Chevy 350

[Big Country]

SO.... My Aunt has an older model Chevy Truck that some parts were stolen off of (rear drive train as far as I can tell). She asked me if I wanted to have the truck to fix up since she is pretty well done with ever using it again. She also said that it had a 350 in it, in case I just wanted to use the engine.

The engine would probably need to be rebuilt if I pulled it out. If I rebuild it, I would probably stroke it to a 383... But, the problem I'm having is trying to think of what I could do with it. The truck is 2wd I think, so fixing it up to Wheel would be a stretch... but I'm at a loss of ideas here guys. Can you help me out?

[3eyedwagon]

You are honestly asking a question about what to do with a small block Chevy???

 

How about; build it, and put it in nearly anything you find interesting. This has got to be one of the simplest blankest easiest canvases in the world for you to paint your own image on. There are tons and tons and tons of things that can be done with that motor. You don't mention what the truck is, but, if it is something that interests you; there are tons of parts available to replace those stolen. You could just fix it up, and have a decent little pickup. Or you could build that motor, and scrounge craigslist for the THOUSANDS of other options to put that motor in. Everything from a s10 to a Mazda RX7. It's all pretty easy to do these days. Find a muscle car, or drop it in a Fox body mustang and go drag racing. Get a jeep to go wheeling, or (god forbid) even put it in a Toyota. Or find a cheap 73-87 Shorty 4wd Chev or GMC. Nobody can really answer this question for you though, because, IT IS ALL UP TO YOUR INTERESTS. Find something you want to play with, and rebuild the motor. That simple

Edited July 23, 2010 by 3eyedwagon

[Twitch de la Brat]

What he said ^^^^

 

Also, if its just a 2WD pickup, slam it and make it a mean drifting machine.

Or make it a drag truck.

There are so many options for you out there, you just have to find the one you

want to/can do.

 

Twitch

[murph]

OR .... you tell your aunt to call the scrap yard and get back to work on your Subaru ! 350 chevys are great motors , also a dime a dozen ! let it go . all the best murph ( former GM owner - lots of chevys ) GO SUBARU !

[GeneralDisorder]

Tow rig - buy or build a trailer to haul your Subaru trail queen with .

 

They are good trucks - I have an old 2WD, 4 speed, '69 GMC Custom Camper (3/4 ton+). With a 350 SB and a 4 barrel. It's a monster - hauls like nothing else with the camper package suspension overloads, sway bars, and a Dana 60 Power-Lok rear end. I put 1.25 tons of roofing in it a couple weeks ago and it just about leveled it out - actually touched the overload springs with that load .

 

I'm wondering (because you mention the rear end is gone) if it had a Dana 60 in the back..... 67, 68, and 69 had it as an option ("Max-Traction rear axle" was the option name on my GMC) and then GM went with one of their own corporate units that wasn't as strong in '70.... A Dana 60 non-dually (because most were dually's from 1 ton Fords) Power-Lok rear axle will bring $1000 to $1500 in used but rebuildable condition - people throw them under rock crawlers as they are built like tanks. Turns out the axle in the back of my truck is worth more than I paid for the truck. Was it one of those years by chance?

 

A truck is a really useful thing. Depending on the age it might not have to go through state testing - 350 SBC's are a dime a dozen and great engines and often come with the Rochester Quadrajet which is an excelent 4 barrel carb IMO.

 

GD

Edited July 24, 2010 by GeneralDisorder

[3eyedwagon]

and then GM went with one of their own corporate units that wasn't as strong in '70.... A Dana 60 non-dually (because most were dually's from 1 ton Fords) Power-Lok rear axle will bring $1000 to $1500 in used but rebuildable condition - people throw them under rock crawlers as they are built like tanks.

 

GD

 

GM used the corporate 12 bolt in a 3/4 ton for 3 years until the corporate 14 was released. It all really depends on what year truck we are talking about, but, if it is a corporate 12; it's fine for what 99% of the world is doing, and if it is a corporate 14; he'll never break it. Corporate 14s are often compared to Dana 80s.

 

Also, A Dana 60 USED to bring $1000 to $1500 dollars in rebuildable condition. The bottom has fallen out of that market, and I see them now for $300, or less, all the time. You're right though, back in like 2002 I remember it was a feeding frenzy to find one. A logging company down the road from me had 3 of them CUT OUT from under work trucks in one night. I mean torched the springs, the brakelines, and just yarded them out. It was ridiculous.

