Father/Son Project

[Jotto82]

So not completely off topic but would like some input. I just bought my first square body. Always wanted one, found a decent one for a decent price with minimal rust. Especially for Wisconsin. Got it with the intention of working with my son to do some work and make a nice truck a guy can be proud of. I figure he just turned 12 on Monday so we have a few years before he’s driving that we can have this thing looking nice and maybe it can be his when he gets his license. Truck has a 350 in it. Nothing special, fairly recent rebuild. Wasn’t bored out or anything just ran through and freshened up. We both want to increase HP. I don’t know my way around a motor all that well and having someone else do the work completely defeats the purpose of working together with my boy. I’m looking for ideas on how he and I can build a motor that has some giddy up in it together. I’m not incompetent when it comes to vehicles so I’m confident in my ability to watch a YouTube video or get an explanation here and do some motor work. However. I want him involved and working on it. Not sitting watching me. He’s a smart kid and and great worker. Climbs out of bed every day and works the horse barn with me. If you guys have any simple builds that you have done or can think of let me know. I have looked at going to Vortec heads and things like that already. I have no doubt he and I could install some heads rather easily and he could help do that. I need more of a guide though. Where to start and what not. Should we keep it simple and start with new exhaust or pull the heads. What would you all do. Budget friendly and I wanna keep it simple. I know we can get some HP from it and I know it can done fairly cheap. Really just need to know what I should do so we are effective and it’s fun while achieving our goal. I’d like 300-400 HP. I’m sure that will mean some of the work will be bid out but what can he and I do to crank out the first 100 HP. Thanks for reading my novel!

[A1971Blazer]

since the engine has been freshened up already....one option would be to do a top end kit with better cam, heads and intake....Edelbrock makes a few but here's one that might work for you..
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2022/overview/

[Jotto82]

Originally Posted by A1971Blazer

since the engine has been freshened up already....one option would be to do a top end kit with better cam, heads and intake....Edelbrock makes a few but here's one that might work for you..
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2022/overview/

Most of that I should be able to do myself I think. Changing the cam would probably be the hardest part. That would get me decent HP as well. I wanted to be around 1500 or so for parts. Thank you I appreciate you taking the time to send the link. Typically there are other expenses that come with kits because it seems like they never include “everything” you need. Is that the case with this one? Can you or anyone else reading think of things I would need to make this kit work for me? Would I need to have anything done to the heads? They are installed so that’s the time to have them worked if it’s needed. Thanks again for helping.

[A1971Blazer]

Originally Posted by Jotto82

Most of that I should be able to do myself I think...... Thanks again for helping.

You're welcome.....from all indications, that kit includes every thing you would need except of course the little stuff like gasket sealer...etc..
Changing the cam is relatively easy...once you get every thing out of the way in front of the engine....
you can pull the AC stuff out of the way without opening the system...and you can loosen the oil pan and pull it down enough to get the front timing cover off.

If you have some basic tools.....you can do it....I would encourage you to study up on it and watch some youtube videos that relate to top end work....
also...you can ask an endless number of questions here....the members here are more than happy to help...

You could also source some good used vortec heads and pick your own cam and related parts but in my opinion that kit is already matched up and tested to deliver what you're looking for...
good luck with it...whatever you decide to do...

[Jotto82]

I agree with the idea of the top end kit. I really don’t know how to match things up and what my best options are. The kits sound like they come with a Vortec type head. I’ll do some research and see how I feel about the work. I’m sure I can do it. Just never done it before so it makes me a little nervous.

[Dead Parrot]

What do you want the truck to do? Be fast on a track? Be a good off road vehicle?(looks like you have a good start in that direction), Be a get to school daily driver?(400Hp could wind up getting 4mpg).

Budget. Don't ever fully allocate your budget. These old trucks have a way of unexpectedly absorbing money. The K series often need frame repair around the steering box.

Decide on HP and torque @ rpm specs for your motor. Check prices on a crate motor that meets those specs. A crate motor is often a cheaper option then building up a used motor of unknown background. Did that 'freshened up' 350 have 100,000 or 300,000 before the rebuild? Plus a crate motor lets you keep driving the truck right up to the time you start swapping in the new motor.

Check the piston requirements for any power up kit you look at. The OEM pistons on many 350s are dished. If your kit suggests flat pistons for best effect, you just wound up doing a partial lower end build as well + piston costs.

[riz]

you might also want to match the gear ratios to the tire size being used. Not only will it put your RPMs in the proper range but it will also help the truck giddy up and go and best use whatever power the engine is putting out.

[Jotto82]

Originally Posted by Dead Parrot

What do you want the truck to do? Be fast on a track? Be a good off road vehicle?(looks like you have a good start in that direction), Be a get to school daily driver?(400Hp could wind up getting 4mpg).

Budget. Don't ever fully allocate your budget. These old trucks have a way of unexpectedly absorbing money. The K series often need frame repair around the steering box.

Decide on HP and torque @ rpm specs for your motor. Check prices on a crate motor that meets those specs. A crate motor is often a cheaper option then building up a used motor of unknown background. Did that 'freshened up' 350 have 100,000 or 300,000 before the rebuild? Plus a crate motor lets you keep driving the truck right up to the time you start swapping in the new motor.

Check the piston requirements for any power up kit you look at. The OEM pistons on many 350s are dished. If your kit suggests flat pistons for best effect, you just wound up doing a partial lower end build as well + piston costs.

We would do some off roading with it. Low end torque is important. If I hook up to something I don’t want to struggle moving it around. I don’t care if the truck only does 75 miles per hour on the high end. We just want power. Everything I mentioned is rough.

[Jotto82]

Watched a video on installing a cam, heads, intake. Looks fairly simple. I definitely thought there was far more to it. I’m not trying to downplay it because I know it has to be done correctly but i have a lot more confidence that I can do the work and that the boy can help me. I’ll find some more and keep learning, hopefully I can get him to do the same and get a feel for what we will be working on

[Jotto82]

I found machine shop papers for the motor. It was completely rebuilt. Doesn’t state the bore though. So I would assume .30 over? That’s pretty typical?

[Jotto82]

These are what I found.