How should I build my 350

[76zimmer]

I'm just waiting on delievery. I am going to strip the baby down to bare block, and using inspection tools from work get a good understanding of what shape she's in. Its sapposed to be in really good shape. Depending on what I am starting with is gonna determine what I end up with. If shes in good shape on only requires honing, cleaning and no major machining it will end up a 383

Hey how bout taking some pics and starting your own build thread.

 

[76zimmer]

You're right, you don't want some huge cam in an off-road truck unless it's an all out mud truck. Some of the engine builds on these sites are rediculous for the vehicles they're going in, especially on pirate4x4. Some of those guys think 500 hp is the standard for a trail truck. Whatever, just pic a RV or even better, one of those 4x4 cams from Comp and you should be good. Save the full roller set up for the race cars.

Mud, sand, and running with a 100:1 crawl ratio

 

[drop the hammer]

Hey how bout taking some pics and starting your own build thread.

Once I get it, which should be in a bout a week, and I get some parts I will start a build thread and see where it goes. I was only going to hone it if it needs it. I have access to the honing stone bits for power drills and have done it to many small engines for our dewartering pumps. It is sctricly done to ever so slightly take any imperfections out of the cylinder wall. No matter what, Its a 4bolt and its free and a tuff platform to build the engine for what I want. I guess I should have said it in the begining though I want as much low end torque and power I can afford to shove in it, I really want bomb proof reliablity, once I am done putting the hours into it, I wanna pound on it and have it hold together through hell and high water.

 

[misterfnygy]

Couple of thoughts--

When I built my first engine a few years back I grabbed a few books that really helped. They point out all of those little things that are not obviuos and get you organized--

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SAD%2DSA57&N=700+4294924480+4294923453+400217+4294923452+4294906764+115&autoview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SAD%2DSA26&N=700+4294924480+4294923453+400217+4294923452+4294906764+115&autoview=sku

They helped a ton!!

 

[drop the hammer]

I'll have to check out the books

 

[bowtiepower00]

You can find 383 rotating assy's for around $500. If you're on a tight budget and your block is in ok shape you may be able to get by w/o any major machining. Hone it, gauge it, throw it together. You don't need a balanced rotating assy for a low RPM street motor. Add some Vortec heads, performer manifold, and a decent cam, probably somewhere in the 246-262 range, possibly with a little extra duration on the exhaust. Get the most current grind you can, it will be worth quite a few HP over the earlier ones.

If you're on a tight budget, rebuild the 350 you have and throw on some Vortecs and a new cam, stay closer to the 246-252 side of things with the duration if you're not stroking it.

1: It's all in the heads and cam combo, so get the best you can afford.

2: There is no replacement for displacement.

If you're willing to do a little parts hunting, you may be able to find most of the parts you need on Craigslist or in the classifieds.