Crate engine recommendation

[Gbodynate99]

Hey y’all finally blew my 305 and I’m looking to 350 swap. my question is where you guys would recommend to buy a crate engine?. I’ve been looking around and I see some good reviews and bad reviews on websites so I figured I’d come here to the professionals.

 

[ck80]

Well, you've got a lot of questions coming your way.

1) budget.
2) goals - how will you use the car, what do you want it to be
3) what, of anything, has been done already. There's extra costs to convert to fuel injection, or upgrade the trans, rear, and chassis to hold more power properly
4) rebuilt or new?
5) carb, fuel injection, turbo, supercharger, etc?
6) to a lesser extent location re:shipping or local pickup

Those are basics, and from there I'm sure we would have even more... but I think you're starting to get the picture

 

[scoti]

Check Summit Racing for crate engine options & pricing.

 

[mikester]

Dont know your budget which would be a big help.
I used a GM 350/330 in my wagon. I compared the price to the last motor that I had built and for the money I thought it was a better deal. Carb to pan, serpentine set with everything included. I had it in 3 days from my local dealer. You could get a cheaper motor without all the accessories if you have stuff already.

 

[Michael Watts]

It all depends on what you are going to with the car And your budget I have a 290 HP 350 in my 1981 El Camino SS .Of which I use for my daily driver .There are number of others as well.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

If you can afford it you should try to get a roller cam engine with one piece rear seal and maybe vortec heards. Try to avoid low CR engines, 8.5 is low CR that is typical of smogger motors. If you plan to retain the CCC system you don't need a carb and distributor crate package.

 

[Cuse99]

It all depends on what you are going to with the car And your budget I have a 290 HP 350 in my 1981 El Camino SS .Of which I use for my daily driver .There are number of others as well.

How do you like the 290 engine? What are you using for a carb / intake and exhaust? Would you do it again?
I'm looking for a motor also. I was leaning on the 333 HP engine, maybe even a turnkey. My 84 El Camino will also be a daily driver and I don't need too much power, 275-300 sounds about right. I'd also like to use regular gas if possible. I just don't want the car to be as dogish as it is right now. Your feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Michael Watts]

I like it and with Eldelbrock 600 CFM carb ,Peformer intake Turbo 350 trans ,3:42 gears .The exhaust is a set of FlowTech "shorty" headers with true dual 21/4 exhaust with Flowmaster 3 chamber mufflers (The muffler modified the factory crossmember) Its not loud .1979 HEI distributor .It passed emissions when required .And get fuel mileage in the 20`s. I also use regular gas. And it also "no dog" And with a complete Hotchkis suspension it scoots around corners nicely .

 

[Gbodynate99]

Hey y’all finally blew my 305 and I’m looking to 350 swap. my question is where you guys would recommend to buy a crate engine?. I’ve been looking around and I see some good reviews and bad reviews on websites so I figured I’d come here to the professionals.

Will be used as a daily driver I’ve been looking into either roller one or regular ol 350 thanks to the guys who did have recommendations very much appreciated will be posting pics soon!

 

[86Prix]

We built ours off the specs for a Blueprint BP3503CT1 since we had a block and a set of Vortec heads already. Threw in a Howards roller cam set-up (SKU: CL110235-12) with a 2000 stall convertor and a FiTech 400 system. (Whole lot learned there!) Shop said it should be 350/350 all day long and it runs great.