Need some help with engine options please

[Wildmani]

I'm coming up on the next step of my Pontiac LeMans project, the engine. I'm trying to figure out which way I should go and I'm looking for a little input from those who know more than I do lol! I have a few options that I'm considering and would like some input from your own experience. You'll notice all my options involve SBC powerplants, before the flaming for not going Pontiac powerplant starts let my start off by saying the car came with a 267ci SBC from the factory 🙂 .

I'm not looking to "cheap out" on a build, but I would like to get the best bang for my buck while still doing things right. My goal is to be somewhere between 350-400hp at the crank, nothing too wild.

Option #1) I have a bone stock 1969 300hp 350 in pieces in my garage that I got free from a family friend. I have absolutely everything including accessories for it, but it's been apart for so long that it's in need of a good cleanup. The engine came out of a '69 Chevy Kingswood Estate wagon that ran well before the engine was pulled and dismantled years ago. There are some items that are in need of replacement due to corrosion such as the crank but I believe the block is good, it's a 4 bolt main block. This option involves getting the block cleaned up and checked out by a machine shop for cracks, etc. If all checks out then I'd need to get a crank but I'm not sure if the pistons and rods are too corroded to be cleaned up and used. My plan would be to buy an Edelbrock power package top end (figured the cost of rebuilding the heads would be better spent on new aluminum heads and the rest that comes in the kit). I've never had any experience with building an engine but I'd love to, I've done tons of research and read a lot and I'm sure if I took my time and paid attention to detail it would be fine. In the back of my head I'm afraid of spending all that money and having it blow up or something loll.

Option #2) I've had my eye on a Chevy Performance ZZ4 355hp 350 turn key kit. Pros: unpack it from the crate, load it in, do the "plumbing" and go. The cons: it costs about $6000 Canadian before taxes, taxes will put it closer to $7000. My dilemma here is that I might be able to build the 350 I already have for cheaper and still get similar or even better results.

Option #3) Buy a Chevy Performance 260hp or 290hp crate engine and swap out parts to bring it to my goal. The core would cost less but I think I might spend just as much or more on all the other stuff I need.

I figure there's got to be someone with a lot more knowledge and experience with this stuff than I have. Basically I need to know if it's worth rebuilding the one I have or going with a crate. I know you can't tell a lot from pictures, but I'll attach pictures of what I have here to maybe work with.

The block, it's really dirty

Close up of one of the cylinders, barely and ridge on any of them.

The crank, I figure it's junk

One of the pistons/rods. Not sure if they can be cleaned up or not

 

[clean8485]

I understand your situation. If I was in your place, probably the first thing that I would do, is to find a competant local machine shop, and take all of the 350 engine parts that you have right now to them, and get them inspected and evaluated. Even if it costs a few dollars, its probably worth it. You will find out if the parts that you have are useable or not, and hopefully the machine shop should be able to tell you how much it will cost, to put a good short block together. With that knowledge, you can decide if rebuilding your 350 is worthwhile, or if you should move on to another one of your options. I believe that companies like Summit Racing also offer crate engine packages as well, which may be a bit more budget friendly that going with the GMPP crate engine-just a thought. Whatever you decide, keep in mind that since you're in Ontario, and your car did come originally with several different emission control systems, that removing them or disabling them could run you afoul of the Ontario MOE folks. Just one more thing to keep in mind when you're deciding on how to proceed with a new engine for your Lemans. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Wildmani]

Thanks. I've looked at Jeg's for the crate engines, but I know a few of the GM dealerships around deal in Chevy Performance crate engines. If I get one from a dealer I don't need to worry about shipping costs, besides buying gas for my neighbor's pickup to go get it lol

 

[Fox80]

If I were you I wouldn't go the crate engine route, I have seen many of them motors opened up and they are by far mass produced motors to say the least. Like the above post says get that block, crank, and rods bead blasted and checked by a quality shop and see what you got. If only the block is usable I would go the 383 route, get a nice rotating assembly done up bore the block .030 over, talk to your builder before you get the Edlebrock top end not many shops will use them when so many better options are available. If you want to assemble it yourself make sure the machine shop blueprints the specs BEFORE you pick up the parts, things like oil clearance at the rod and main bearings, piston to deck height, comp ratio, should be calculated by the machine shop as more than likely you won't have the tools to do it. You will need a quality torque wrench, a dial indicator on a stand to check the thrust in the crank, depending in the rod bolt a torque angle gauge and/or bolt stretch gauge, an oil pump primer, make sure you ask the shop if the block is shipped ready to assemble or if cleaning all the journals is your responsibility. Most guys look into all this and decide to have the shop assemble it because of the expense of the tools alone. The $700-$1,000 to assemble a motor by a quality builder can easily be ate up in tools alone. If you have the shop assemble it they should have a dyno to run the motor for break-in and to set the carb and timing curve as part of the assembly cost, this makes it just a drop in deal for you

 

[seawolf18]

I would take the block and crank in and get it checked. If at least the block is good, i would use it. Most engine kits come with pistons that are better than your stock ones from your 69 engine. I would also do a 383.It doesn't cost much more than a standard .030 over rebuild. With a rebuild you get it pick the parts that will work best for your application. The crate engines are a one size fit all.

 

[lilbowtie]

I have a stock L-82 short block - put a re-ring kit in it, set of good 2.02 chevy iron heads, a big cam and pull over 400 BHP.
It looks like like you have a good starting point in front of you.