mild 350 build

[T Anderson]

I'll be starting a 350 build in may but I'm not sure where to start. It will be for my daily driver. I don't need a whole lot of power. Just a round the 350hp to 375hp range. Its going to be a budget build (hopefully around $1500) so what would be the best way to go about this? I dont have the the block or anything yet. Ive never built a motor but I am mechanically inclined and I will have help from a buddy who has built an engine.

I will have headers with dual straight pipes (maybe 2.5" to 2.75" pipe) and maybe glass packs. Not sure if it'll make a difference.

I would like to have a decent amount of low end torque. Good breaking. Maybe A/C but that's not a need. Also I may upgrade to an edlebrock e street efi but probably not until I get the money for it.

Any suggestions on a can, heads, intake or really anything would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Skweegle89]

I'll be starting a 350 build in may but I'm not sure where to start. It will be for my daily driver. I don't need a whole lot of power. Just a round the 350hp to 375hp range. Its going to be a budget build (hopefully around $1500) so what would be the best way to go about this? I dont have the the block or anything yet. Ive never built a motor but I am mechanically inclined and I will have help from a buddy who has built an engine.



I will have headers with dual straight pipes (maybe 2.5" to 2.75" pipe) and maybe glass packs. Not sure if it'll make a difference.



I would like to have a decent amount of low end torque. Good breaking. Maybe A/C but that's not a need. Also I may upgrade to an edlebrock e street efi but probably not until I get the money for it.



Any suggestions on a can, heads, intake or really anything would be greatly appreciated.

For the money, buy the GM 260hp crate motor. It's $1500 and comes with a 3 year 100,000 warranty. I just put one in my truck this weekend.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[Jacknife]

If you don't already have an engine to build, your probally better off buying a new Gm engine. The 260 hp version is on sale now at jegs for $1449 with 100% free shipping, an many other places will do a price match.
If its for a daily driver you need to be more concerned with low - mid range torque than horsepower. Myself & many others are running this engine with a few mods.
The 260 hp version with an edelbrock EPS or Air Gap intake, a good carb of your choice 600 to 650 cfm, and the right cam, with headers will produce around 280 hp & around 400 ft. lb. of torque. This 400 lb. of torque down low where you actaully drive will feel impressive.
This would probally be the best way to save money & less hassle. You can always upgrade more in the future as money allows. Like a set of heads.
There is several threads here already that you could read up on see what others have done with this engine. GM 10067353
I have plenty of engines to biuld but I still buy these because I can not do a proper biult for that kind of money.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

If you could find a 400 block I would go for that but a 350 is just as good. You can use the stock heads that's not a problem, a normal intake I would get is an edlebrock performer aluminum intake, find an rv cam, like a comp cam. I would at least run glass packs on your exhaust not straight pipe, I like flow master super 44's and 2.5 pipe would be your best bet for your low end torque. Find a nice set of covers for it too, don't cheap out or it will leak like new valve covers, timing cover, oil pan.

And if your truck didn't come with a/c factory you're gonna have quite a bit of work and money in it, you'll have to get a new heater box that was made for a/c, all of the lines and the compressor and bracket, the condenser. EFI is around two grand for a good sytem that will work with your motor.

That's just how I would build my motor, there's hundreds of options and choices when building a motor. That's a nice motor with a good amount of power and not terrible fuel efficiency.

I would run a quadrajet for a carb also!

 

[rich weyand]

Here's a build for you:

GM base 350/260hp crate engine #10067353. Stage 2 Qjet from SMI Carbs on a dual plane Edelbrock 2101, a Comp Cams 12-300-4 or 12-230-2 cam with matching lifters and springs, Hooker 2453 (for 4WD) headers, and 2.25" duals out the back through some free-flow mufflers (I have FlowMaster 40s), with a 2" H-pipe under the tail cone of the xfer case.

Result: 420 lbft of torque at 2500 rpm, about the most you can get out of a 350 for reasonable money. For torque there's no need to replace the heads or up the compression ratio, which you would do for high-end horsepower, but heads and machining are a lot more money than a cam. No need to replace lifters and springs if the motor has never been run.

The 12-230-2 will have 290 hp at 4000, but is higher lift, so more wear and tear on the valve train and lower engine life. The 12-300-4 will have 275 hp at 4000, but it is stock lift and is the more conservative build for engine life. I went with the 12-300-4 and am very happy with it.

Getting 350 to 375 hp is not a mild build, and is not inexpensive. The good part is that, unless you are going to race it, torque is what matters, not horsepower.

 

[T Anderson]

If I have to I can spend more than $1500

 

[Skweegle89]

Not sure why you would cam it before the warranty was up, but maybe I'm just overly cautious.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[T Anderson]

I have the compressor and everything for A/C. I won't do the efi right away. I'm just looking for options. I won't be be driving it a whole lot for a while. I ship out to boot camp in July.

 

[Skweegle89]

I have the compressor and everything for A/C. I won't do the efi right away. I'm just looking for options. I won't be be driving it a whole lot for a while. I ship out to boot camp in July.

You can't do it for $1500, but I vote you go LS.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[T Anderson]

If you don't already have an engine to build, your probally better off buying a new Gm engine. The 260 hp version is on sale now at jegs for $1449 with 100% free shipping, an many other places will do a price match.
If its for a daily driver you need to be more concerned with low - mid range torque than horsepower. Myself & many others are running this engine with a few mods.
The 260 hp version with an edelbrock EPS or Air Gap intake, a good carb of your choice 600 to 650 cfm, and the right cam, with headers will produce around 280 hp & around 400 ft. lb. of torque. This 400 lb. of torque down low where you actaully drive will feel impressive.
This would probally be the best way to save money & less hassle. You can always upgrade more in the future as money allows. Like a set of heads.
There is several threads here already that you could read up on see what others have done with this engine. GM 10067353
I have plenty of engines to biuld but I still buy these because I can not do a proper biult for that kind of money.

Thanks for the help. This is sounding like the way to go. I graduate highschool in may so this is what I'm wanting to do before i eave for the Marine Corps in July. I'm pretty green when it comes to engines.

 

[rich weyand]

If I have to I can spend more than $1500

Oh, you will, because it's not just the engine. It's also the carb, the intake manifold, the headers, the exhaust system, gaskets, etcetcetc. Figure another grand before it's over, maybe 1500.

As for exhaust, 2.25 duals is plenty for any naturally aspirated 350 to 5000 rpm. The only time you need more is with a blower, turbo or nitrous, or if you have heads that will wind out higher than that. 5000 rpm on a naturally aspirated 350 is only 500cfm.

 

[T Anderson]

I wasn't including the exhaust in the price. After doing a bit more research I realize it will cost more than I had planned. I'm completely fine with that. Also I'm dating the exhaust mans neice so I might get a decent discount haha. He usually charges around $200 and does a damn good job.

 

[Skweegle89]

It's all about who you know.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[rich weyand]

When I was growing up in the late 1960s, the most popular girl was the daughter of the guy who owned the chrome shop....

 

[T Anderson]

Just wanted to update you guys. I picked up a built 350 for $1500. The engine hadess than 200 miles on the build. He never dinoed it but said it was about 400-450 HP. I've got a list of the parts he used. It was a good build. Just needed the money. I know the guy and know I got a great deal