Doomah

Hello all,

Well I am about ready to rebuilt my engine for my 1969 cutlass. I have a Th350 that I just had rebuilt and 3.23 posi rear end.

I am looking for a engine builder in new york that knows how to build a OLDS engine. I would need my engine pulled from the car and rebuild then put back in. I am not sure if it would be easier to buy another 350 or 455(68-70) and have that rebuild, then just get a shop to swap the engine?

I have look at btr performance which looks like they know what they are doing but I am not sure if they would do the engine swaps.

I have also look at pro-formance unlimited but again they look like a place that will only rebuilt the engine.

I have about 8k to do all this work(would like to get about 350-450 hp) that includes the engine pull and put back in. With 8k can I get all this done?

The only things I plan on keeping from my set up now is the carb and hei ignition and maybe the intake if I stay with the 350, I would need everything else.

I look at a lot of people build sheets and I think I have a idea of what I want but most of these post are from 3-4 years old, some said 5k for rebuild but that was 3 years ago have prices changed that much in the past few years?

Thanks

boese1978

8k might be tough. I have well over 9500.00 into my stroked 350 ( hoping for around 375hp) and I have done all the work ( except machine shop things) myself - install, tear down, rebuild and re-install.

tonycpe

you should give Bill a call at BTR. I had him do my 350 last year .Bored and stroked to 375 C,I. @ 516 HP. more power than i need.

Professur

Anyone can pull the engine for you ... don't make that a criteria of the rebuild. Literally, any boneyard or shadetree mechanic will yank that puppy outta there inside an hour ... particularly if the tranny is already out.

70cutty

That is a ridiculous amount of money for parts and machine work that you spent for that much HP, and you are doing all the work.
My 350 rebuild was $6500 with heads fully ported, milled, port matched intake, bigger valves, forged pistons, roller rockers etc., and they did all the work. Still I wasn't happy so now I am having 455 built.

@Doomah check out the link below. This is an engine built by a reputable builder, you will not find a better deal than this. I wouldn't waste money on a Small Block. Build a big block it will cost about the same and you get more for the money.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...2hp-507tq.html

If you want it built your way, talk to Mark- cutlassefi I am sure he can give you a good estimate and he knows what he is doing. Very reputable guy that helped many here.

Smitty275

That engine built by Milan is a steel at that price. I'm sure you can find a local mechanic that would do the swap for you within your budget and be close to home so you can keep an eye on the project. Should only cost a couple hundred bucks to get the engine shipped to you.

boese1978

Don't be obtuse, you did not even ask what parts I have etc. You know not of what you speak. I have almost 2k into aluminum heads alone. Mark has helped me every step of the way. And I stated a conservative HP estimate.

70cutty

I am not trying to be an a$$ just saying that's a lot money and you are doing the work your self. What could you possibly do to the short block that's gonna cost $7500 and end up with 375HP or even 450HP??
BTR 496 is what.... like 12-13k carb to pan assembled, dynoed, delivered.

chadman

/\ THIS /\ If you have 8k to spend this is gonna be your best bet. The guy that built that engine knows his stuff. I would let him build my engine over BTR any day. Be warned though, if you stick that in front of a stock trans and rear end you'd better start saving for drivetrain upgrades because you're gonna need them.

RetroRanger

Doomah are you looking for a good streetable build or something more race oriented?

IDK but I get the impression that 468 may not be street oriented, I may be wrong

chadman

What makes you say that? That's not much different than what's in my '65 and it most certainly is a street car.

70cutty

At 482/508 it's very healthy and a lot of fun on the street.

ELY442

70cutty, it may sound a lot of fun on the streets but if you were in Queens, NY, it's very dangerous. There's a blvd name "blvd of death". Just have fun at the track not on the streets. Doomah knows what I'm talking about.

70cutty

We'll depends how you drive it. I am not saying race it, but as a owner of a muscle car I like to have some muscle under the hood. You can't go wrong with that engine that Milan built. It will have nice power on the street and if you want to take it to the track, you can do that too.
IMO 485/508 is very streetable.
Try driving a Datsun 510 with 600hp LS under the hood. Now that's fun.

RetroRanger

hey chad what makes me say what? IDK ?or I may be wrong ?or it might not be that streetable if its the latter for starters the offy intake is listed as compition only on summits site

http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...take-manifolds

again I say IDK but if the OP is interested in something to drive around NYC

that might not be the ideal set-up

To me a streetable motor makes its power under 5k rpm and starts with good power off idle....something you can take to work on a friday without breaking the bank for gas...but agian the OP didnt specify what his goals were once we know that it will be helpful

Doomah

Thanks alot for the reply's guys. I think I will look into that motor. I would just have to come up with a way to get to IL.

