I just got a 4 bolt main small block chevy given to me haha...so the only problem is...what do i do with it? i want to put it in my 85 cutlass salon but of course i know my engine mounts are gonna have to be changed out and what not but what i want to know is...i dont know where to start...ive heard bore it .030 over and not .060 and of course cause thats just gonna destroy it but i want lots of horsepower and torque without blowin the block up and doing damage to the vehicle...i want to run 12:1 compression...would a 383 stroker get me to where i want to go? i dont know what to do...any place yall could lead me or any advice that you could give me would be much apprciated ive never built an engne from the ground up before and i want to do this by the books and perfect (of course like any engine builder should be right? lol) please help

 

What are your plans. Do you plan on driving it on the street or racing it.

There is a lot of info out on how to build these engines. Any machine shop will be able to help you.

 

All due respect, building a 12 to 1 engine requires some tricky procedures, piston to valve, etc along with a BIG cam, gears, and converter. IMO, and not trying to be mean, but I don't think you are ready to build an engine like that. Besides, this is "classic Olds" not "Classic Chevy"
If you really want a SBC in there, just buy a 400 HP pump gas 383 from Summit, comes complete with carb, dist, pans, everything for $4200.

 

Sell the engine. I'm a Chevy guy first and foremost, but it's not worth building one for a street car IMHO with the newer options.
You're better off buying someone else's 383 stroker then spending the money on building one from the ground up IMHO.
Right now especially , motors and cars are CHEEEEEEAP because of this recession.

Dude, you can get a Gen IV LS based Chevy LY6 out of the 2007+ GM trucks that puts out ~350-400hp for only $2000-$2500.
Granted you'll have to spend some coin getting the engine in your car, but for $4200 I'm pretty sure it can be done.
MUCH MUCH newer and better then any Summit 383 as well. MUCH MUCH better street manners and MPG too.
These engines use the L92 heads which share the same head technology as the Vette Z06's.


I'm seriously considering selling my 1970 Rocket 350 and TH350 for one of these myself. Interested ??
I already did one LS engine swap on my 78 Pro Touring Z/28. I know a guy locally who put an LS1 in his Olds Delta 88.....
that thing surprises QUITE A FEW people these days......

 

thanks for the honest opionons i figured it would be hard to make a compression like that...and im not racing it but anything is better than the freakin 307 boat anchor i got in it now that runs like crap...i have a guy that wants to buy my qaudra jet carburator (spelling) for i think around 200 bucks? lol so im sellin the engine transmission and rearend cause im swappin all that out and im re-doing the suspension...im not making it a racing application just a sport-street application if you kinda get my drift...ive heard that the 383 stroker is pretty much the 350 bored out with a 327 crank in it...and that i shouldnt go .060 but .030. about the 350 rocket i was told to put that in place of the 307 actually lol...which i thought to myself it would be almost impossible to find the engine for and here you are asking if i want to buy it lol...but id have to figure out with my dad on that one now cause im like 160 miles from home and the car is here and the 350 is where hes at so yeah lol idk if he sent the block off not or what but id honestly be happy with the 350 in there insead of the 307 only cause the 307 i have had 140 hp and 235 ft-lbs torque...and atm my volvo 4 grinder 170 hp 177 ft-lbs torque can outrun it lol so i kno i kno power to weight but its just sad that a 5.0L with 7.99:1 compression gets out runed by a 1.9L with a 9:1 compression it makes me mad lol i pull for V8s...theres no replacement for displacement you do the same thing to a 4 grinder to a V8 and ill get more power than the 4 banger

 

307, 85 Cutlass Salon.....
Change your differential gears from the 2.41's you have... to a 3.73.

You will have a new car, and you will fall in love with it all over again.
Just do it!
Jim

 

Well you are trying to do the samething I'm doing with my 1970 442 clone then.

I hear the quadrajet's are pretty damn good carbs for MPG and easy cruising stock applications.
If you want MORE then stock (who doesn't?!) then sell it.

383 stroker is a 350 block with a 400 crank
I was looking into a 383 waaaaaay back in the 2002 year , then the LS motors seemed a much better option.
http://www.chevymania.com/chevymania/tech/383.htm

If your budget is $4000 or more.....go with the LS motor if you want to do alot of street cruising. You WILL NOT regret it , but you need to do the proper research on what is required for the swap BEFORE you commit to it. You can even get an attached 4L80e overdrive trans cheap. If you want to stay old tech, a 383 stroker is a great option. If you want newer and the best of everything for a CHEEEEEAP price. Look at the truck LS based motors. You'll just have to get a new intake and injectors for a car. The reason I'm telling you to go with the truck LS based engines is because the all aluminum LS1/2/3/7's carry a premium asking price. They are NOT much different at all. Truck LS based engines just have a taller intake, different accessories, and an iron block (stronger)

Check out this bad boy. http://www.chevymania.com/chevymania/tech/383.htm

 

BTW if the new tech interests you, you will find ALOT more help on the newer pro-touring sites like

www.pro-touring.com
www.lateral-g.net
and LS info on www.ls1tech.com

They have a conversions and hybrid section that will help you a TON.

 

You can pick up a SBC already put together way cheaper than you could ever do it yourself. Go visit racingjunk.com and see for yourself. I've got a 4 bolt main block in my garage that I'll give away right now. How'd you like to own two of them? I've built engines before but I'll let someone else pay the big bucks from now on.

 

I would start with changing gears. Like what warhead said. Which you can get from a junk yard out of a S-10. Gears, carrier, and posi unit for around 100 bucks. Which will make a big difference.

A 350 chevy with a 327 crank is a 327. If you really want a chevy engine you can get them on cragslist for 500 or less all day long. You can find Olds engines on it too.

A good street engine you only need around 9.5 to 1 compression.

 

Arguements for both sides but here's a plan, change gears as mentioned. Then rebuild a 350 Olds, everything will bolt right up, wouldn't that be nice. Getting 350-375hp out of those ain't too difficult. Tell everyone it's the original 307 and you'll have a conversation piece.

 

Well if you decide to build that block you have you will need to get the casting numbers off the block to find out what you have and what year it it is. Before you buy anything.

http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php