Affordable power: how'd you do it?!?

I say look at the Olds 350, 403 , 425 and 455. Any of these are cheap and with a little tweaking can make pretty good power for the price . They are different also. I have an Olds 350 in my '42 Chevy and it has surprised quite a few people.

 

I didn't think to mention it. This is for a daily, that probably will never be driven daily but needs street manners and pump gas and vacuum for power brakes.

 

I just did an article for Auto Enthusiast about a little 350 Chevy that put out 530hp /605 lb ft of torque, and the mods can be done for under a grand. That doesn't count the price of the basic engine, and it is EFI...

If you're interested:http://editions.amospublishing.com/KRPR/default.aspx?d=20110101 It's an online magazine, just flip the pages. Article starts on page 30.
(I'm not Kevin Harper, but he did a good job of editing my story)

 

Hey exwestracer. I didn't know you were a member here?!? I read about your build in the turbo forums, how cool!

If you ask me, I like your writeup better.

I spent a good part of my afternoon yesterday studying your build, and looking for parts to duplicate it on craigslist heh

 

Yeah, I never posted about it here because it's WAY O/T for the forum, but you asked...LOL.
(BTW, that IS the full version of the article I wrote, with a few words moved around here and there...)

 

Okay, you want a street engine with manners and pump gas reliability.
You still don't mention brand or if the budget includes 'everything' to get the engine in or just the ready to run bullet. You also don't mention what you have to throw at the project - your skill level, tools, friends and connections. A complete motor is not as cheap as a bunch of parts you can assemble properly.

While 5K will allow you to dive into the motor and get machining done, I'd suggest getting something that is in good shape and adding to it. Let's face it, anything over 500 horses and torque is overkill for a street only car, unless it's a big heavy pig. It's fun, and with modern building tech it can live and is great bragging rights, but there is a point of When is it too much?
I suggest torque for the street, and the best way is big cubes. Strokers are available for most now. Almost any storker could use some head work, so always consider that part of the cost when increasing inches.

BBF (460) with a good intake, carb and matched converter will work. Typically a cam change will get you all the power needed for a light car.
BBC cores are not as cheap but the formula is well documented.
Other GM brands will require more research to do well cheap, but would stand out.
BBM finding one that you don't have to open up is going to be tough, unless you find a nice build you can trust and meets your needs.
The best deal, if you do your homework and know what you are buying is to get someone else's fairly fresh build. They are usually 50-80% of cost, BUT you can't buy a mess or all savings goes out the window. There have been a number of the engine masters engines for sale each year after the contest, which are well researched, carefully designed and assembled, and can often be set up for your needs by the builder. If you can get one of those for 5K, it would be better than what 80-90% of the average Joes could do the first time out.

 

1972 Chevy 350 4 bolt block, .030 - $250
Forged rods + pistons - $50
327 Large journal steel crank with machining - $150
416 305 heads + porting (free) and machining - $400
Comp cam + lifters = $200
King main and clevite rod bearings - $200
Melling HV pump (borrowed from schucks) - Free
Tunnel ram intake - $130
2 650 Edelbrock carbs - $100
Forged roller rockers - $75
Gaskets - $40

Total?

$1595

470 hp at 7000 rpm.


Spread out the purchases and its not too bad. This has been over the last few months

or

1970 500cid caddilac - $50

420 hp and 525ft pounds

 

Dynaflash: you got some killer deals.

What CR are you running? Do you remember which cam you used, just outta curiosity?

most importantly, have you uploaded a video to youtube yet?!?

I'd love to hear that at 7,000 rpm!

 

Its running about 10-1 with the heads i have.

The cam is a summit k-1108.

.510/.533
302/312

3200-7200.

No video yet. Still gotta button it back up

 

If it was me i would start with a 500 caddy. Install forged rods & pistons with a griddle, Special ground cam with upgraded valve train, port and polish the chambers in the heads, aftermarket intake with the stock Q-jet tweaked add a msd 7 with rev limit set at 5,500. Then add two turbos that blow thru the Q-jet. This should net you about 750 pounds of torq at 3,000rpm and 700hp at 5,500 and still be very streetable. Of coarse this is all based on the abillity you can do 95% of all the work yourself

 

I want to do this "budget" one some day it looks promising...
http://www.purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/350 chevy engine.html

 

i was approached by a friend about buying some engines from his church buses. he said one was a big block chevy just sitting as a spare engine wich i figured was a 454 the small block was still in the bus but i could use the bus garage to pull it in i offered 250 he got the ok but said they would have to pull it for me as there insurance would not cover me damn near broke my heart it did but i accepted there terms .the small block came attached to a 400 complete they just cut the wiring and the cables loose on top of it was a 850 quadrejet. checked the#on the big block came out 402 from a 71 chevelle engine had been rebuilt . pulled the plugs on the small block they showed a perfect running engine i think it had also been rebuilt new oilpan and u could see intake had been off. traded the big block for the interior in my truck and installed the small block great running engine. moral is dont forget the buses. 5000 big ones man u guys are oughta my pocket size

 

Just how "Affordable" do you expect this thing to be? Forged rods and pistons and girdle. Twin turbos. Sounds a bit pricey to me.

 

Yeah, and in some cases they have aluminum heads available these days too. I am fortunate in that my 68 caddy has the stock high compression heads. The other option is to take the later heads and maybe add a turbo or a supercharger. The question gets to be how budget is that though. I am more of a custom or cruiser type guy than an all out hot rod guy. So as long as the motor has a satisfying rumble, it is all good to me.

 

There's so many options for the small block Chevy and you can buy a decent running one cheap - 1980s and 1990s beater pickups and vans aren't hard to find for $500 that you can drive home - that I can't imagine anything else being much more affordable to build. I've seen some 1996-2002 trucks sell just about as cheap with the EFI V8, those have to be watched though as the intake gaskets fail and can dump coolant into the engine at around 100K. Just go to a surplus auction.

But if your definition of affordable is five grand, that's enough to build most any starting point you want, GM, Ford, or Mopar, short of the really exotic stuff.

 

Under $5k. I have one but its 547ci with big valves and a handmade alum intake and i still have less than $5k in it. Like i said it all depends on what you can do yourself and how savey you spend your money. For example booth my turbos cost me only $360.00 at a local swap meet. I also used stock forged steel BBChry rods as they are alot stronger than the caddys rods and not no big money 4130cm rod. The griddel was probally overkill since its turboed and not supercharged but i rather be on the safe side. The 472 & 500 caddy motors are so over looked and i just do not undestand why. A twin turbo mildly built 472 on gas just went 405mph now how many stock block motors can make that claim ?

 

with any big block using 1hp/ci you are already there at the 500 hp mark all the dumb add ons will put you were you want to be just pick one that fits in your build!

 

took my motor out of an old dirt tracker, 355 cu, double hump heads, add on a manifold carb, headers there ya go, check craigs list , i see a lot of ready to go 350 chevy's on there for under 3000.......

 

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but you said you are using a Quadrajet with twin turbos? Just curious what you had to do to the carb to "boost reference" the fuel delivery? Or did you put it in a box? Never heard of anyone trying that with a Q-jet before.