Modified stock 307, or 350 crate?

I couldn't get any of those Jegs numbers to come up. But if I get off my butt I have a new Jegs and Summit within five feet of my desk. Good luck.

 

#809-19244450



Found the part number for the crate engine I'm currently looking at, I'm gonna go with a 4bbl Holley instead of TBI, my father knows of a handful of people around here that can re-jet that carb for cheap to match that motor perfectly. Link below, it's cheaper than a rebuild, should cost me about $500-1,000 to finish off what's missing from the motor.

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM-Performance/809/19244450/10002/-1?parentProductId=1329887

It'll take a while to save up that kind of money, but I gotta spend it either way to put a new motor in. For the time being I'll probably just fix the cosmetic damage, go ahead and rebuild the front steering and suspension, and keep the car covered so noone can complain about it. As I said, my neighbor is quite annoying. It needs tie rods, the centerlink, idler arm, all that, so I figure I'll just go ahead and pull the motor and get all that fixed, along with new rocker arm bushings, ball joints, rework the brake system, stuff like that that needs to be done before the motor can even go in.

Though I may just go ahead and replace the tie rods, center link, idler arm, and shocks, and run the car as is with the 307 until I can afford to tear it down properly.

 

If you get a chance check out Year One crate engines. I got one about 5 years ago been running it ever since in my '55. It is a 355 roller motor with vortec heads and it was $2999 back then which I am sure they are a little more now but it has been a great engine and very street friendly performance motor. The only drawback to it is you will have to use a stall. Another option is look around for a good block and you should be able to build one for less than 1k. I am building a 350 flat top motor right now and am about $650 in right now and it will take between $200 to $350 to finish motor and I am backing it with a 200R tranny. I am not building anything special but enough to move my big wagon and all my parts are matched to perform from idle to 6000 rpm with good low and midrange torque and should produce a modest hp number.

 

Cheapest new block that I'd trust is made by GM performance, it costs just over $860 with shipping. I don't really want to chance a used block.

I did see a 350 vortec with 30k miles on it in Craigslist for $350, I wish I'd had the money. It was a 30k rebuild, done by a local shop my father says does good work.

If I see something like that I might just do a straight drop in for the time being, I dunno, it depends. I'm gonna keep my eye out for something cheap like that once I have the money. Though I'd rather depend on something new, I will take something used if I have too.

 

Keep lookin for good low mileage used. My 305 came out of a ratty Chevy van that was used to haul lawnmowers to repair and to the dump. Was supposed to be newly rebuilt. Found out from the rebuilder it had around 30,000+ on it. One head had bad valves. I got the whole stinkin van for $500 and put the rebuilt big valve heads on I already had.
Just yesterday son took it out for a ride. Said it hit over 100+ in two telephone poles. Whatever that is.
And with the Holley 750 he put on will go from cruise to passing and throw ya back in the seat.
I no longer drive like that but was surprised by the 305! Yes, the 750 is too big and needs jetted down. But after warm up seems fine.
Point is---maybe I don't have one-----Oh yea, keep looking for a deal!
Son used the 350 auto and scrapped radiator and other junk. Still have the van out back. It became wife's storage shed for papergoods and cleaning supplies. At least it's white. Beginning to look like rednecks. Have you priced a shed lately? Ain't it great to live in the boonies?

 

Just throwing it out there as option and I was talking about a used block to rebuild. Think you misunderstood what I was talking about but I too am not against a complete running used motor swap but that is just me and don't mind building with Genuine Junkyard Parts
I have been in the same situation as you described for the past year with my build and just passing on some of the things I came across for a budget build.

 

I'm trying to be cheap, just not in the wrong area's. Last thing I want is my motor turning into a grenade or something. Used blocks are a gamble, you might pull it down and find something you really don't like.

Anyway, you want a redneck shed? We've got a shed made out of 8ft picket privacy fence with "recycled" corrugated steel for a roof. You have to watch your head, the floor is dirt, the totes we have stored in there are sitting on forklift pallets, and there's really no room inside. Plus you ought to see my fathers "Lifted" metal building. I think I have photo's, if I do they'll be below.



The basketball hoop has been there for about 16 years, my father put it up when my older brother was 14, he's 31 now. As you can tell, it really just gets in the way.

Rest of the photo's of my redneck abode are below, albeit, they're about four or five years old, it hasn't changed much. Except the hood seen in one picture as well as the headlight support are on two different Camaro's, the IROC-Z hood is on our '92 RS, and the headlight support is in my younger brothers 1992 RS.

Fellow rednecks, you are not alone!

http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Dead-Reckon/Dads house/?start=all

By the way, clothes lines are great to hang signs you just waxed:



"They don't weigh no more than a wet shirt."

Anyway back on topic, I could maybe source a good block, I dunno, I'd have to look around. It all depends on the source and the price.

 

That is why you rebuild it but a Crate motor is a great choice

 

Okay I've been a retired trucker for 18 years. But some things never change. So I'm gonna start this out truck driver redneck style.

You ain't gonna believe this, but......... Right after my post about using the white Chevy van without engine as a shed the guy I bought it from came over. You ain't gonna believe this either. He wants to buy the van back as is because he divorced his wife, is now retired from the lawn mower repair business, and wants to fix up the van!

Dear Abbie, what should I do?

 

That's easy....he has to build you a nice, new, big shed!

Abbie

 

Find another van to use as a shed, I'm sure they're a dime a dozen, not many people want those old gas guzzlers. Or go the route of the ultimate redneck pack rat, find an old school bus. My father actually lived in a school bus that had been converted to a RV, then a house back when he met my mother in the late 70's.

School buses are great, you can even bury them so the neighbors can't see your wonderful storage cellar / hole to hide in if your wife is angry 'cause she found out her white Chevrolet shed was sold.

 

Thanks for the advice. What was really amazing about this, we bought that van over five years ago and when the guy delivered it was the only time he was here. Then minutes after I posted my remark he pulled up wanting to buy it back.
Found out my wife loves her white Chevy storage container. So we sent the man off vanless. I mentioned there are several much better in scrap yards but some kind of weird law prevents them from reselling them because they were sold as scrap. It's a senseless cruel world we live in!

The idea of burying a school bus or container in the ground does sound good. Make a nice hurricane shelter. I'm sure in this damp Florida sand it would last a few years.

 

Ah, Florida... The only hurricane shelter I'd use is to pack my car and leave.

Anyway, you can reclaim a car that's had a salvage title on it, it is however, really difficult. We've done it before, and we know people who have done it before. I don't know the process, but my father does.

The idea behind a salvage title is to keep old cars off the road. It's all down to what the government and big businesses can squeeze out of you. Which is why I won't buy a new car. Absolutely ever, I'll keep driving an old one.

 

WHy not get a LS1. Save on weight and gas $. Fuel inject is the way to go. Plus it doesn't take much money to make it fast. Just me 2 cents.