Where do I get a chevy 350 block?

[Raven18940]

Been pondering building a chevy 302 I'm wondering you get a 350 block? Do I just go to a wrecking yard?

[turbo4g63]

go to any junk yard...most of them will have a few laying around, just make sure you inspect it really good for cracks and whatnot

[CarbonIS]

many many gm cars/trucks/vans have them. just go searching.

[NJGOAT]

You could probably order a complete old school style 302 crate engine from Jegs or JC Whitney for next to nothing.

[1988 Olds]

Why would you want to build a Chevy 302. You can find a 350 block pretty much at any junkyard or like others said order a shortblock offline.

[Raven18940]

go to any junk yard...most of them will have a few laying around, just make sure you inspect it really good for cracks and whatnot
Any idea how much one of those would run?

You could probably order a complete old school style 302 crate engine from Jegs or JC Whitney for next to nothing.
I'll look into that, but I don't think they'll have with I want. I want to build a high rpm screamer and it's gonna need all forged internals.

Why would you want to build a Chevy 302. You can find a 350 block pretty much at any junkyard or like others said order a shortblock offline.
The 302 has a completely different purpose than a 350. The 350 is more a mid-range grunt engine, where the 302 was built for high rpms. Hence the reason for it's 3 inch stroke and high rod to stroke ratio.

I want to (just planning this out in my head right now) build a 302 with a 8500 rpm redline and somewhere around 500hp and slot it in a third gen camaro with a nice, quiet exhaust. Then I'll go drag racing and molest STi's with it. :)

[evomike]

im pretty sure i tripped over 3 walking to the store today they are everywhere

[Intercooled T]

Junkyard chevy 305/350 blocks = $100

Brand new mustang 302 blocks = $500

Keep in mind these are bare assemblies

[Raven18940]

What's a 4 bolt main versus a 2 bolt main? I'm such a newb, I need to find a good place to read about all this stuff.

[driftingrx5.7]

i got my lt1 for 500 bucks complete motor heads block wiring harness dizzy all the good stuff! you can get them mad cheap at a junk yard. the 2 bolt is the one that can have a bearing spin on you easier if your going to HIGH REV but the four bolt is a bit stronger but not much. i have an lt1 2 bolt but i really never get up to 5800 rpms! so its up to you if you want 2 bolt or 4 bolt depends on how much you want to spend

[Raven18940]

I was just looking at a 2 bolt on ebay, and it looked like it had holes for 4 bolts. Any one know if a two can be converted to a 4? Given the application I'm planning, I think 4 is probably the only what, damn high rpm stresses.

[Cutlass372]

This is going to be a dedicated track car? Making a 350ci with 500hp that revs that high isnt going to be the most forgiving engine... A big block would allow you to make lots of hp and tq but also remain streetable (milder cam ,etc). Idk.. you dont really need to rev V8s that high to make power lol most die off by 6500 and there isnt much of a point to go higher.

[lownslow95]

you can find a decent 302/350 in a junk yard, with a majority of the parts still on the vehicle. you may need to find like the usual valve covers, headers, intake mainifold. but if you find one with half the motor all ready taken, don't waste your time. you would just end up putting more into it then what you had paid for it in a junk yard.

[Cutlass372]

^^ He's going to be replacing all the stock parts anyway? All he really needs to find is a 350 block and crank and he should be set (if your not changing the crank?). I also have a Oldsmobile 455ci in my garage if you have any interest in that.

[SpeedCorps]

You can convert a 2 bolt into a 4 bolt but it is a little costly. You would have to buy new caps and have the block drilled and tapped for the new bolt holes. Then you would have to have the block align honed to match the radius on the block to the new caps. A 4 bolt should be pretty easy to find. If you want to build a high rpm small block 350, you could always fit the 350 block to a 327 or 283 crank. It's called de-stroking the block. This would raise your rpm limit and the throttle response would be outright nasty! Using a stock 350 crank, you may not hit your intended rpm limit. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

[The01Cav]

To correctly build a 302 dont you need the 327 block with a 283 crank?

[SpeedCorps]

The 283 and the 302 have the same stroke, 3.000. The 327 block has a 4" bore, same as the 327. They all share the same rod length of 5.7". The only thing I am not positive on is the deck height.

[77F-150]

if i did it again i would go with a crate engine, you might spend a lil more but its worth it.

[The01Cav]

Isn't a 302 actually a stroked 283 I always assumed for gm

[Raven18940]

^^ He's going to be replacing all the stock parts anyway? All he really needs to find is a 350 block and crank and he should be set (if your not changing the crank?). I also have a Oldsmobile 455ci in my garage if you have any interest in that.

Don't even need the crank. I've already worked out that the forces at the crank at 9000 rpms would be greater than 1000lbs so the cast crank from a L99 isn't going to cut it. Also I understand that I don't need to rev high to make power with a V8, but this is about doing something that people don't do much. Also if I rev to 9 grand I can use a really short ratio rear to take advantage of the revs, like a 4.10 or something even shorter. I'm not worried about about driveability, this will be a weekend toy, not a daily driver, that's what my saab is for.

