engine hunting, what should I be looking for???

[special-K]

That`s amazing you found no ridge and the block in such good condition since those old blocks are crap.What`s really amazing is that`s how I find them all the time .I stay away from the`80s junk,top to bottom.But,these trucks came with great motors.It`s the top end that goes,everybody knows that.Then it`s might as well do the bottom end time,when you find a beautiful bottom end.Cams have never lasted as long as the rest.But,it`s always advised to do the bottom with the top.The SBC gained it`s widespread great reputation from those great early blocks.
You`ll be very happy with this motor,I`m sure.I bought a complete 327 w/TH400 pulled from a`68 truck for $200.It has a large journal forged crank and was beautiful inside,no surprises there.I had it built to 325hp specs including him swapping my truck heads for higher hp rated ones.I picked it up all painted and with a dual plane air gap manifold for $1,300.So,I have $1,500 in it and still have a TH400 to sell.There are oils and additives to keep proper oil specs in an older motor.

[69gumby]

What from what I have read these blocks are not crap but the 010/020 was one of the better blocks GM produced. Must have had something going for it they produced 3970010 casting from 1969-1980. I don't know if they were all the same metal compound though.

This block was also used for the 1969 302 Z. What about building my engine as a 302. As I remember those were some BAD motors. I would need a 302 crank and rods to make that happen right? I'll have to look up some specs. on the 302 this idea just popped up in my head and I have not done any research. Oh well it's different.

And I think I will go with old school heads. I was thinking of making my engine compartment look stock. Stock valve covers, paint my alum. intake (that I already own) orange, and that big AC compressor hanging out there. And in the mean time a few hundred HP sets inside. I did that to a 1965 mustang back in high school. I made a lot of money off that blue engine. Kids thought it hand to have chrome to go, wrong.

I will say the cam in my motor was CRAP!!! Four flat lobes. I have no idea how this thing was still running

[Gray Ghost]

Those blocks were nowhere near crap for sure. The 010, 014 blocks are the two most desirable blocks from the old school [75 and older] that you can get due to their high nickel content.

I did get one that had been backyard honed once when I bought my '73 C-20, but that was a fluke....all the others have been very good including the current '70 block. It is a four bolt main 010 block. The builder told me I could have done much worse than to find a C-10 with a numbers matching block in it.

[Old Yeller 1970]

My high nickel block was rebuilt at 100,000 by the PO and bored .030" over. I put a total of 144,000 miles on that build before pulling it apart to do the performance build up. My engine builder who used to race circle track profesionally, told me it was the most desirable block of that erra and there was so little wear on the cylinders that unless I just wanted to bore it out to .060" he could hone it to .040" and leave one more build in the block. Needless to say I had him hone it.

From what I've heard and read about the 302's, they were a racing engine designed to run at 8000 RPMs. I suppose you could do that but since they went in light weight cars I think you'd be disappointed with the lack of torque (needed to move a truck) that a high reving 302 would produce.

[Gray Ghost]

Yessir...the 302 was built for one reason only....to homolgate the motor so it would be considered a production car motor therefore be eligible to race in the Trans Am series. It could be wound up to 8 grand easily and the race cars saw 9 occasionally. Quite possibly the best small block ever built by GM.

They dynoed a '69 Z/28 [I think it was Hot Rod, but don't get me lyin'] and got 550hp at the flywheel. I think it had the legendary cross ram and two fours on it. The manifold was a factory option that got delivered in the trunk, but you had to buy the two fours on your own.

In 'stock' form the Z would fly past the BB Camaro at the dragstrip...one hell of a motor!

[prg machine]

Originally Posted by Senator350

I've heard that 1.6 rockers don't make any horsepower... might be digging in deeper with vortecs and 1.6s, but maybe I'm wrong about the 1.6s.

are you building heads?

The 1.6 is simply more of the same reason we use a higher lift cam.................more intake valve opening results in bigger gulps of Fuel/air mixture means only one thing.............more power. Same difference as bigger valves. I am sure somebody can tear this theory apart, but very simply put, the old school quick power gimmick was to instal a set of 1.6 intake rockers giving your stock cam a higher lift. simple power boost. It's kinda like this...............the more wood in the fire.................the hotter the stove!

[Old Yeller 1970]

Originally Posted by Gray Ghost

and got 550hp at the flywheel.

WOW, that's not too shabby for 302 cubic inches but oh the RPM's it had to be spinning to get it.

[69gumby]

OK back to the 350, the 302 has a huge mid range power loss but WOW they kick butt when ya get em going. I need that mid range power to tow my boat to tahoe. I sure would like to get a 302 into an old Camero someday. I am sure my wife wouldn't mind another car around the house.

What size combustion chamber do I want? Do I want a smaller number 64cc or larger like 74cc?

[kcjones]

Originally Posted by 69gumby

OK back to the 350, the 302 has a huge mid range power loss but WOW they kick butt when ya get em going. I need that mid range power to tow my boat to tahoe. I sure would like to get a 302 into an old Camero someday. I am sure my wife wouldn't mind another car around the house.

What size combustion chamber do I want? Do I want a smaller number 64cc or larger like 74cc?

Depends on the pistons you use. Using a stock type flat/valve relief type piston, a 64cc chamber is gonna put you around 9.5:1, whereas a 76cc is gonna give you 8.2:1 or so. But if you use domed pistons, you can use the 76cc for that 9-10:1 ratio or the 64cc for anywhere from 10-12:1. Obviously, fuel grade, outside temp/air density, altitude, other engine components will limit how much compression you can run safely.

Most performance small blocks running on 91/92 octane are safe with 9.0:1 with iron heads, 9.8:1 or so with aluminum, given temp/alititude are average. I'd go with flat pistons and 64cc aluminums, big valves, middle size runners (220?). Although the vortecs are smaller runners, they flow better than most at lower lift, giving you great torque numbers low in the rpm range. If you're going iron on pump gas, plan carefully. Nothing like getting an engine together, and hear that ping...and then turning the timing WAY back to get it to stop and losing all your power.

[chevybuldr]

With a 74cc head and a flat top piston with the piston about .010 below the deck you will achive about a 9.0 to 1 compression. A dish piston will get you an 8.0 to 1. 64cc head will put you over 10.5 to 1 and not good for the gas these days. I would stay at about 9.5 for what you want to do. So a good 74cc head and a forged flat top piston and you will be good.

[hotrod 80]

They dynoed a '69 Z/28 [I think it was Hot Rod, but don't get me lyin'] and got 550hp at the flywheel. I think it had the legendary cross ram and two fours on it. The manifold was a factory option that got delivered in the trunk, but you had to buy the two fours on your own.

In 'stock' form the Z would fly past the BB Camaro at the dragstrip...one hell of a motor![/QUOTE]



That's 1.82 HP per cubic inch . These motors made 330 -350 Hp off the lot and a max 470hp with kinsler sprint car injection set up . Maybe supercharged or turbo'ed , but not N/A .

Great news on the block being in good shape . I also like the painted stock looking idea . Keep us posted on your progress .