Technical 350 CHEVY CRATE MOTOR QUESTIONS

On the 260 hp crate that I had, there was no provision for a stock mechanical fuel pump. The casting was not milled open for the mechanism of the pump. Reason being the replacement 260hp truck motor was for the series that ran throttle bodies. Also if you run an old Hurst style front engine mount you may have to modify it to clear a mechanical fuel pump. On any new 350 crate motor you need to at least vent both valve covers, usual set up is a pcv valve on one side (usually drivers side) and a breather on the other valve cover. Not unusual to see a 3 deuce manifold with 3 rochester deuces, but the end carbs are blocked off and non functional. Same function as a regular 2 barrel set up but LOOKS a lot cooler. Bill

 

Not true. Stock 32 mounts are too far forward and too narrow for a 40 Ford. Don't waste your money. Go get a Hurst mount for a SBC into a 40 from Speedway or other catalog place.

 

All good stuff. Now, what distributor should I get? I want an modern electronic ignition one, and one with a small distributor cap for extra firewall clearance. Looking on the WEB, there are a million different ones. Can you guys suggest one to use. Something moderately priced..., remember, this is NOT a hotrod.

 

There are several side mount option available as well that bolt into the stock frame after drilling a few holes. Also make sure you have enough clearance to clear the mechanical fuel pump on the small block. they like to be right in the way and hit the front cross member.

As for a distributor, a stock points one with a Pertronix conversion in it will work great and clear the 40 firewall. An HEI will not fit with out cutting up the firewall for clearance.

 

Paint it orange, use a Rochester 2GC and an air cleaner from a 59-60 Chevrolet passenger car. Make look it stock appearing. I almost bought what ur doing in 1961. 40 Ford coupe, stock 59 283, stock trans with a Columbia rear..

 

Use a 67-72 chevy pu rams horn on the drivers side, it is swept back.

 

Jimmy Six, I like your idea. I'm goin to ponder it.

 

I took a RAM JET 502 big block out of my '33 coupe & replaced it with a 290hp 350 crate motor from Summit - loved it!!! Had a 350 crate in my '55 Bel Air w/265 intake, exhaust manifolds, pulleys, PS generator, etc. Looked original except for the bolt holes in the heads & ran great w/a 4GC carb.

 

Pertronix Stock look cast distributor. Looks good, works good. 164 bucks on Ebay

 

Second on the Pertronix.Four years working flawlessly. Snowman

 

Stock style distribiture with the pertronix. 3. Im actualy running that and you can adjust the revs make it a govener but used as a limiter ebay comes with coil and super easy to instal. As i have no knowledge about points

 

I'd say any non-vortec smog motor is 99% sure going to have later model smog-era heads with larger 76cc chambers and at best 1.94/1.50 valve sizes. Unless you have a 305 crate motor, those have smaller chambers. Any 350 will have the large chamber. There were better performance heads in the 60's-early 70's performance engines.

Couple quick notes to add on the vortec heads besides the intake bolt pattern difference. Exhaust port location is raised a little over the std SCB heads; same bolt pattern, but raised further up away from the deck. This may actually be beneficial for clearance in some instances. The valve covers also changed from the 4 hold-down bolts on perimeter to the center hold-down bolts. So can't use old style valve covers without an adapter.

 

Y'all can NOT identify vortec heads by the valve cover bolt pattern alone.

1987 was the first year for center bolt valve covers and they were used with TBI type intake manifolds. Those intakes/ heads have the 4 center holes more towards vertical and ran till 1995. Not vortec heads.

The vortec heads are 1996-2001 trucks and vans. they use the same center bolt valve covers, and delete the center 4 intake bolts and the remaining are vertical

If it's Vortec heads you want then Don't hunt them by the valve covers alone.

 

I should have been more specific, your info is right, not just vortec heads have the center bolt valve covers. But it is correct that *all* vortec heads will have center bolt valve covers.

 

All the "Ford-powered" guys are in their kitchens eating tofu and drinking Poco Chico.

 

I run a 327 in my '40 sedan. The right bank is close to the firewall, but clears. The dizzy is what someone above said, a stock body with the conversion in it. The pass. side crossmember needed a slight trimming to clear the stock fuel pump. I run a big fan on short water pump and have room for a fan clutch and shroud on stock size radiator. Runs fine.

 

You can run a restrictive set of exhaust manifolds and use a 2bbl and no matter what heads your crate motor has it will make 50 hp more than a well built flatty. Nostalgia be damned.

Just close the hood at shows when a guy walks up with a flatheads forever T shirt on. If you hate seeing grown men cry.


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Ok, here is what I have so far. I did not buy a crate motor. I found a good running '85 350, so I bought it. I bought a pair of '56 Chevy exhaust manifolds, a NOS Rochester 2bbl carb, a '59 air cleaner, and a remanufactured points distributor, with a small cap. (I still need to get a 2bbl intake.) Now, I need your guys' advise on the following: I'm going to run only an alternator, no AC. I'll hang it off the left side of the engine. And I'll install a short water pump. So, what crankshaft pulley (harmonic balancer) do I need (year or part number) and what water pump pulley do I need (year or part number)?

 

Yes to all 3