You can convert a 2 bolt into a 4 bolt but it is a little costly. You would have to buy new caps and have the block drilled and tapped for the new bolt holes. Then you would have to have the block align honed to match the radius on the block to the new caps. A 4 bolt should be pretty easy to find. If you want to build a high rpm small block 350, you could always fit the 350 block to a 327 or 283 crank. It's called de-stroking the block. This would raise your rpm limit and the throttle response would be outright nasty! Using a stock 350 crank, you may not hit your intended rpm limit. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

Destroking is exacting what I'm talking about. I thought I made it clear, but I think people is missing that cause they think "why would anyone want to make a V8 smaller?" :-p

The 283 and the 302 have the same stroke, 3.000. The 327 block has a 4" bore, same as the 327. They all share the same rod length of 5.7". The only thing I am not positive on is the deck height.

The 302 and 283 had the small stroke and the 327 and 302 both had 5.7" rods, the difference is the pistons are taller for a 302 to accommodate that missing .27".

Isn't a 302 actually a stroked 283 I always assumed for gm

No, if it was anything it's a bored 283. The original 302 fitted to the original Camaro Z/28 in 1967 was created by fitting a the short throw crank from the 283 to the bigger bored block of the 327. Very little is known about the specifics of the engine, but they do know that the stated hp of 290 was a complete lie, rumor has it the same engine produced 350 hp at 7000 rpms. Others who used to own them said the changed gear at 9000! The engine was given mechanical lifters because hydraulic ones were deemed unreliable for the target RPM range.

If I was obsessed with authenticity, I'd get a 327 block and a 283 crank, but thankfully I'm not. This project would be a old engine with a modern twist. For starters this is going to run on fuel injection, and use the much improved LT4 block with it's reverse flow cooling system. I'm also opting for coil on plug ignition for the fully adjustable ignition timing, which also should go a long way to making it more streetable.

Again, this isn't about making power as cheaply as possible. This is a project for when I'm done school, something to work on on the weekends. This won't be cheap, I've worked the engine out to be $5000 by itself. It's just something I've always wanted to do, I've always loved the third gen camaro for some reason, and I want to build a true Z/28. The current target is 500 hp, and with a 4.10 rear that should fly. :)

Right now I'm in the research phase of this project, so I can get started in a year. I'm looking to know everything their is to know about the Chevy small block. I still have much to learn, like what kind of manifold, heads, and cam I'm going to use. Then there's rocker arms, that's just a completely foreign concept.

[sponsored1]

Quite honesly, if your trying to make 500hp, it can be done with cheaper internal components with a bigger displacement. I know you want a high reving car, but your going to spend a lot more money and its not going to be as fast on the street. 400+ci small blocks routinlly spin to 8000+rpm. Just use the correct internals. Anything approaching 8000rpm will have to have a solid valvetrain, and a set of relatively large port heads to get you there. You may also want to consider aluminum rods to reduce the rotating mass.
You basically have 2 blocks to chose from. A 350sb and a 400sb. 400 small blocks have bigger mains and a bigger bore size. You'll have a hard time finding a small stroke in a 400 main size though.

p.s. Why dont you just try to find a used nascar engine? Thats basically what you want to build anyway and will make a ton more power then you can afford to build on your own.

[redwrxwagon02]

lolz

the 302 chevy motor was the original z28 motor for the trans am series races when cubic inch displacement had to be under 305 ci
if you can find an original chevy 302 block they are worth some dough but they are definately out there

350's on the other hand are a dime a dozen at your local wrecking yard

[poolmike]

The 302 Mexican motor IS a 327 block with 283 rotating gear.

Anywho, if you want a big powered small block Chebby, build an aluminum headed 400. The 406 I had in my Jeep made crazy power just up to 6,800. It moved tht 6,500# truck like a big block, and it wasn't really all that radical.

[rocco]

why do people think building chevys is cheap?

[Raven18940]

why do people think building chevys is cheap?

Beats me, I don't think this will be cheap, I just wanna know how to do it.

[poolmike]

why do people think building chevys is cheap?

Compare it to most other muclecar engines, and you will be amazed at how 'cheap' the SBC is to build. The machine work is all the same, but the parts for Pontiacs, Buicks, Olds, Mopars......yeh, double the price.

[DropTopChevy]

As alex would say "Did you check the cushions of your couch?"

[rocco]

why? building cars should be really cheap so everyone can have a fast car and die.

[Ds650rida]

If you are interested, I have a 4-bolt main 350. Everything brand new, edelbrock cam, 650cfm carb, intake. New rebuild, never started. I have 98% of the parts to put this togeather, if not 100%. I'd like to keep it since its got 4 bolt mains, but I have nothing to put it in, nor money to spare for it. I'll let it go for $800.

[Raven18940]

Sadly I'm poor, I'm just trying learn as much as I can about this so when I graduate in a year I'll and have money I can build this.