Project: Haulin Crap

[monte0185]

Its not risky at all. In fact a 307 block has alot thicker cylinder wall than a 305 or 350. Basically what ill have is a .030 over 307 with 64cc heads. I have to break out the calculator but i think it comes out to about 312ci. Nothing fancy just a basic engine.

I think im gonna try to make it as stock looking as possible though. I dug through all my stuff and came up with a 4bbl version of my 2bbl air cleaner. Im gonna paint the engine orange like it came stock but the valve covers I have are black powdercoated so thats gonna be something different. I dont think im gonna paint that shiny intake though. And im pretty sure im going with my edelbrock or carter carb. I have both. Anyway going to pick up my block today. Ill post some pics tonight. Got most of everything painted for it but i ran out of paint. So gotta run by the store today as well and get some more.

[tdave00]

Originally Posted by monte0185

Its not risky at all. In fact a 307 block has alot thicker cylinder wall than a 305 or 350. Basically what ill have is a .030 over 307 with 64cc heads. I have to break out the calculator but i think it comes out to about 312ci.

I had heard otherwise, but that is good to know. The 307 is not actually 307 ci. GM just gave it that name because it sounded better than a 313 or 314, which is actually what it is in cubic inches if I remember correctly. That should put you around 320 ci - guesstimate.

Looking forward to seeing how those vortec heads work for you.

[monte0185]

Ok heres the formulat to figure out cubes for an engine.

Bore X Bore X Stroke X .7854 X # of cylinders = Cubic Inches

stock 307 engine.
3.875 x 3.875 x 3.25 x .7854 x 8 = 306.62506875

.030 over 307 engine
3.905 x 3.905 x 3.25 x .7854 x 8 = 311.39119011

Ill check with my builder but I'm almost positive you can bore a 307 to .100 over cause the walls are that thick. Not going to swear to it though. Been awhile since i worked for my engine builder. I used to do alot the grunt work and he taught me how to turn cranks and such. Was a nice second job in the afternoons and on the weekends back when i didnt have a nice paying government computer job like i do now.

There are alot of myths out there about the 307. I have known a few people pull amazing horsepower out of these engines with very little work. A buddy of mine had one in a 70 model vega that had an offenhouser tunnel ram and two 600 holleys and he ran low 11's in the quarter. He had alot of time in the work on the heads though and alot of time tuning the carbs. Darn thing would suck all 4 bowls dry about 300ft before the end of the 1/4. We finally ended up running two High volume electric pumps. 1 off each side of the fuel cell going to each carb running 1/2 in line.

Any way to make a long story even longer I think they are a realy under rated engine. Just my .02 cents though. Im anxious to see how the vortec heads work as well. I figure at the very least it ought to make about 275hp. Thats just a rough guestimate though cause im not going with a big cam. Im picking it up in about 2 hours so i should have some pics of it tonight semi put together at least.

[monte0185]

OK got my engine back this afternoon and while i was there i talked to my builder guy and apparently I was wrong about the boring .100 over. You can actually bore it .125 over and make it a stock 350 if you really want. Anyway here are some specs on the new short block.

.030 over Flat top pistons
decked .020
.010/.010 Crank
267/277 summit cam and lifters
Double roller timing chain (Not a big Deal)

And here are some pics.




You can barely make it out on the end of the crank but its stamped .010/.010

[tdave00]

Cool. Looks good. Sorry about so many questions, but I am just curious. Why did you deck it .20?

[monte0185]

There is no reason to be sorry about asking questions!!! I have plenty of them myself. Im always glad to help if i know the answer. I appologise if i come off the wrong way.

As far as the reason I decked it .020 My engine guy normally will deck it about 10 just to make sure its good and straight I tell him to make it 20 just for a little extra compression. It really dont make alot of difference but every little bit helps especially on a small displacement engine.

Now i just have to find some Chevy Orange paint around here. Everyone seems to be out for some reason.

[NebraskaC/20]

Looks like it's turning out to be nice.Good work.

[monte0185]

Ahh someone from my semi home state!!! NE. I say semi cause i was actually born in cali but grew up in middle NE.

I am just finishing cleaning all my parts now and painting them getting ready to put them on. I gotta pick up some gorilla snot one of these nights. Appently my lid had a crack in it and it dried up since the last time i used it.

[monte0185]

Well I goth this far and ran into a snag. Apparently I left my heads sit on the shelf too long. I have a couple valves on one head that are sticking open. So Off they come and Ill pull em apart and clean them up make sure nothings stick and throw a set of new seals on them and back on they will go hopefully. Guess its a good thing I had two sets of head gaskets laying around. I think Ive spent more time cleaning and painting than Ive spent putting the whole motor together.

[tdave00]

Looks good. I bet you do have alot of time in cleaning and painting.

[monte0185]

Originally Posted by tdave00

Looks good. I bet you do have alot of time in cleaning and painting.

Thanks!!

