Scored a rebuilt th350 last night

[johnny79]

Went to a guy's house who was selling his recently rebuilt th350 for $350 on craigslist. Here's his description:

Rebuilt last year. Never installed.2000 rpm stall. Got all parts from jegs. Rebuilt by my friend.20 years of being a tech also has a shift kit..painted. Chrome pan and inspection cover and dipstick. New cable. Have other trans. Just trying to get this one out of my way.

We looked through reams of paperwork to try and find the details on it, but we couldn't find it all. He swears by TCI, so he thinks that's what he got. Now before your scam alarm goes off. This guy was an unmarried gear head, who really appreciated hanging out in his garage with someone who appreciated this stuff. His garage was PACKED with stuff. The jewel being an unfinished '69 chevelle. The place was about as unorganized as you would imagine. I could see the new seals and it was freshly painted, an elaborate hoax, considering the price was almost for the convertor and core alone... He said his tech friend rebuilds Benz and Honda transmissions also, no easy task.

So i'm finishing up the deal and he asks what I"m putting it in. "Cutlass with a sbc 305, but I want to get a 383" then he points to an engine and says "want that? just take it..."

350 +.30 out of a yukon. HiPo pistons (he couldn't remember which, not surprising). Center bolt, 4bolt and totally stripped down. He said the guy who had it overtighened the crank and shot the bearings... I'm wondering if the crank is ok...There's was no way i could get it out at the time and I'm not sure how I would get it now, but I want to go back... What do you all think about that? It'll need new rockers (they are there, but why not), cam (again why not), and bearings...Everyhting else I could take off the 305.

Next thing, I know he's offering me intakes, oil pumps, etc... all for free..

Any way, I left and he gave me a beer for the road. A good day.

 

[bjohn07]

Went to a guy's house who was selling his recently rebuilt th350 for $350 on craigslist. Here's his description:

Rebuilt last year. Never installed.2000 rpm stall. Got all parts from jegs. Rebuilt by my friend.20 years of being a tech also has a shift kit..painted. Chrome pan and inspection cover and dipstick. New cable. Have other trans. Just trying to get this one out of my way.

We looked through reams of paperwork to try and find the details on it, but we couldn't find it all. He swears by TCI, so he thinks that's what he got. Now before your scam alarm goes off. This guy was an unmarried gear head, who really appreciated hanging out in his garage with someone who appreciated this stuff. His garage was PACKED with stuff. The jewel being an unfinished '69 chevelle. The place was about as unorganized as you would imagine. I could see the new seals and it was freshly painted, an elaborate hoax, considering the price was almost for the convertor and core alone... He said his tech friend rebuilds Benz and Honda transmissions also, no easy task.

So i'm finishing up the deal and he asks what I"m putting it in. "Cutlass with a sbc 305, but I want to get a 383" then he points to an engine and says "want that? just take it..."

350 +.30 out of a yukon. HiPo pistons (he couldn't remember which, not surprising). Center bolt, 4bolt and totally stripped down. He said the guy who had it overtighened the crank and shot the bearings... I'm wondering if the crank is ok...There's was no way i could get it out at the time and I'm not sure how I would get it now, but I want to go back... What do you all think about that? It'll need new rockers (they are there, but why not), cam (again why not), and bearings...Everyhting else I could take off the 305.

Next thing, I know he's offering me intakes, oil pumps, etc... all for free..

Any way, I left and he gave me a beer for the road. A good day.

thats a nice guy. its always good to meet people that are willing to help another out. prob has so much stuff and he knows he aint gonna use it. if he offered that engine u should go get and put it to use.

 

[johnny79]

Here's apic of the transmission.

Looked up the heads casting no. on that motor. But for free, maybe still worth it, if I get new heads. But now we are talking $1000 up from free.
#14102191

Apparently, not worth a damn... According to the F-body guys:

14102191...87-up...350

They are the ultimate trash. I'd be real surprised if a 350 with those heads, could make as much power as a factory 305 TPI.

DO NOT get these heads. They are terrible.

ok then...

 

[bjohn07]

those heads have the 76cc comb chamber. they were mainly on trucks. they will give u low compression. prob somewhere around 8.5 to 1. they will work good for low end on a motor with a decent cam and intake but ur top end will suck. as it would with any stock heads. if u want top end u got to aftermarket or either dump a sh*t pot full of money into stock heads for a port job along with bowl and combustion chamber work. and for free u might as well take it. i wanna say on a 5.7 those heads would make like 200 or 210 horsepower. and a 305 around 165hp. so for a free motor along with a good cam, intake and exahust i dont see why u cant squeeze 250 out of those heads.

 

[johnny79]

those heads have the 76cc comb chamber. they were mainly on trucks. they will give u low compression. prob somewhere around 8.5 to 1. they will work good for low end on a motor with a decent cam and intake but ur top end will suck. as it would with any stock heads. if u want top end u got to aftermarket or either dump a sh*t pot full of money into stock heads for a port job along with bowl and combustion chamber work. and for free u might as well take it. i wanna say on a 5.7 those heads would make like 200 or 210 horsepower. and a 305 around 165hp. so for a free motor along with a good cam, intake and exahust i dont see why u cant squeeze 250 out of those heads.

I'm not going through the trouble of swapping out my 305 for a 350 +.30 for anything less than 300hp 😀