School me on SBC 350s

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

Well, since my other thread got mysteriously locked, I've got a few questions that I'm sure some of you can answer. I've worked on lots of motors including a few 350s, but I'm just not well-versed enough to know all the 'little things' that I feel like I ought to. And there are sooo many variations of every part...

The dead motor is an original 1971 300hp 4-bolt 350 backed up by an SM465. I need to replace it. I have been offered a (I think) good deal on the built 350 from my brother-in-law's car. He has MS and can't drive anymore so he's selling his 83(?) Monte Carlo that he built a few years ago - not much value except the motor. Very low miles on the motor, and other than knowing that it's loud and goes fast, I don't yet know the specifics of what's in it. I don't know where/when the motor came from either. I do know that it's got an automatic, which brings up my first question -

Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to unbolt the flexplate and bolt on my flywheel? Is there a year/date threshhold for which motors are interchangeable? Is there an online write-up of differences by year somewhere?

This is going to be my daily driver tow rig and definitely not a mud racer. The part that makes me hesitant is that it was built for a go-fast car but I want something with a useable torque curve. As I recall, the idle is VERY lopey, so I'm thinking about going with a milder cam while it's on the stand, but I don't really know. Maybe this isn't a good question without more specifics, but any recommendations on a good RV cam?

Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks,
Eric

War-Jeeper · Mar 13, 2007

How come you cant have the motor you have now bored out to like a 383 or a 396 and just do a full rebuild?

crash2 · Mar 13, 2007

You could bolt it up and go eric....

skrause · Mar 13, 2007

64FJ40 said:
Well, since my other thread got mysteriously locked

Ya, :wtf: is up with that?

TreeClimber · Mar 13, 2007

Yeah, I'd just bolt it up and go also. No stand time. Pull the dead one, set it on the ground. Pull the good one and drop it staight into the truck.

After you've driven it, and it has too much power, or the wrong torque curve, or whatever, then you can always re-cam it later, or re-jet the carbs, or whatever.

In reality, unless you're towing heavy heavy loads, you'll like the hot-rod motor more than you can ever immagine.

crapyota · Mar 13, 2007

TreeClimber said:
Yeah, I'd just bolt it up and go also. No stand time. Pull the dead one, set it on the ground. Pull the good one and drop it staight into the truck.

After you've driven it, and it has too much power, or the wrong torque curve, or whatever, then you can always re-cam it later, or re-jet the carbs, or whatever.

In reality, unless you're towing heavy heavy loads, you'll like the hot-rod motor more than you can ever immagine.

x2 on this. drop it in and go. i just picked up a 77 chevy with a dead 350(was ran without oil) my dad just ordered a crate 350 from year1 for his impala, so now i get the 327 from said ride. wich has been heavily modded and is low miles. gonna drop it in, and go then i will decide on how this setup is working drive it a little, make a tow or two then think about new rv cam(since this one lopes good).
good luck with swAP let us know how it does for you.. the chevy engines are the most interchangeable so this should be done fairly easy.

superglock · Mar 13, 2007

If the new engine came from an auto trans make sure there is a bushing in the end of the crank for the manual trans input. Thats the nice thing about chevy most have the same bolt pattern from 6 cylinder to big block.

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

War-Jeeper said:
How come you cant have the motor you have now bored out to like a 383 or a 396 and just do a full rebuild?

Honestly my first thought was to leave the top end alone and buy a stroker crank. Like a few people said before, a 383 would be sweet. Unfortunately, I'm almost positive that there's significant cylinder damage - at least on #1 - and that really hurts the turnaround time when I'd have to do a full rebuild and deal with machine shops and all that.

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

crash said:
You could bolt it up and go eric....

TreeClimber said:
Yeah, I'd just bolt it up and go also. No stand time. Pull the dead one, set it on the ground. Pull the good one and drop it staight into the truck.

After you've driven it, and it has too much power, or the wrong torque curve, or whatever, then you can always re-cam it later, or re-jet the carbs, or whatever.

In reality, unless you're towing heavy heavy loads, you'll like the hot-rod motor more than you can ever immagine.

Thanks guys. That was exactly the confirmation I needed.

War-Jeeper · Mar 13, 2007

64FJ40 said:
Honestly my first thought was to leave the top end alone and buy a stroker crank. Like a few people said before, a 383 would be sweet. Unfortunately, I'm almost positive that there's significant cylinder damage - at least on #1 - and that really hurts the turnaround time when I'd have to do a full rebuild and deal with machine shops and all that.

That is true...ive been waiting for my motor from the machine shop for over a month

Also the damage may be to the point where even a bore wont fix it

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

War-Jeeper said:
That is true...ive been waiting for my motor from the machine shop for over a month

Also the damage may be to the point where even a bore wont fix it

Exactly. I'll definitely keep it and pull it apart when I get a chance. Ideally I'd love to take my time and do a nice rebuild on the original motor if it's not too far gone so that it can go back in some day. We'll see.

I'll post more pics when I get it pulled but it'll be at least a couple weeks before I get a chance to tear into it.

crash2 · Mar 13, 2007

Even if the bore is ok there is certainly main journal damage to the block...

CrustyJeep · Mar 13, 2007

That truck needs a big block

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

CrustyJeep said:
That truck needs a big block

Maybe some day. Right now, that truck needs to get me to jobs. And the Cruiser is getting a V8 before anything gets a big block around here.

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

crash said:
Even if the bore is ok there is certainly main journal damage to the block...

Good point. Damn you and your voice of reason and experience.

Looks like I'll have some parts for sale soon :clappy:

wayne_fj40 · Mar 13, 2007

Eric if you need a hand just let me know I owe ya one anyway.Simple swap.

64FJ40 · Mar 13, 2007

wayne_fj40 said:
Eric if you need a hand just let me know I owe ya one anyway.Simple swap.

Thanks Wayne. I should be ok once I get some time when I'm not working two jobs all the time trying to get ready to go on vacation.

I may need to borrow a cherry picker though - do you have one I could borrow for a couple days?