gm crate motor help

[bmita]

need some input from the fellow hot rodders, it seems that everybody uses the the 350/290 gm crate motor, has anyone ever used the 350/260 gm crate motor? i want a new motor for my model A, i found a really great deal on a 260 hp motor i was just looking for some feedback some of you guys. is there a big notice in hp? thanks

[36-3window]

i have used many of the 260 hp crate motors with good luck. reading the spec's between the 260 and 290 hp all i can see different is the camshaft and about $300 more money. buy the 260 and install a better cam on your own and save some $$$

[jimbousman]

Do it! Running a 350/260 in my Chevy. Still smokes the tires.

[Gman0046]

No problem with the 260 HP crate motors. Real easy to get over 300 out of it.

[oldolds]

Those HP figures are for stock intake carb and exhaust. They come to life with a little more cam, good intake and good exhaust. Nice quick, bang for the buck. Good warranty program, might not be covered if you do the cam. They are the belly button of the hot rod scene.

[Pewsplace]

Good choice and cheap compared to rebuilding a worn out 350.

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by oldolds

Those HP figures are for stock intake carb and exhaust. They come to life with a little more cam, good intake and good exhaust. Nice quick, bang for the buck. Good warranty program, might not be covered if you do the cam. They are the belly button of the hot rod scene.

Belly button yes but if you intend to tweek it anyway the cheaper of the two all other things being equal is your best bet. Once you swap out the cam and do some other things to it to make it perform better it is no longer a belly button in my opinion.

Now as for the Hp difference it would be real norticable if you could get some traction but in a light car with no traction you really are not going to notice 30 hp by the seat of your pants.

[Mr48chev]

1399 from Jegs right now but your local Chevy or GM performance dealer might match or beat that. And it's getting down in the price range of having a core engine rebuilt these days. Ask the local GM dealer's parts person what he/she can get you a 10067353 engine for and what the availability is. That would save freight that you would have to pay buying it from Jegs, Summit or another vendor.

True they are common to the hot rod scene simply because they are affordable to most guys building a hot rod and they work. We have too many guys who forget that not everyone has 4 to 10K to build a "really cool and correct" engine for his hot rod out of a core that costs as much as the 260 hp crate motor to begin with. Just check the asking prices for some of the rebuildable early Cad, Chrysler, nailhead and other highly desirable engines in the classifieds and then add in what it costs to rebuild one. A simple master rebuild kit for the 56 Desoto Hemi in my shed is over 1000 now and that doesn't include a good cam, unobtainable aluminum intake or a 500.00 pair of finned valve covers.

[50mercfan]

Get it. You won't be sorry.


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[prewarcars4me]

Add me to the list of happy guy with that motor.

[mustang6147]

Keep in mind, its not built by GM.... It outsourced by the cost. Meaning Joe will build it for $2000, but Johnny can do it for $1500. You get Johnnys motor.

Mine had umbrelad exhaust valves. Cheap Chinese metal, and a plugged EGR system in it original van, caused the valves to be sucked into the heads.

1 by one I was loosing cylinders. SO I did a valve Job, put in stock chevy valves. Which was a big upgrade compared to what came in it.

[bmita]

i knew you all would help out, some of you talked about a cam, have any of you put cam a 350/260? if so what did you use?

[HOTRODPRIMER]

I used the 300 hp 350 crate engine in my old 2 door. a lot of bang for the buck. HRP

[oldolds]

Originally Posted by mustang6147

Keep in mind, its not built by GM.... It outsourced by the cost. Meaning Joe will build it for $2000, but Johnny can do it for $1500. You get Johnnys motor.

Mine had umbrelad exhaust valves. Cheap Chinese metal, and a plugged EGR system in it original van, caused the valves to be sucked into the heads.

1 by one I was loosing cylinders. SO I did a valve Job, put in stock chevy valves. Which was a big upgrade compared to what came in it.

That was a common problem with the GM Target Motors. Those were rebuilt motors. These motors are new GM, not outsourced, They use the finest things GM has to offer. That being said, most of them are Mexico and Canada built. I am sure that many parts come from other places.

[Don's Hot Rods]

I think they are an exceptional value and the price has remained this low for a number of years. The suggestion to see if your local Chevy dealer will match is a good one, that is what I did when I put one in a Corvette for a guy I knew. When I picked it up they had about 20 of them stacked in the back room, so I just backed up my truck and drove home with it.

A few of my friends are running them in their hot rods, some change the cam for a more lopey idle and put some cool carb set up on it for looks.

Don

[the boogieman]

i have the 290 hp crate in my 50 chevy build! i ended up putting a new cam in it used edlebrock rpm to go with the carb and intake i am running. runs great lots of power. from my research shows the 290 hp compared to the 260 is cam and heads. better valves in the 290 hp vershion. looking to swap heads for edlebrocks rpm this winter 70cc. engine has been very good so far i have drag raced it. got 14.6 times from it.

[BigDogSS]

My nephew put a 290 HP engine in his 61 Bel Air. Great power and a Bitchin' idle. Personally, I'd go with the 290 HP engine.

[panhead_pete]

What intake, carb, dizzy etc do you guys recommend for the 290HP version?

[Don's Hot Rods]

If you are just looking for a good running, dependable street motor, something like an Edelbrock Performer intake with a 500 or 600 cfm Edelbrock on it, and a vacuum advance Mallory Unilite distributor would be a good combination IMO. I ran that same combo on a 350 Vortec and it was super dependable, ran strong, and gave me about 25 mpg regularly.

Don

[panhead_pete]

That's exactly what Im looking for performance wise Don.