Want to freshen up a tired 350 on the cheap.

[RestoreAmerica]

Hello,
I am wanting to freshen up a tired 350 that presently runs good. Want to rebuild it as cheaply as possible. I have never undertaken an endeavor such as this but I am capable. I welcome any advice and input as to how to approach this project.
Thank you in advance for your input.

[GASoline71]

First things firrst... what's your no kiddin' budget gonna be?

...and locate a good machine shop with an even better reputation. A good machinist will make a rebuild very easy. They will be able to set you up with the parts you need, plus be available for any questions you will have during your rebuild.

Gary

[RestoreAmerica]

How much should I anticipate spending? Just bought http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/c...0-2f350&cat=12 this truck. It has 167,000 miles. Gonna try to restore it father son project and don't have lots of cash. Have a great Body shop friend that said if I do all the body work he will give me complete 2 tone behind bed, door jambs, inside cab, engine compartment, everything base coat clear coat for $1000. Figure I need a new dash. I have a new seat. I will put my front suspension from my 72 on this along with new ball joints tie rods etc etc. The rear end and brakes are said to be new. Transmission 20k miles. So far I don't think I am too deep into it. I would like to freshen up the motor as cheap as possible. I would like to spend under $1000 on the motor. Is that possible? Is it possible to just put in rings and bearings and do the heads?

[Slowtruk]

You will need to have the block cleaned and honed, (hopefully no rebore if it looks good-you said it runs fine), you may need to have the crank polished unless it looks good, new bearings, new rings, throw some flat top pistons in there from summit for under 100 bucks if you want to help compression. You'll need a gasket set to put it back together...maybe valve guides on the heads...while you are in there, buy you a new oil pump and fuel pump, cheap from an auto parts store, and get a new water pump too. Then its things like thermostat, fluids, I'd buy a new timing chain and sprocket as well, from summit...yes it can be done for under 1000...

Everything I listed I did to my 350 in my red c20, and it runs like a top.

[dwcsr]

You should be able to buy a rebuilt motor for 850 - 1000 with a warranty

[RestoreAmerica]

Yes but this one is original to the truck. Is that not worth keeping?

[MARKDTN]

I have built a lot of engines in the past. You can buy the inexpensive rebuild kits from Northern Auto for around $200
http://www.northernautoparts.com/Pro...?ProductId=148

It is a decent kit. I would upgrade to FelPro gaskets. The problem is that to do machine work right will be more than your budget. I built a '68 Camaro 327 about 7 years ago and the machine work was over $800. Heads alone were almost $500. On untouched 350 heads with 167k miles, you will need at least a half a set of guides if not a full set. Then you run into the hardened seats or not issue. You may or may not need a line bore, but I would check. You will need it bored at least .030. Then you need tuneup parts, oil pump, water pump, carb rebuild, oil, filters, fuel pump, antifreeze, clean the radiator, etc., etc.

Bottom line to me-you can do a rings and bearings cylinder hone job for $400 or so OR go all out and bore it, check everything, and fix the issues for more like $1200-1500. In some cases you can buy a running used TBI or Vortec motor for $300 or so and buy a new style intake and add the fuel pump stuff and be ahead if you don't want to spend much. Be sure that the TBI engine you find has the block drilled for a fuel pump rod. Even better is keep the TBI, but if you want a carb that's OK too. This way you get a 1-pc seal engine with roller cam that will easily go 200,000 miles. Just my .02.

[blackedoutharley]

Provided that the block and rotating assembly are good you should be able to do rings, bearings, oil pump, cam/lifters, timing set and a valve job for about $1K.

No way to tell until its disassembled and the cylinders measured etc....

[doubleb's69]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

I have built a lot of engines in the past. You can buy the inexpensive rebuild kits from Northern Auto for around $200
http://www.northernautoparts.com/Pro...?ProductId=148

It is a decent kit. I would upgrade to FelPro gaskets. The problem is that to do machine work right will be more than your budget. I built a '68 Camaro 327 about 7 years ago and the machine work was over $800. Heads alone were almost $500. On untouched 350 heads with 167k miles, you will need at least a half a set of guides if not a full set. Then you run into the hardened seats or not issue. You may or may not need a line bore, but I would check. You will need it bored at least .030. Then you need tuneup parts, oil pump, water pump, carb rebuild, oil, filters, fuel pump, antifreeze, clean the radiator, etc., etc.

Bottom line to me-you can do a rings and bearings cylinder hone job for $400 or so OR go all out and bore it, check everything, and fix the issues for more like $1200-1500. In some cases you can buy a running used TBI or Vortec motor for $300 or so and buy a new style intake and add the fuel pump stuff and be ahead if you don't want to spend much. Be sure that the TBI engine you find has the block drilled for a fuel pump rod. Even better is keep the TBI, but if you want a carb that's OK too. This way you get a 1-pc seal engine with roller cam that will easily go 200,000 miles. Just my .02.

