I am looking into building a new shortblock for my Chevelle.

Its currently a 396 with probably 8.5:1 and a pretty big cam (very low DCR).

I am debating a standard 427, 454 or a stroker 496 (leaning this way for a torquey street motor).

I haven't found a decently priced core yet.

Figuring core cost, crank, rods (I do have lots of stock rods for 396/402 etc), pistons/rings bearings, machine work, balancing, etc. I thought maybe a better way would be to get one of the PAW kits...

I am only looking for a shortblock, and their 427/454 is under $2300 (which I assume includes all the cores (block/crank/rods, etc)... I don't know about stroker from them...

That sounded like a decent price, considering I don't have to worry about buying a non-rebuildable core, etc...

Any suggestions?

Drive magazine has some advertisers with some decent prices for their shortblocks. Speed-O-Motive has some reasonable priced short blocks also... I've had two sets of heads built by them and had no problems, but some on this site haven't been thrilled with the quality of their work.

I haven't bought anything from PAW in over 20 years.

The last time I did they sent me valves made by another company than what I ordered. I called the guy and he gave me the "it's all the same thing" rap. I had to pay the additional return and reshipping costs to get the parts I originally paid for.

Stuff like that ticks me off.

My 406 has a PAW kit in it and everything is fine. But I built it like back in '84 or so...

My wife and kids watched me put it together on the dining room floor of the apartment we were living back then up at Southbend, IN...pdq67

My engine started as a PAW kit that I assembled. They did all of the machine work, balancing, etc. I just bolted it together. Since then I've made some basic changes to it, like the cam, intake, etc. Seems to work pretty well, see the results in my signature.

Originally posted by pdq67:
My 406 has a PAW kit in it and everything is fine. But I built it like back in '84 or so...

My wife and kids watched me put it together on the dining room floor of the apartment we were living back then up at Southbend, IN...pdq67 Oh, man does that bring back memories...I had a 69 firebird when I was 16 and built a 462 (.060 over 455) for it in my bedroom, my dad was/is a car guy so I didnt get much grief from him, but mom was a different story... :D

Anybody else have and good or bad things to say about the PAW engine assemblies? They have a 454 long block kit for about $2800 and it seems too good to be true.

I bought a unasembled short block from them several years ago.I orderd a SB383 with dished pistons.

I got a .060 over block with flat top pistons.I had to argue that a 383 is a .030 over block,not .060.
**I sent the block and pistons back to them at my cost**.I then recieved a good .030 block with dished pistons that had visable cracks in them.**I sent them back at my cost**.
I then recieved good dished pistons.

Unfortunatly I installed them (it was my very first engine build).In a couple of hours of running I had bearing metal in the oil.I called them and they wouldn't do a thing and that I must have done something wrong.

I friend and I tore the engine down and discoverd two of the pistons were installed on the rods backward.Before the tare down we observed that all of the arrows on the pistons were facing forward,just like how they told me to install them over the phone.

I called them again and they would not do a thing.You assembled it,it's your fault is what they told me.

One of my friends orderd a .030 over long block 427 from them.Before he assembled the engine I told him of my experiance with them.He checked everything out and all was ok.
He was assembling the engine and then noticed a sleaved cylinder.
He had several leaking cylinder head gaskets until he tore the block down and had it milled.

This is not a bash!!! This is the truth!!!
I should not have to say any more graemlins/clonk.gif

But let me ask you this...

Have you ever shot yourself in the foot before???

Tony, a thought. Why dont you source a 454 block, some SRP slugs and just reuse the 396 bottom end?

with the 5 speed, a high DCR ( well 91 octane friendly), that spins up to 6500rpm + might provide you all the fun you'll need.

Lets see block $400, rods, $400, SRPs/rings $600, machine work 200 bore/hone, 200 balance, UD/Lunati solid cam/edm lifters 275. And you can probably get by fine with a pair of stock GM iron rect ports with some cleanup and a very good valve job/backcut valves. At 118 + mph in the 1/4, and decent mpg, IMHO its a great balance.

Another way, I would prefer high quality lightweight slugs, very well prepped rods, and a very precise balance in a 427, so you can run'er up to 7000 without wondering about it.

Short block?

www.competitionproducts.com (http://www.competitionproducts.com)

$3495 for a complete 496 shortblock is pretty competitive.

Tony, did you consider buying the GMPP H.O. 454 short block? At least you know the rotating assembly is all forged, and the block's new....

Whats GM's part number for that 454 HO short block? My original plan was to go with their 454 HO long block, but if I can save some money with the short and pick out my own heads and intake then I might do that.

I built a +.060 SBC 350 with parts from PAW in the late 80's. It ran good for about 15,000 street miles then a cylinder wall cracked. I replaced it with a Summit +.030 block (back when they still did their own engines) and that one was running good 25k miles later when I sold the car.

I didn't think you could get a shortblock 454. That'd be a winnder, particularly with '66 closed chambered heads and a better cam than the stock hr.

Youre better off doing business with Speed O Motive. PAW is a huge company that lacks in good customer service. I'm not sure if Speed O motive is family owned and operated, but it certainly feels like it. The guys there listen and help as much as they can. They are honest and never turn their back on you ( like PAW does after youve payed) :mad:

PAW is ONE block from where I work. I NEVER go there for anything. No other comment should be required....

Lance

Thanks everyone...

I was just thinking because with the cost of the core and the machining and parts, the PAW deal always seemed good (pretty much no core?)...

I haven't found a 454 block yet (no good deals).

Gene, I have several 396 rotating assemblies lying around, including a "standard/standard" 1966 steel crank.

I have thought of building a 427, 454 or stroker 496. I am leaning toward the 454 or 496 because I was looking for torque. I have a tendancy to bang gears, and in the past, I have blown a shift or two (no problems yet). So I am trying to get away from the high-winding engine.

I have the Richmond 5-speed (3.04 first gear) with 2.73's, so low end grunt would be preferred...


Tony,
I have thought of the crate motor path, but keep thinking of 502... But then there's the new oil pan, clutch linkage bracket, electric fuel pump, etc... While nice, that adds alot to the budget... Does the GMPP 454 used the old style oil pan? have provisions for mech fuel pump and clutch ball-stud?


I am actually leaning towrds Gene, in that I already have the crank (only needs polishing) and my flywheel and other accessoried will still work.

I think my big problem is that I didn't pay attention to the compression ratio when choosing my cam and heads, so my DCR is pretty low. So even the torque of the 427 should be better if I choose the right parts...