Needs MORE POWER!!! (Tim Taylor Style!!!)

[xm20k]

76cc chamber with small valves. There's one thing you could improve on without a full rebuild, small chamber heads with the bigger valves however at that point id do a cam and lifter set as well while I was in there.

Also yes if the blocks ever been decked it'll wipe those numbers behind the alternator out they are stamped with a punch, they may still be there if your lucky.

 

[Chevy 88]

Looked, used steel wool, used very fine sand paper. No luck. The pad is not perfectly smooth, it looks like it has been machined. No numbers.

 

[Chevy 88]

So where does that leave it? Do I bore scope the cylinders looking for "flat pistons"? What info do we know about the heads and block? In layman's terms.

 

[xm20k]

As for the block the pistons could be anything, a scope could allow you to see if they are flat or dished. The heads are basically crap as far as performance is concerned

 

[Chevy 88]

I could bore scope through the oil pan drain plug to see the main caps?

But as far as minor performance upgrades are concerned, I suppose it doesn't really matter if its 2 or 4 bolt.

 

[xm20k]

A cam and a better set of heads, even just stock type heads with 64cc chambers would be an improvement over the ones currently on it. Possibly even a full rebuild with a set of flat tops.

 

[Ricko1966]

Did you fix the brakes yet? I won't help you make more power until you have proper brakes.

 

[George915]

I was in the same position as you a few years ago I have an 84 K 10 I wanted more low end torque to get my 35 inch tires spinning down the road. I had an old 1968 307 engine In my truck. I found a sbc 350 and stroked it to 383 full rebuild took me a little under 2 years to build in my garage. This truck moves now. I just put some new BFGs on it this weekend. Take your time use this site as a resource.

 

[Chevy 88]

Nice ride. Ya, a better motor would always be .... better, I suppose.

Right new, I can burn rubber with the 37's, on pavement - but not reliably. Sometimes it just accelerates real fast. I think I will try stepping down to a 34.5 or maybe 35 and see what that does.

 

[Catbox]

If it were mine to make choices on....

I would find a junkyard L-31 engine for $250.
Rebuild that with a 4x4 power cam that would support a set of the inexpensive aluminum heads that work like champs.
That way you no longer have that lifter noise.
You have roller lifters.
No more flat cam worries.
It will make more power than the current larger engine.

350-400 streetable horsepower and foot pounds of torque are relatively easy to build with todays parts.

The junkyards seem to be full of the roller engines now a days.
I have pulled several of the vortec 350's as well as a couple of the L-29 Vortec 454 big blocks.

With a carb swap and intake manifold you are off to the races for cheap if you trust the engine.
Or rebuild it and make it have Hulk Hogan amounts of torque to spin those big as-s tires every time you ask it too.

 

[Zelph]

If I wanted to go fast I’d get a 2wd and start from there. Less weight, moving parts. Lower center of gravity and handles better.

 

[Chevy 88]

If I wanted to go fast I’d get a 2wd and start from there. Less weight, moving parts. Lower center of gravity and handles better.

Ya, I agree - that would probably be the best place to start for max speed and acceleration if there were no other goals to meet.

 

[Sad Sack]

Low compression heads / engine make good supercharger candidates.

 

[Red3833]

Definitely look into gears..
4.10 with 37”s isn’t low enough.
I don’t know ratios with your 4 speed
I had 4.10 with 35”s and it was a turtle out of the gate, so I went to 5.13 and it jumps out now! Best upgrade I have done. I have an automatic 4speed with overdrive so
it’s hard to compare.
I would research it I think you would be happy with the results

 

[Chevy 88]

Definitely look into gears..
4.10 with 37”s isn’t low enough.
I don’t know ratios with your 4 speed
I had 4.10 with 35”s and it was a turtle out of the gate, so I went to 5.13 and it jumps out now! Best upgrade I have done. I have an automatic 4speed with overdrive so
it’s hard to compare.
I would research it I think you would be happy with the results

Thanks for the info.