I have a 65 chevy 4x4 pickup with a boring nothing special sbc crate motor in it, my problem is the lack of low end power. I am looking into other engine options and I thought you guys could help me come up with something. I am willing to look into any make or configuration but, it must have decent low end torque, parts have to be easily accessible and it has to reliable meaning it must get close to 200k with proper care, and get there without too many bumps in the road. I prefer inlines and was considering a 235 or 292 chevy because they do fit the bill and I haven't seen a truck like mine with the stock 6 in it, but I am still open to any ideas and I would not mind something a little out of the box.
The best deal would probably to rebuild the engine you have now, if it is a 350. Rings, valve job, bearings, mild cam, Edelbrock intake, Quadrajet, and headers will give a significant power boost without killing low end torque or gas mileage.
4BD1-T you'll have enough torque to pull your neighbours house off it's foundations. Cheap on fuel! Readily available in the USA in NPR trucks
454 chevy. It'll bolt in....well, almost. Won't last 200k miles, but the 350 probably wouldn't either.
A small block Chevrolet is a mighty fine thing. With fifty years of Hot Rodding history, it can be made to paw the earth like a wild animal with the right combination of parts, make torque and power that'll scare the pants off a normal man and chase him down the alley if he ain't careful. It all has to do with an initial dose of brain power poured into the blender of ideas about what pistons, rings, rods, cam and lifters you're going to stuff inside a good block. Well seasoned examples are still out there. One writer compared the camshaft to the brain and if torque is what you need, then you build up the other parts accordingly. Size counts, too; even if I've had some white knuckles from rides in a car with a punched out 283 that wailed like a pack of banshees on steroids in a little '55 I once called home. I think you're selling the old lady short. Not knowing the particulars of your case, I'd be prone to shy away from particulars on what to do; but as much as I've praised the 235 inline from a brace of them I've used, a V8 Mouse Motor can be built about as cheap as a wood shed and burn up the road when you get it all lined up and ready to go. What with all the aftermarket stuff that's still floating around, a man would have to be in possession of a pretty big piece of alligator hide to wrap around his green backs to beat it, money wise. As soon as you 'fess up to what you got to work with, I'm sure there are some geniuses I've read their posts, here on the HAMB, who can give the specs for a motor to make you smile from ear to ear and still have enough money left to go chase a little poontang.
low end torque? you want cubes and/or stroke. i vote either big block or wake up your SBC with a nice matched combo including a stroker crank- or buy a stroker SBC- they're everywhere. Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and a cam that's NOT from the bottom of the page in the catalog (you might look into one of their packages for a matched set up). You'll probably trip over a few sets of "decent" heads on your way to the bathroom in the morning - they're everywhere- grab a pair-you dont need "high flow wonder heads". -rick
383....stroke that small block....235 or 292!!! Dude you'd be going way backwards! Seen some healthy running stroked sbc in my day
An SBC with no low end torque. Most of your cheaper crate SBCs only have low end and no top end. Throw an RV cam in it and tune it, or maybe just try tuning it. If you want a little different, try a high torque 292 (inline GM), or if engine family is of no concern a 300 inch Ford will provide you with plenty of low end grunt. If you want to pull stumps try a big inch Olds ( like 455) or caddy (472 or 500 inch). I am not getting no low end torque. I had a stock 350 horse 350 ('71 corvette replacement motor) that pulled 44" super swampers in the rain forest. Never any complaints from me.
Cheapest and easiest way to get low end power is a 454 swap. Even a stock 454 will have way more grunt than your 350 crate motor, and you can most likely sell the 350 for enough to purchase a good used 454. A 454 with just a few mods, like cam, intake/carb, and headers, will be a stump puller.
They work fine with the factory intake and Q jet carb. Add a little bit of cam, and some headers, and you're there.
200k miles ?? On a vintage engine?? Reality check please. LS swap but not here,, Regular old 350 with No low end is usually out of tune or starting out in 2nd gear. You want compression and velocity for low end torque. Heres 3 fir compression - That means an RV cam to build cylinder pressure or smaller CC combustion cambers to bump compression or domes pistons. Velocity - look for too big of exhaust pipes, too big of intake runners, wrong intake manifold. Gearing will greatly change the available torque getting to the wheels and getting you moving.
