sound like an ideal combo if the pistons are flat tops.

[Wasted Income]

Well since you didn't specify what generation SBC...I will throw mine in the mix.

Here's my current setup:
1969 C-10 Longbed
Air Ride Suspension front and rear
4200 lb race weight
BONE Stock 5.3: Stock heads (no porting) stock cam, stock valve springs, stock intake....NEVER had a valve cover off of it.
Borg Warner S471 turbo with a 1.58 a/r on the exhaust side (huge, i know...came off of a diesel semi)
E85
Snow Performance water injection (NO intercooler)
4L80E, 13" 2500 stall Hughes converter
12 bolt with 3.73 gear and posi
275-50-15 M/T Drag Radials

Went to the track this weekend and clicked off a 13.108 @ 112 mph.....all the while lifting the heads under boost and pushing water at 12 psi.
60' was terrible....2.279 sec.

Was footbraking, trying to build a little boost, but couldn't...kept driving thru the brakes.

Was dead hooking off the line, but was weak until about 100' off the line, then the turbo lights and she pulls light a freight train, and flys thru the traps.

I need more converter, or a smaller exhaust housing...or both.

$500 for engine/wiring, etc
$400 for trans
$400 for 60 lb injectors
$400 into the turbo setup (did it all myself...got deals on parts)
$700 tuning software
$125 wideband Innovate LM1

[turbo350]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Well since you didn't specify what generation SBC...I will throw mine in the mix.

Here's my current setup:
1969 C-10 Longbed
Air Ride Suspension front and rear
4200 lb race weight
BONE Stock 5.3: Stock heads (no porting) stock cam, stock valve springs, stock intake....NEVER had a valve cover off of it.
Borg Warner S471 turbo with a 1.58 a/r on the exhaust side (huge, i know...came off of a diesel semi)
E85
Snow Performance water injection (NO intercooler)
4L80E, 13" 2500 stall Hughes converter
12 bolt with 3.73 gear and posi
275-50-15 M/T Drag Radials

Went to the track this weekend and clicked off a 13.108 @ 112 mph.....all the while lifting the heads under boost and pushing water at 12 psi.
60' was terrible....2.279 sec.

Was footbraking, trying to build a little boost, but couldn't...kept driving thru the brakes.

Was dead hooking off the line, but was weak until about 100' off the line, then the turbo lights and she pulls light a freight train, and flys thru the traps.

I need more converter, or a smaller exhaust housing...or both.

$500 for engine/wiring, etc
$400 for trans
$400 for 60 lb injectors
$400 into the turbo setup (did it all myself...got deals on parts)
$700 tuning software
$125 wideband Innovate LM1

Once you get it dialed in that will be impressive. How difficult was the engine swap with all the electronics?

[scatesracing]

2 bolt 350 .060 over
cast crank
stock rods
Hyperutectic flat tops
780 vac sec holly
441 cast heads
305 525 hyd comp cam
and a NX nitrous kit

best pass 12.52 @104mph..... 150 shot
200 shot and a timing issue fixed i had to lift and went 13.00 at 110 mph... I think it was on its way to a high 11.80 pass...

[turbo350]

Hope you guys don't mind resurrecting this thread. There has to be some new additions that can be added here.

[djracer]

No Problem. We drag up old ones all the time.

[scatesracing]

Originally Posted by djracer

No Problem. We drag up old ones all the time.

Im at work.... I read this and laughed out loud.... now everyone is looking at me....

[team39763]

I'm not a leg humper or nothin' but Super73's truck ran pretty impressive times for being a low budget setup(the first setup).

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

summit has the aluminum heads with 2.02 valves i have not run them, they are 700 bucks , less weight will cool better and I think I read this. ( take that for what its worth) they where flowing about what the basic after market iron heads do...

I would buy a scat set up that is already done make the 350 a 383 with a set of cheap aluminum heads, flat tappet cam and but the motor on the bottle hit it for 125-150 and you will turn some very nice times. That will pull very hard.

Start looking on craigs list. That picture I posted of the dual NOS kit. I bought all of that stuff for a whopping 400 bucks.... Start hitting the swap meets as well.. Get a 750 dbl carb and a single plane intake and run it.

I have a 750 dbl pumper street demon carb. That does run good I have fixed the issues with down leg boosters 4 corner idle etc. It has choke horn but no choke. I was going to list it on craigs list but how about 125 bucks??

I bet that if we all got looking for the extra stuff we have around we can come up with a ton of stuff.. Oh I have a 7 qt sump pan that will not work on my dart block. that would work for your build as well.

I just laughed there used to be a book sold on how to get your F body car into the 10's it was a basic 400 build and NOS and a few other tricks to save money.. funny stuff

[Rannos]

My last motor was a stock LT1 out of a 95 Z28(traded an old tranny for it). converted it to carb (single plane and a 750), dropped in a comp cams XR288H cam, pocket ported the heads and used a MSD HEI. In a 64 model truck that is GUTTED and it went 12.0's before I finished tuning it. Cam and springs were the biggest expense. Was less then $1500 with buying a custom convertor for my setup. Never got to run it once I worked all the bugs out of the intake. She drop 4 rods the day before I was going to.

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

add a 150 shot to that and now you are in the 11 second bracket.. What does that pig say on TV WEEEEEEE WEE WEE WEEEEEEEEEEE