69 GMC "Ol' Blue"

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

I cant find them in Rock auto..

I have hopes on a 383 stroker that will run on mid grade, but right now the bank account says to just run what ya got, especially if its still running strong.. I rebuilt my engine back in 96 went with a 30 over, RV cam and some other standard stuff keeping in mind that trucks need torque, and the operating rpm range which i drive ect. The machine shop that did the balancing of my rotating assy said with all the parts he estimated about 335 hp, nothing too wild but that's fine, i don't want wild, but i haven't pulled a heavy trailer since then ether so when the time comes i figure it will be because i'm not happy with the power pulling a trailer or heavy load up the pass..

What can't you find on Rockauto? I really wish I could have just slapped my 327 back in. You would think the thing would have been a dog, but the gearing was so low that it actually towed very well. But, you know, it's a damn shame to have to upgrade

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Oh, Blue printing is a lot of labor hours working up a piece of paper documenting all the particulars., I think its more important to put that money into having a machine shop balance the rotating assembly and buying good parts.

The company is called "Blueprint Engines" which is where I was looking at picking up a fully dressed 383 for $3,600 shipped. That seemed like a really good deal at the time, but I'm just not willing to roll the dice on whether they built mine correctly. They use all remanufactured parts to keep the costs down, which would be fine if it were a local shop that I could just tow it to and tell them it broke. I'm now on the path of determining what I'm going to build. I'm back to finishing my 400, or build a 383. The only real advantage I have with the 400 is that the block has already been bored 30 over and I have the pistons and rods. I'm still unsure about the crank, as the journals have surface rust that I'm not sure can be polished out. I still plan on calling my local shop to get their opinion, but I've been spending weeks researching so that I know what questions I should ask.