[GeneralDisorder]

Also, A Dana 60 USED to bring $1000 to $1500 dollars in rebuildable condition. The bottom has fallen out of that market, and I see them now for $300, or less, all the time. You're right though, back in like 2002 I remember it was a feeding frenzy to find one. A logging company down the road from me had 3 of them CUT OUT from under work trucks in one night. I mean torched the springs, the brakelines, and just yarded them out. It was ridiculous.

 

Really? Even with the LSD in them? I thought they were still pretty scarce as non-dually's with the Power Lok option, etc. It seems most came from dually F-350's.

 

But then again it's not like I'm big into that market so I wouldn't know other than what I've read on a few sites while researching my truck.

 

At any rate I don't think I'll ever break the thing

 

GD

[SuBrat84]

Step 1. Get Truck

Step 2. Build engine.

Step 3. Get "ea81" hatch.....

Need I say more?

[Big Country]

Step 1. Get Truck

Step 2. Build engine.

Step 3. Get "ea81" hatch.....

Need I say more?

 

Sorry to take so long...

 

I have been working on my hatch. This truck is a 1988 1/2 ton silverado. She still hasn't told me what is wrong with it, I've heard everything from the engine and or transmission is blown to the axle is missing. I haven't made the road trip to go see it. My DD is a 06 chevy half ton that is also my tow rig.

 

I'm still thinking i want to stroke it to a 383 and super charge it, but i guess what i was asking in this thread is if anyone has seen or heard of anything interesting... My buddy showed me a website called Flyin' Miata, where they put corvette engines in miatas. That seems kinda interesting, but i dont exactly fit well in a miata.

 

The way I'm looking at this is... I have a tow rig/ reliable DD, I also have a wheeler (88 Hatch), I'm guessing that this engine would probably go towards a small, light weight, fast, street car. But it doesn't have to be... I'm just looking for something to do with it that people don't see everyday.

 

I would have never thought of lifting and wheeling a car until i saw this site, now i love my hatch. I'm just looking for ideas on a fun/unconventional high powered engine.'

 

Thanks

[brumby420]

As every one else is saying the skys truly you limit on what you wanna do with a chevy 350. Anything from a subaru to a snow blow theres a chevy 350 ready to be put in it if your redneck enough.

[3eyedwagon]

Grannys Speed Shop in Skagit County Washington builds conversion kits to drop SBCs into Mazda Rx7s.

 

www.grannysspeedshop.com/

 

There's only a few of them around here, and this is where the kits are made. So, you're not going to pull up next to one at the stop light every day. I know I've seen a few competing in the Grassroot motorsport Challenge, and a few elsewhere.

 

If you want a small light weight street car, a RX7 would probably be a good choice. Plus, they are alot roomier than a Miata, and still respectable looking (IMO).

 

He sells individual parts or complete drop in packages.

Edited October 28, 2010 by 3eyedwagon

[jdemaris]

if it is a corporate 12; it's fine for what 99% of the world is doing, and if it is a corporate 14; he'll never break it. Corporate 14s are often compared to Dana 80s.

 

Also, A Dana 60 USED to bring $1000 to $1500 dollars in rebuildable condition.

 

Corporate 12 bolt isn't any stronger then a corporate 10 bolt when it comes to carrying weight. Axles and axle bearings are exactly the same.

12 bolt has a little more pulling capacity since the ring gear is bigger by 3/8".

 

When it comes to corporate 14 bolt rears - there are two. The 14 bolt semi-floater with 9.5" ring gear was used in many 3/4 ton trucks and Suburbans and is only slightly stronger then the 12 bolt rears when it comes to actual load capacity.

 

The other 14 bolt rear was a HD option and is GMs equivalent to the DANA 70, or DANA 70HD.

 

In regard to DANA 60s bringing big money? Never happened around here in central NY. DANA 60s have always been common and easy to find in junkyards in the $100 price range. DANA 70s sometimes a bit more, and DANA 70HDs higher yet.

 

My son just did a nationwide junkyard search for a Dana 60 with 3.73 or 4.10 gears. Found many for sale starting at $125.

[GeneralDisorder]

In regard to DANA 60s bringing big money? Never happened around here in central NY. DANA 60s have always been common and easy to find in junkyards in the $100 price range. DANA 70s sometimes a bit more, and DANA 70HDs higher yet.

 

My son just did a nationwide junkyard search for a Dana 60 with 3.73 or 4.10 gears. Found many for sale starting at $125.

 

A few years ago they were fetching a decent amount out here - reason being the trucks they came in were still being used - we don't have that rust problem that you guys in NY have. I can see them being cheap when all those Fords are rusting away out there. Prohibitively expensive to ship though. As noted the bottom dropped out of the market - it was due to all those trucks reaching the end of their service life.

 

Also - many of them were dually's - so not as desireable for the off-road market.

 

GD