I know this is not a truck forum but I’m looking to have a engine built for my 72 c10. I’m wondering how much hp and tq I can get for 7000$ that’s starting with nothing Anyone have any rough ideas and also no power adders just engine.
How much hp and tq for the money
Midwestbowhunter
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Unless you know how to do the following, after you build your new motor you will have a subsequent thread going that will be titled "What's this noise my motor is making" or "No compression in 3 cylinders"
Piston to valve clearance, valve radial clearance, spring height, coil bind, retainer to seal , rocker slot, rocker to retainer, pushrod geometry, cam degree, camshaft endplay, ring gap among the many, many others.
Not that you can't do it, b/c you can. It just takes a lot of time and some extra money for tools. The stakes IMO are much higher when you start talking about the money that is tied-up and at risk if something goes wrong.
PS - half the engine builders out there also get it wrong LOL
Piston to valve clearance, valve radial clearance, spring height, coil bind, retainer to seal , rocker slot, rocker to retainer, pushrod geometry, cam degree, camshaft endplay, ring gap among the many, many others.
Not that you can't do it, b/c you can. It just takes a lot of time and some extra money for tools. The stakes IMO are much higher when you start talking about the money that is tied-up and at risk if something goes wrong.
PS - half the engine builders out there also get it wrong LOL
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34 Posts
Never done any of That nor do I have the tools. When this c10 is done I am going to go tools and to the junk yard and get some engines to tinker around with,,, I was looking at the skip white engines but for now the vortech guys engines are more my budget as I didn’t see any from skip for under 7
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Next is the Trans. No need to go crazy to save money. Especially if not needing a 4th gear for HWY. a well built TH350 or even better TH400 is plenty. 'Spend the money on a good converter' A trans rebuild can be had under the $2k price ($1400-1800 for a rebuild, guess). But a good converter will be $600+. it will be close.
Mike
Mike
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34 Posts
I have no problem with a big block. The only difference that I know of between sb and bb is weight maybe what 200 pounds ? Lower rpm and more ya down low? As for trans I do have a t350 wouldn’t mind going to the 400
But if my 350 will work great. The truck might see highway for very very short distances like 8 miles or less
But if my 350 will work great. The truck might see highway for very very short distances like 8 miles or less
Low rpm is not the case. Shift mine at 6800-7000k. You won’t need 7k rpm with a bbc, but you’ll have it. Put one of marks engines in and start stocking up on rear tires and clutch packs/ sprags for your trans. 350 is fine mostly because I don’t think you’ll be dead hooking it on a hard tire pick up truck in the street. Yet. When you get to that point you’ll know what you need.
Your truck with a 28-31 tire and a 3:55-4:10 gear with marks engine will be a fun street setup that will have the potential if you chip away at you traction problem to run some respectable 11.s in street trim. That’s about the most fun you can have while still having take it anywear reliability.
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That’s exactly what I want The take it anywhere reliability!! I think I’m going to give mark a call.. how are these turnkey 383 540hp engines on eBay for around 7 grand. Should I give them a thought or stay away and stick with vortchpro engine?
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Yes 150-225lbs difference in SB to BB depending on parts used. heavier items being the block and heads (Alum vs Iron). May require a front spring change.
Agree with 71malibuu
A TH400 would be better in stock form. Though I've seen plenty of properly built TH350s behind some big HP/TQ BBC's for not much more money. My neighbors 750hp BBC has a TH350 behind it for about 4yrs now in a 72 Camaro. A local shop rebuilt it for I think $1300. ATI converter was around $500 back then.
Seeing that small HWY use, you will have to be honest with yourself and settle on a gear. Great news is that with a BB having low RPM TQ, you can compromise for a better higher rear gear and still get amazing performance. Don't forget to average in your tire dia. as well.
Mike
Agree with 71malibuu
A TH400 would be better in stock form. Though I've seen plenty of properly built TH350s behind some big HP/TQ BBC's for not much more money. My neighbors 750hp BBC has a TH350 behind it for about 4yrs now in a 72 Camaro. A local shop rebuilt it for I think $1300. ATI converter was around $500 back then.
Seeing that small HWY use, you will have to be honest with yourself and settle on a gear. Great news is that with a BB having low RPM TQ, you can compromise for a better higher rear gear and still get amazing performance. Don't forget to average in your tire dia. as well.
Mike
Call mark “vortecpro” and I guarantee after it’s installed in your truck and you drive it, the last thing you will be thinking is, man I should have gone with a 383sbc..........and that’s a fact.
