My '40 Ford pu has had a Chevy small block since I bought it in 1966. First a 265, then a 283, and finally a 350 from a early 70's Camaro. Well, its getting tired again. Maybe sounds goofy, but I am still stuck on the original type small blocks. But I am not familar with all the changes they made to the engines. I dont want a modern crate engine with fuel injection. I am wondering what years and type of vehicles I can look for a an engine that uses a distributor, an old style intake, short water pump, etc. Trans is a '71 Monte Carlo 350.
You can buy a carbed crate engine. Summit has several listed. Anything from a 190 hp 350 up to a fully blueprinted high dollar engine.
Chevy still makes them (in mexico) that will bolt right in, brand new....the only strange thing is the oil pan and block are set up for installing a dipstick on either side. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-19355658 If you want a junkyard engine, you can get one from 1985 or earlier, and it will bolt in, your intake and distributor and flywheel will work with it.
The smallblock is the traditional solution for the flathead v8 problems, always has been. It seems weird that some of the young guys want to go back to those problems
GM still offers what everyone now calls “Gen 1” small blocks. To me they will always be the Only Small Block. All of the other ones that come after that are called other things. That being said, the most affordable one is P/N 10067353. Any Chevy dealer can (should have on hand) get you one. It’s complete, minus intake manifold, and damper. It even has a warranty, 3/36 if installed in a vehicle that was originally equipped with a 350, or 1/12,000 miles for everything else. Best deal going on a new 350, cast crank, two piece rear main, dipstick on either side, four bolt mains, powdered metal rods, hydraulic cam. I believe GM rates it at 250 HP with a four barrel and headers. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Not so young but all of the problems that plagued those Flathead’s years ago have been rectified. Everything but cost per horsepower. That’ll never go away.
retirement calls for something running in a used condition, so pre '85 sounds like my answer. I like the flatty comment, I could have bought 2 or 3 Chevy crate engines for what it cost me to build a good '39 24 stud for my deuce before I retired! Thanks all!
Anything pre FI will work with your carb and your distributor. Someone can tell you when they they went from 2 piece rear main seal to one piece that takes a different flexplate or flywheel. Still finding a really good 80/85 Small block at is good for better than 50K (ball park figure) without major issues might be a challenge and probably means finding a well kept low mile rig that suffered body damage but that you can still drive and dial in the engine before you pull it. In MN that might be that great running rig that is rusted to the tops of the wheel wells that has served as a Winter rig for someone for the last several years. As for myself, I'd pull the engine figure out how much I had to bore it and buy an engine kit from Northern Auto parts with the good bearings, gaskets and rings and after machine work not be in it any more than finding a good one out of a donor.
Another vote for rebuilding what you have. If you have done your maintenance by the book maybe all you need is rings, bearings, timing chain and a valve touch up. Summit and others have cheap rebuild kits, cheaper than a new engine. As you are retired the time should not be too much of an issue.
Rebuild what you have. Rebuild parts for a 350 are the cheapest you can buy. There's so many of them out there that the kits are surprisingly affordable. And there's got to be a friend in your circle who can help with the machine work and assembly.
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