I'm looking for an engine rebuild kit for a 350 Chev. Anyone have a good place to order from, someone that uses quality parts in their kits.
Here in Central Illinois we usually take the 350 to either Autozone or Advance Automotive and use it for a "core exchange" on another fresh rebuilt 350 short block. Generally runs around $800.00 for the exchange, and you get a nice fresh SBC that you can change the cam to something "taller", drop it in, and run. I can't build one from scratch (at least not a "street cruiser" engine) for less. You mainly avoid a helluva lotta machine shop costs that way. Just a thought.
Your local NAPA can order you an engine kit with next day delivery. I've used many of them over the years. They include Clevite bearings and Victor gaskets. They even include an envelope of Plasti-Gage. You can also upgrade to a hotter cam for a few extra bucks. Give them a try.
Get a PAW Bible..... I mean book. There is also a guy on Ebay that I have bought for. Just look up engine kit or something simular, seems he was from Fl.
wow, ive never rebuilt a car motor but i have a few motorcycles....i figured id click on those links to see how much figured man, gotta be expensive, even for a small block. WOW was I wrong. im rebuilding a later triumph 650 (a 66), pretty damn common motor, i got probably double into the bottom end!! and its only got 2 cyls!! 30$ for big end bearings alone, i wont even tell you what a piston set cost, forget about bearings!! consider yourselves lucky! im putting a sbc in my next bike............
When I was shopping around for a kit for my 390 I found the best price was through my machinist. I think it was $3-400 for a kit with everything but a cam. And everywhere else was over $700. Those kits could have included a cam though.
Summit Racing has a large selection of our kits starting at $229.00 http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?Ntt=engine+lit&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=115&target=egnsearch.asp
Motorville ... out of Kansas City...1-888-463-0482........top quality parts and the cheapest I have found.....try them........
I agree with the basic core swap for a generic replacement that will get by. For something a little more radical on the street - I've used kits from Midwest Motorsports ( http://www.midwestmotorsportsinc.com - they also go by 'dirt track thunder on ebay and it's cheaper there!) and JR motorsports ( http://www.jrmotorsports.com ) - they've got full kits - look for their claimer kits - they usually come with choice of Hypereutectic pistons, a choice of solid lifter flat tappet cams, and upgrades are available for HV oil pumps, molly rings, forged pistons, etc. Look at the kits for the "street stock" cl***es as they're usually limited to a 9.x:1 compression ratio and they run fine on pump gas.
Talk to your machine shop. Mine sold me better parts that what Summit offered for less money. Also, they were very willing to subs***ute and mix-and-match parts to provide exactly what I wanted (for example, I'm not into high pressure oil pumps on a fresh rebuild, I wanted a Comp Cam, different pistons, etc). Hope this helps, Ed
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