Well since I need to pull the heads anyway I figure I might as well Put a set of steel shim head gaskets back on it. That'll give me a bit more compression as well. I could use the extra set that i have but for 8$ a piece I figure why not. Besides I like to use them anyway. I also ordered a harmonic balancer repair sleeve while I was at it. Some people use these some dont but I dont care for leaky front seals so I do if the balancer has a pretty good grove on it.

Heres the part #'s
Harmonic Balancer Repair Sleeve
Felpro # 16202
Steel Shim Head gaskets.
Felpro # 7733SH1

[STOCKISH]

Looking great. Keep it up.

[monte0185]

Well Good news!! Valves are no longer sticking. Seems a little WD 40 helps wonders after it sits overnight. So I went to the store today and got head gaskets for nothing. Oh well I guess. Here are a few shots. Opinions anyone?

Harmonic Balancer repair sleave


Orange Painted Valve Covers


Black Powder Coated Valve Covers

[VA72C10]

I like the black with your combo but both look good.

[monte0185]

Ok update for this evening.

I fixed my broken studs on my manifolds. Well I drilled them out to the edge of the threads and ran a tap through them and cleaned everything up. Now on the way home tomorrow Ill pick up some studs and a thermostat and Into the truck we go. I painted the orange valve covers gloss black to match the rest of the stuff and ill be going with those. Since my heater core is broke I blocked off the water pump passage and will be putting my temp sender in the port on the intake for now. I blocked off the port in the head for now as well. I am currently talking to stewart warner gauges about a sending unit and once they verify one more thing i should have a sending unit that will work in the head. oh and i had to get another adaptor for my oil sender to go in the back of the block. Original one dissapeared somehwere.. That was an interesting trip to oreilleys. Anyway I think thats all for now. Hopefully Ill have a engine in the truck tomorrow night.

[monte0185]

Well between all the rain this weekend I got the engine in. Not running yet but its at least in. I hate the old style motor mounts!! I fought with them for like an hour finally I just unbolted the hole frame mount from the passenger side stuck the bolt through it and bolted the frame mount back to the frame with a little bit of persuasion from my prybar. Anyway I should be able to finish it up tonight. Gotta get some new exhaust manifold bolts. I dont like the old rusty ones that are on one side of it now. Anyway Ill take some pics of my progress tonight.

[monte0185]

OK got a bit more done tonight. Pretty much the top end is done. Got to get a new fuel line the original is too small of a fitting. Here are some pics. What do yall think.

[VA72C10]

Wow, that engine is a shining jewel in there One suggestion...maybe do some cheap black high heat on the manifolds to really set the engine off...unless you have plans for headers.

[monte0185]

I thought about painting them but i figure i need something to make it semi match the rest of the truck LOL. Someday itll prolly get a set of headers and a new exhaust considering the one thats on it the mufflers are about rusted through. So headers and dual 2.5 and some summit flows will prolly go on it.

Theres a guy thats still dying to get ahold of my pristine long bed for his 3/4 ton project and hes offering a SWB frame and bed for my LWB bed so it might be getting converted one of these weekends. I went and looked at the parts he has and the bed is not decent at all so hes supposed to be talking to his body guy about straightening it out. So maybe Ill have two SWB's before too long. Might have to offer free beer and Pizza day for anyone who wants to help with the swap.

[Longhorn321]

May I be so nosey as to ask what the bill was at the machine shop? That thing came back lookin pretty sweeet! I think I'll be doing the same thing soon and for the same reason....I think my rings are stuck.

[monte0185]

Not nosey at all. It was 700$ I supplied the cam and timing chain though which was another 100$ from summit. Some people charge less some people charge more. The guy that does my machine work I have been dealing with for years and at one point even worked for him in my spare time so i know he does good work. Hes sometimes a bit more pricey than most but i think its worth knowing if something is not right hell make it right no questions asked.

[Longhorn321]

So he put it all together for you too? Not just clean and bore?

[monte0185]

Yeah he built the entire short block. By the time i bought pistons and rings and had him do all the machine work and press the pistons on it was worth the few extra to let him put it all together. Usually Ill just have him do all the block work and ill put it all together but i was being lazy and it was just easier.

[tdave00]

What did the pistons cost you?

I am interested in how this 307 is gonna perform. I wanna do the same thing you have done this coming winter. First, I am gonna drive the snot out of it this summer though.

[monte0185]

I have no idea what they cost. My builder bought them.

Well it's alive again. I let it run long enough this evening to make sure my temp gauge works. Maybe 5 min. Oil pressure was about 50 at idle and if you tapped the gas it pegged the oil pressure gauge. Runs smooth and is extremely responsive. I converted it over to an internal regulator alternator so it charges great so the next thing im going to do is the headlight relay conversion. I think I have my shifter linkage backward cause its stuck in first but when you let out on the clutch its in reverse. Gonna fix that tomorrow so i dont have to hold the clutch in and let it warm up and break in properly. Here are some pics. I need to replace the radiator hoses but for now theyll do.

Opinions? Questions?