I've had this 88 Chevy 350 TBI engine setting in the garage for for twenty years which I got out of a wrecked truck. Engine has about 20,000 miles on it and ran perfect when wrecked. I want to use this engine in a project and convert to a carb. I've seen a kit to change the cam, intake and carb along with the distributor. I think it would be cheaper to just use the short block and change the heads and cam. Any suggestion on a cam and head change for this engine. I want to use a factory iron head. I already have a Holley 600 cfm carb and HEI dist. 300 HP is fine with me.
Why change the cam? If it has a block off plate over the fuel pump hole, you can even run a mechanical pump on it. You can use an aftermarket carb type intake designed for the 87-94 engines, or use an earlier one and do some wallowing of the four center intake bolt holes, so they'll work at the different angle.
I wanted to change the heads because I heard they weren't very good as to performance. Same reason for changing the cam. Would rather have valve covers that bolt on the side instead of the center also.
Then you should be fine using different heads, cam, etc. Make sure whether or not it's a flat tappet or roller cam first, you can pull the intake to find out. If you use earlier design heads, then you have more choice in intake manifolds. Might want to consider aftermarket heads as well, they're new and not very expensive these days.
I’m currently putting together a 94’ 350 for my 49’ Chevy. Gonna use vortec heads, carb intake and lunati voodoo cam with an hei. You can get center bolt to outside bolt adapter for the valve covers. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Dollar for dollar the GM Vortec heads are great for mild performance, you just need to have a Vortec style intake manifold which aftermarket makes in a 4bbl. They don’t take much lift though, you’d have to keep lift low (under .475”) https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12558060/
Based off your stated wants....you want better heads then the junk TBI swirl ports, but won't use Vortec or a any other centerbolt valvecover head.....doesn't give you much choice in heads. Nothing from 1972 thru 1986 is going to work well without some serious rework or a pretty large duration cam if the heads are left stock(just look at the 260HP and 290HP GM 350 crate engines).That leaves you with either searching out a set of 1971-earlier closed chamber heads, AKA "Fuelie/Camel Hump" and spending significant money rebuilding that old crap, or buying a new aftermarket iron head for pretty much the same cost. Benefit to the new iron is you can get better ports and combustion chamber shape, so you can reach your 300HP goal without needing some big duration cam. A&A Midwest/EngineQuest "EQ" cylinder heads would be right up your alley, Vortec style intake and exhaust ports and combustion chamber but take a standard intake and perimeter bolt valvecovers. Part #CH350H bare, CH350HA assembled Very popular with the circle track crowd as they make power and are a lot more durable than factory castings. https://www.aamidwest.com/enginequest/cylinder-heads/chevrolet-350/ In all honesty though, for the same money you can get into a budget aluminum head that is just that much nicer. Seriously.
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