Top End Kit for my Olds 350 in my 1987 Cutlass.

[MrSony]

Wow, it was a 350. I'm really surprised lol. Yeah, ask around here or on realoldspower before you start making big decisions. Alternateavly, you could just toss a set of good pre smog heads and intake and quadrajet on with an HEI, and find a 1968-1974 350 and build that. They are stronger as they don't have windowed mains, and if you are lucky you'll score a Nodular iron crankshaft. It has a large N on it somewhere. That way it will still be a 350, and you can use all your parts, but you can still drive the car. If you build yours, look into getting beefing up that bottom end. A stud girdle is a good start. One for a 403 might fit, or if you're mechanically inclined you can make one your own.

 

[olds307 and 403]

As said, 76 is the last year for the good Olds 350. Depends on your area but scored a good 76 350 with a wholethe car for $50 a few years back, should have that one up. I picked up a 76 350 for $120. It had 140-142 compression after I added the compression bleeding Performer cam and 20 hot idle oil pressure and 45-50 at just 2000 rpm hot idle pressure with 5W30 oil. Came with an aluminum water neck, non A/C alternator bracket and pretty sure it was set up for a standard trans, weird, supposedly out of a Delta 88. Supposedly the non nodular craanks are good till 400 HP. You don't need 400 HP, 350 HP is pretty easy. 80 Rocket on ROP and ClassicOlds, another good Olds site, used a stock reringed 76 bottom end with early heads making 9 to 1 compression, a Performer intake, early 350 heads, they are all basically the same with 2"/1.625" valves, Lunati 221/230 cam with matching springs. The Olds 350 made just under 350 HP and more importantly just under 375 ft/lbs of torque. Even at that power level, the stock 2004R and 7.5" rear will die without upgrades.

 

[spencer83]

When you say top end kit, do you mean you want a strong healthy motor that will make power? Or do you want summit to puke all over the engine? These are very different things. And yes, the summit (or whatever catalogue) parts can make power, but at what cost?

Here's my take. You have a 350, but it is windowed main webbed being a 77-80 block. You can build it, just the same as a 403, but it'll need some bottom end help. I'd suggest, if you can, buying a 68-76 bottom end to start with. Otherwise, expect to do some machine work and put a girdle on it to make it live.
You want 400 hp? It can be done with iron heads, but aluminum are a nice option. Are you looking at edelbrock heads or procomps? Either one on a 350 will need some machine work, and you will need an electric fuel pump, as the stock one doesn't fit.
I'd go look over on realoldspower.com they have a build section which has proven combo's with weight, et, dyno sheets, ect... to help you put together a combo.
Don't be too quick to pour out $ on parts, get a plan together first, so you only do things once.

Are 67 cranks also good to get?

 

[marcar1993]

I saw the thread on rop. Yes the 330 cranks are better, they are steel, not cast iron. Better quality if you are going stroker. They were suggesting to offset grind the crank to a 3.5" stroke from a 3.385 stock stroke. Not a bad idea if you plan to make 400hp from a 350, more cubes will make more power easier. You will spend some money on the bottom end, between the crank, grinding it, rods, and pistons. It all depends how far you want to go and what route your looking to take.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I picked up a 330 crank offset ground with the 3.5" stroke for $350 US a few years back from Smitty at M&J Proformance, they go for $400+ from most Olds vendors now with core included. I had to wait a long time, Smitty had health issues and has lost his reputation lately.

 

[spencer83]

I saw the thread on rop. Yes the 330 cranks are better, they are steel, not cast iron. Better quality if you are going stroker. They were suggesting to offset grind the crank to a 3.5" stroke from a 3.385 stock stroke. Not a bad idea if you plan to make 400hp from a 350, more cubes will make more power easier. You will spend some money on the bottom end, between the crank, grinding it, rods, and pistons. It all depends how far you want to go and what route your looking to take.

I found one. It'll be here next week sometime. I do plan on stroking it. T&T Racing Engines are going to do the work. I don't know if you guys are familiar with them but they're like 10 mins from me in Gurnee, IL.

 

[spencer83]

I picked up a 330 crank offset ground with the 3.5" stroke for $350 US a few years back from Smitty at M&J Proformance, they go for $400+ from most Olds vendors now with core included. I had to wait a long time, Smitty had health issues and has lost his reputation lately.

Tell me more about your build

 

[MrSony]

In my eyes there are three cranks to have in a 350 olds.
1. Forged Steel 330 crank.
2. Crank from a 350 Diesel
3. Nodular Iron crank

anything else is just a paper weight. A very heavy paperweight.

 

[marcar1993]

In my eyes there are three cranks to have in a 350 olds.
1. Forged Steel 330 crank.
2. Crank from a 350 Diesel
3. Nodular Iron crank

anything else is just a paper weight. A very heavy paperweight.

I'm pretty sure a diesel crank is not as strong as an N crank. Also, a diesel crank would need some work to fit in a gas sbo, like turning the mains down from bb journal size. Either of the other 2 are drop ins.

 

[MrSony]

I'm pretty sure a diesel crank is not as strong as an N crank. Also, a diesel crank would need some work to fit in a gas sbo, like turning the mains down from bb journal size. Either of the other 2 are drop ins.

Yeah. But it can still fit 😛 And is the 330 really 100% drop in? No machine work?