Sorry I never said how I planned on using the car. I would end up driving it to work maybe 60 times a year all street no highway, maybe 15 times a year on the highway and I would bring it Englishtown every now then for test and tune.

I would love to be able to give my friend a run for his money in his jeep srt off turbo he dynos to 420hp. I know that won't happen cause of many other reason but would like to be close.

The only thing I am worried about with that motor is the trans. When I had mine rebuild I had some HD parts installed. I researched and saw some sites said to add this part Sprag race TH-350 intermediate trans GM HD. I also had the valve body replaced. plus the rebuild kit and 2500 torgue converter.

Would most likely need a new drive shaft but I think the rear end should be fine it is a 442 3.23 posi rear.

ELY442 yea I live right on the blvd of death someone was just hit and killed last week here.

Smitty275

This isn't meant to be disrespectful but I'm sure it'll be taken that way. If you build engines based on Summit's/Jeg's/etc. generic description of parts you have a lot to learn and probably shouldn't be qualifying what is streetable or not.

jeff in colorado

I know this...


I don't know jack squat about those motors, but they all sound pretty impressive. J/K, having some fun, carry on.


I can't use the icons yet apparently. so, ;-)

RetroRanger

no worries smitty as I intially stated IDK & I may be wrong, Im sure its a great engine but lets be honest if someone came to you and said i want a quiet comfortable street cruiser w good power thatll never see more than 5k rpms is this what you would build them ? probably not!!! thats all Im saying ...again Im sure its a fine motor and Ive seen guys show up at shows w streetable cars that they take off trailers

Now the OP has defined his needs maybe that engine is perfect for him it fits the budget !!! but remember he lives in NYC and stated he would like to take it to work 60+- times a years, is this a good motor to sit idling in traffic for an extended time ? is he likely to need multiple other upgrades to support the engine ? cooling, fuel delivery, and as stated above drivetrain ?

All Im doing is trying to help him out same as eveyone else, my definition of streetable is regular maintenance schedule, easily availble pump gas, all done by 5k rpms, drives in heavy traffic w out blinking. Sure you can drive anything on the street, I have a "street legal" bike thats much more comfortable off road, but I drive it on the road to get there!!!

cutlassefi

x2.

Alex72cutty

Steve at pro-formance unlimited is a good honest guy. They make real good engines too.

Smitty275

If you look at the dyno sheets of the engine in question it made 500ft/lbs of torque where the pull started at 3000rpm. Peak HP was just over 5000rpm. It has none ported iron heads with large valves and runs on pump gas. You don't get anymore street able than that. Just because it makes great power doesn't mean it can't sit and idle with out overheating or otherwise having issues. An engine of this caliber isn't going to need any more maintenance than any other engine. The only time the cooling system would be taxed is at WOT which will be seldom and I'm sure never for more than 15 seconds or so at the most. Just basic driving it isn't going to make any more heat than a bone stock 455.

While an engine may be "capable" of making a lot of power which produces a lot of heat, it is not making that power all the time. An engine only makes enough power to do what is being requested of it based on throttle opening.

If an engine runs hot all the time with a properly functioning cooling system in place it is usually one of two reasons that cause it. Improper assembly tolerances. Specifically piston to wall clearance. Or it is poorly tuned being either lean or retarded timing.

RetroRanger

You guys are right, I couldn't see the Dyno sheet at work, it's pretty close to my streetable description as well, I just saw the port o sonic and figured it was built to race

Smitty chad cutlassefi thanks for chiming in I respect your opinions. Doomah you have the cash IMO buy it, f85 said he'll ship it you can find a garage that will swap engines for easy enough. I'm assuming you don't have a location or tools to do the work? It's not difficult and there's plenty of documentation and assistance here if you need it. You'll probably run into some other stuff that needs upgrading or replacing when you do the swap, stuff like hoses belts batt cables motor mounts etcetera.

drjr56

You can build a 500hp motor that behaves well on the street.But it's how the driver behaves that's just as important!!And in the city there's just too much traffic.

jensenracing77

X3. I have $6000 in my 455 build and I did most of the work and also good reasonable deals on parts. My torque is the same as this one but I am only 427 HP. That is partly because of stock intake and exhaust manifolds.

DoubleV