Z37SS "Chance" Build

[itsnicyo]

Ive been working on my daily driver for a little over a year now.. decided with how much has been done to it, I might as well make a build thread.

It all started from a craiglist find.. got a hell of a deal on the car. When I bought it, the car didn't have reverse. Car was solid as can be. No rust, great interior and only 69k actual mileage. All this thing needed was a chance... so I named him Chance 🙂


The starting platform




Yikes!

 

[itsnicyo]

Started out with the transmission. Used TCI's Pro Super rebuild kit along with a 10 vain pump. Cant find the pictures for that right now so we are going to fast forward a bit.

After feeling those positive shifts, it still wasnt enough. I wanted more.. so I went ahead and bought CK Performance's street/strip kit. Came with custom valve body, governor, billet super servo, oversized low/reverse boost valve and fourth gear accumulator block off plate




Had to snap a shot on the lift haha

Went ahead and threw a little air cleaner on there too. And this is where it all started!

 

[itsnicyo]

After searching craigslist for weeks and not finding anything worth buying I had a guy walk in my bar I work at one day. We get to chatting about cars, and he tell me his boss has a rebuilt 350 for sale. So i went and picked it up for $1400. 1971 350 .030 over (355ci), 4 bolt main, rebuilt turnkey with a holley 650 double pumper carb (needed gone through) seemed fair to me!


Hell yes i brought my engine in the house


All fresh inside


The fly i found inside the block. Left him in there for good luck


Couple of my buddies helping take the accessories off before we pulled the motor


Motor out, replacing the mounts


Discovered this.. luckely no harm to the trans


Bow Tie Overdrives 2200 stall


Ready to go in


Finally in there


Looking like a hot mess, but running like a champ!


Cleaned up a bit

 

[theoldsone]

Real nice engine you got there and clean MC. Welcome to the site. How does the car respond now with the 355 intalled?

 

[itsnicyo]

It was great at first, but then I thought it felt slower or i had just gotten used to it really fast. Turns out it did have a hiccup.. details in next post, more to come 😀

Thanks for the welcome as well!

 

[itsnicyo]

The 355 swap was good, but not good enough. So i went ahead and picked up myself up a set of vortec heads. Heads were $200 used plus $265 from the machine shop so $565 in the heads. Plus the additional stuff required, the head swap was about a $1500 job with me doing the work. I also didnt go with factory parts. Everything was upgraded.


Heads on the way to the shop


Heads after i got them back. All head work was done by United Speed World in Tampa. Great guys over there, support your local speed shop!




Taped up for paint


Aren't they purdy?


You know i had to keep it Chevy


Edelbrock Torker 2 vs the new Performer RPM


flick of me removing old rockers


Cheese?


1 down, 1 to go!


Also discovered this broken rotor when we were taking the engine apart. Not sure why or how but one of the screws came out. Crazy how this car was even running.. maybe that was my power loss!! Haha


Might as well grab a new MSD Dizzy, right?


And here is where I'm at now. All put together, just waiting on my scorpion roller rockers. Should be in the speed shop tomorrow. Cant wait to fire it up!

 

[itsnicyo]

And now for a couple misc shots

 

[theoldsone]

Wow you mean business haha. That is a real sturdy engine. What got done to the heads it looks like a port, valve grind and milled that's not bad for 250. That must have been a relief to see the dizzy all bent up, now you have something to blame for a weak engine. Oh and cool dogs.😀

 

[itsnicyo]

Yes it was a bit of a relief! The heads had the valve job and milled, but no porting was done. Budget was starting to get up there! Rockers still arent here, ended up ordering them overnight from jegs today. Tomorrow!