AJ now that you have 15 different suggestions, let me ask. Is your crate motor new? If yes you have something wrong, even the Mexican Mr. Goodwrench motor should move a 65 Chevy wit 4x4 gearing along. What are you trying to accomplish. A stock 454 in a 1T dually crew cab towed me 38' enclosed trailer w/ race car inside with no problem and it has 3.72 gears only gets 8 mpg but it also has 300K thats right 300K miles with only a timing chain replaced. If it's a crate motor with a lot of miles on it probably time for some work. But think about all the suggestions here add up the costs associated with each and then make your decision. I like stock stuff from GM I'm to old to reinvent the wheel. Pat
By the way if you go for the 6 cyl. option let me know, I have a brand new set of Autolite spark plug wires I'll send to you as an "engine warming present" Pat
Well my 350 is toast unknown miles, timing too far advanced from day one, I just adjusted the clutch so it actually disengages and the truck was used in place of a diesel for 2 years so I am getting a new engine after more thought I will either build a new sbc from scratch, go diesel or a 292 HT.
Thanks for the info I didn't know much about them, also I work in an automotive machine shop so if I find a good block it won't take much to do it any ideas where to look?
Many years ago, I did the heads on a friends of mines Father-in-Laws 305 Malibu, he worked for Burlington Northern, and was a stickler on maintenance. It had over 225,000 when I did the heads, I told him he was wasting his money, and the short-block couldn't possibly last much longer. When he finally pulled it, it had over half a million miles on it. I'm dead serious, and yes, I know how hard this is to believe. Scouts honour, and yes, I was a scout.
292 's also were found in some Carpenter school buses , but those are harder to find now as they probably all been sent to china the last scrap run we had ,we are still finding them in the c-40-60 series chevy trucks that are finally going to the scrap heap here in Chicago . another option is to use a cummins BT-6 or BT-4 pre electric motor ( bread truck motor ) , there kind of expensive but you can mix and match the engine and trans combos due to the interchangeable bellhousings, another option for real different and ease is the old detroit diesel family . you have to use the 53 series , they get long life as its a industrial diesel they were used in larger trucks and the military used a aluminum 4 cylinder in some GM 4x4's inthe 60's ( like chicken teeth now ) and you can turbo them too . they also use the sae interchangeable bellhousings .
...you did say something about 'out of the box'... so put a 455 Buick in there. Nearly the same weight as your small block and more torque than you'll know what to do with...and they do go 200k miles...
500,000 miles plus? No major overhauls? And what the hell kinda maintenance was he doing? I have a 2001 5.7 Vortec block here with 180k on it. It's actually looking more like 40k mile motor inside and my machinist couldn't believe there was 180 on the Heads (except for the stuck valve) But this is also computer controlled and monitored.
seems you know where your going now, but if you want to be different, go with a Buick, 350 or 455 if you want low end torque. Jeeps ran Buick 350's in the 60's, so you might find a heavy bellhousing., but with mounts and simplicity, the 350 Chevy is the best bet, especially with a modern torque/towing cam in it, and a small cfm four barrel.
I know, I hear you, I felt the same way, but I'm dead serious. He ALWAYS warmed the car up THOROUGHLY before he put it in gear, changed the oil like clockwork, used to do regular combustion chamber cleans with ATF, and kept the car tuned to a T. Even when I did the heads, it was VERY clean inside, no gas in the oil and ZERO sludge, which is REAL unusual for a daily with 200K on it. One thing that helped I believe, mostly highway mileage with a 60+ mile daily commute, not used around town much. But astounding, nonetheless.
If I`m wrong here,please correct me.I read this info about 20 years ago.Someone mentioned a 500ci Caddy.IIRC from the article,that they only weigh complete about 50 lbs more that a 350 Chevy.Have a BOP bolt pattern.High quality block(high nickle content cast iron).Stock HP/TQ is 375/375.That should move you and the truck down the road very nicely.Also,engine dimentions are only about 2 1/2 inches wider,taller and longer than a 350 Chevy. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
The Jalopy Journal