MARKDTN beat me to the Norhtern Auto plug. The master rebuild kit for a 2 piece rear main 350 is advertised as $189. Like MARKDTN said I would upgrade to Fel-pro gaskets. Northern has a long list of modifications you can make to your order, all for more money of coarse. Check out their web site. www.northernautoparts.com

[doubleb's69]

Guess I didn't realize MARKDTN already gave the web address. Oh well. Now you have 3 to choose from.

[Gumby]

If all is well, over the suggestion of a used running motor do a back yard fresh job.

All below is not the pro, I got money to spend the right way.
This is the all I got is $250 to my name and need this car now.

Quick hone just to cross hatch cylinders, new rings in used pistons, set of rod n main bearings to regain oil psi, leave cam n heads alone, put all part back where it came from and just make sure and seat the rings right.

[if one pistons seems to worn, you only change that one piston, use the hone to go up in size if you must, 10 over rings with the end gap files down to spec can cover a goof.]

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by RestoreAmerica

Yes but this one is original to the truck. Is that not worth keeping?

You can bring it to a re-builder and have them do it for 800 and keep the original motor and get a warranty

[GASoline71]

I have always got my engine kits from my machinist. That way if there is a problem of any kind... I can take it up with him and make it right. That way, you're also not waiting on shipping for another week and a half for a part to be shipped to you from a mail order company.

Most likely an engine with that many miles on it is gonna have to be bored at least .020 oversize. There will probably be a ridge at the top of the cylinders from the old rings. That will need to be machined out.

An engine can be rebuilt for under $1,000 bucks. That includes macjhine work, all the parts, and the heads being serviced as well. Most cases a machinist can get you a refurbished 350 crank for cheaper than he can do the work himself to turn it and polish it. So that is an option as well. That's what my machinist does... he keeps a bunch of 350 cranks already turned and polished on hand and sells them for around $100 bucks with a core exchange. He says if he turns and polishes the crank it would be closer to $200 bucks to keep the original crank.

Nowthen... this is for a stock rebuild. If you get into to performance cams, and forged pistons, and blah, blah... expect the prices to go up a lot.

If you wanna keep your original block... that's fine. But a "numbers matching" engine in these old rigs isn't really a selling point. They're still just old trucks.

Gary

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by RestoreAmerica

Yes but this one is original to the truck. Is that not worth keeping?

Absolutely -if you know for sure it's the original engine and everything else is also. And,, you also intend to keep the truck completey original. Once we start swapping out major components like transmission, rear axles or cutting up sheet metal on our trucks the originality disappears and it doesn't make any difference.

[litew8]

Originally Posted by Slowtruk

You will need to have the block cleaned and honed, (hopefully no rebore if it looks good-you said it runs fine), you may need to have the crank polished unless it looks good, new bearings, new rings, throw some flat top pistons in there from summit for under 100 bucks if you want to help compression. You'll need a gasket set to put it back together...maybe valve guides on the heads...while you are in there, buy you a new oil pump and fuel pump, cheap from an auto parts store, and get a new water pump too. Then its things like thermostat, fluids, I'd buy a new timing chain and sprocket as well, from summit...yes it can be done for under 1000...

Everything I listed I did to my 350 in my red c20, and it runs like a top.

more or less. Except for buying new pistons & valve guides. Crank is prob. good. Skip some of the unecessary interior peices of the truck til later so you have immed. $$ reserves in case for short term. Since it's said to run good now, it's prob. been taken care of - has/had good oil/pressure. I'm no expert, so others can correct me.

[dicer]

For a cheapy refresh this looks good. Right close to 200.
http://www.northernautoparts.com/Pro...uctModelId=380

[litew8]

I'd personally try and keep as much American iron/steel as possible, if it's original.

[LostMy65]

Old thread.
I was researching this topic.
Back in 1985 I bought a JC Whitney overhaul kit for my 283. Just the bare minimums.
I honed it myself, and ground the valves myself. Otherwise, no machine work. I was 19.
It was still running until 2005.

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

Old thread.
I was researching this topic.
Back in 1985 I bought a JC Whitney overhaul kit for my 283. Just the bare minimums.
I honed it myself, and ground the valves myself. Otherwise, no machine work. I was 19.
It was still running until 2005.

??? What happened in 2005???

[SunSoaked]

Buy $1000 in lottery tickets and start looking at an LS swap?

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

??? What happened in 2005???

According to the owner, it blew up while he was climbing a long steep hill.

[AcampoDave]

Have you done a compression test on it now? You say it runs good. Maybe it would be fine with a new timing chain, oil pump, and freeze plugs. Change the valve cover gaskets etc, paint it pretty and roll on. Thats what I did to my 283 fifteen years ago. It's still going....

[YoungPup1977]

gotta love this cheap forum....I built a engine for 200 bucks...LOL!!!!! and 20 years later its still running...

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by YoungPup1977

gotta love this cheap forum....I built a engine for 200 bucks...LOL!!!!! and 20 years later its still running...

At the time, I couldn't afford much.

[YoungPup1977]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

At the time, I couldn't afford much.

Is that the same time you lost your 65 ? after 25 years you found it in the barn, that's where the "barn find" term came from... cool stuff !