Engine transplant.

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

#31

06-04-2010, 08:08 AM

rp23g7

Thread Starter

Join Date: Nov 2009

Posts: 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMonteMan

doesnt look to bad. you got a good deal on it. sucks about the heads, but it could be a blessing in disguise cause now it gives you a reason to upgrade. the junkyard is full of vortec equipped trucks and vans with good heads, but i would just spend the extra on a new set. if all is well after a rebuild kit and some heads you probably can get it all done for under a g. oh yeah i forgot to mention these guys but they used to have rebuild kits that you could pick your cam dont know if they still do it but heres a link. http://www.northernautoparts.com/ .on the rear flange of the block, on the drivers side near the oil filter pad, is a block location for some VIN codes. thats the only spot i know of. how was the cam in it? when i did mine some of the lobes were worn down and my rings just fell apart once i pulled the rods and pistons out of it. my crank also should signs of walking probably from launching the car so hard constantly. its funny the motor was beat to death but she never smoked, idled smooth, and would punish 5.0s all day.

Everyone talks about vortec heads, are they that good? What cars did they come on?

Yeah Northern has a whole engine kit for $180. The crank has some roght journals on it, they also have a rebuilt crank for $90, if the machine shop charges close to that to polish one i am going to buy a new one.

#32

06-04-2010, 03:19 PM

TheMonteMan

Join Date: May 2009

Location: nj

Posts: 1,910

vortec heads are the best flowing factory gen 1 heads. they came in full size trucks and vans. the factory ones dont have screw in studs theyre pressed in. screw ins arent necessary just nice especially if youre turning the motor hard which youre not. they can be found on ebay at the gm dealer and pretty much any performance catalog. the other down side to them is that they run a different intake manifold so if you were to buy an edelbrock intake for it theyre like 50+ bucks more. theyre definitely worth the money especially since your building a cruiser theyre going to be better than anything else you find from the factory and are cheaper new than an aftermarket head. plus with a baby cam and those heads im more than sure the motor will make 300+hp. which is just enough to make the car fun to drive. yeah if they wanted more id just get northerns crank.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY...Q5fAccessories

heres a nice set.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SBC-C...Q5fAccessories

#33

06-07-2010, 08:31 AM

rp23g7

Thread Starter

Join Date: Nov 2009

Posts: 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMonteMan

I was reading about those heads, i think on Chevytech, it says that they didnt use as many headbolts with them, as they did on a older 350. Will these bolt up to a older 350 without any issues?

#34

06-07-2010, 03:00 PM

TheMonteMan

Join Date: May 2009

Location: nj

Posts: 1,910

yeah they bolt up to the pre 85 blocks. to my knowledge the only difference between the early blocks and later blocks are the 1 piece rear main seal and the rolller cam and the heads head center bolt valve covers. i had a friend on his 79 monte was running an old 350 with vortecs so you shouldnt have an issue. heres a link with a ton of great info on them. though i feel you can absolutely get better heads for a few hundred more bang for buck theyre the way to go.
http://www.onedirt.com/tech-stories/...k-chevy-heads/