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So suggesting I should
Hunt down and go with a 400 over a 350 ? If so that’s what I’m going to do. If it’s not much of a difference I’ll use the 350 I have. But if I’m better off with the 400 I’ll go with that. This is all stuff I needed to hear.
Thank You everyone for your input and no one from anyother form gave me the time of day. I will
Be giving mark a call and listen to what he has to say,
Hunt down and go with a 400 over a 350 ? If so that’s what I’m going to do. If it’s not much of a difference I’ll use the 350 I have. But if I’m better off with the 400 I’ll go with that. This is all stuff I needed to hear.
Thank You everyone for your input and no one from anyother form gave me the time of day. I will
Be giving mark a call and listen to what he has to say,
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IMHO, the best build for the OP is Mark's 580 HP 468 upgraded to a roller cam and valve train, a custom converter for his TH-350 or TH-400.....and then 3.08 to 3.31 gears out back.
1971 Chevelle. Carb’d 6.0 LS Th350 3.90 12 Bolt. 1972 Greenbrier Wagon 489, 700r4 3,73 12 bolt
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4,117 Posts
10.24@131 N/A
stock bottom end 160k mile 6.0, BTR LS3 cam, TSP ported 799 heads, 750 brawler, super vic in a mustang....Not too shabby.
1971 Chevelle. Carb’d 6.0 LS Th350 3.90 12 Bolt. 1972 Greenbrier Wagon 489, 700r4 3,73 12 bolt
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4,117 Posts
Most people I know go with 383's for sbc. Simply because it is alot easier to come by a good 350 block than a 400. 400 will make more power, but you need a good block and machine work (or get an aftermarket block). Some roll the dice on factory 400 blocks and have no issues, I wouldn't be so lucky most likely. If you get an aftermarket block, then you can do a 421-434 c.i. But then you are at about $5K for the shortblock typically.
Sounds like the VortecPro BBC is more what you are looking for to me.
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34 Posts
He has three options on his site that I’m looking at
516 hp 560tq-6600$
570 hp 580tq 7200$
620 hp 590tq 7700$
I know from the 516 to the 620 there will be a big difference but. How much of a difference will it be like going from one to the next in order like is it worth the extra money to take each step up or should I just say screw it and go for the 620. I hate to buy one and than a year down the road want to upgrade it
516 hp 560tq-6600$
570 hp 580tq 7200$
620 hp 590tq 7700$
I know from the 516 to the 620 there will be a big difference but. How much of a difference will it be like going from one to the next in order like is it worth the extra money to take each step up or should I just say screw it and go for the 620. I hate to buy one and than a year down the road want to upgrade it
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blue_69_malibu hit it.
Then all you need is a carb, water pump, fuel pump, distributor.
If you make a deal with him, send him those parts and he will install them, Dyno break-in and run / tune the engine. He will do that anyway with his own parts but If you send him yours, its already timed and ready to drop in.
Mike
Then all you need is a carb, water pump, fuel pump, distributor.
If you make a deal with him, send him those parts and he will install them, Dyno break-in and run / tune the engine. He will do that anyway with his own parts but If you send him yours, its already timed and ready to drop in.
Mike
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4,059 Posts
I bought the first one, and after Mark built and dyno'd it, it produced 538hp and 569tq. 9.4:1 compression, peanut port heads, and my rear tires hate me.
Do that. Whatever you go with from him will be plenty. You won’t be able to hook it anyway. Once you spend the time learning and dialing in your truck to actually hook, you will have a better idea as to what you want/need. But for a step one, calling mark and ordering one of his drop in bbc will put you way ahead of 90% of other people’s step one.
People get hung up on horsepower figures. Horsepower is a calculation based on torque, RPM and other factors that an engineer can explain, but torque is what is actually being measured on the dyno and that's what plants your butt in the seat. If you ever owned a diesel, you'll notice big torque, but low horsepower because of a diesel's low RPM capability. In a street car where your useful power band is idle to say roughly 5500-6000 RPM, you're not going to make the HP that a race inspired Saturday night special, buzzing to 7500 is going to make. So consider the torque in the useful power band instead of looking at the HP. I've had both ends of the spectrum and both were fun, but the Saturday night special was high maintenance, loud, required high numerical rearend gears and very loose converters, not to mention the heat it generated inside the car. The milder, more streetable (lower RPM) combo was and still is my favorite, but I'm getting older and less enthuastic about changing valve springs, lashing valves, etc., and I really like being able hear the stereo while I cruise.
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