350 2 bolt main...Good/Bad?

I have a friend that is selling a 89 350 out of a pickup that was throttle body injected,He will sell it to me for 200 bones...it sounds like a good deal but its a 2 bolt main and the heads I cannot use with my Edelbrock intake that i already own.I was planning on building a 383 stroker(i know its been done way to many times but i cannot find a 400)but i am unsure if this would be a good block to start with....with this motor i will have to run a electric fuel pump as it has no hole for the mechanical push rod......the price seems so good that i just not sure if i want to pass it up and chance finding a 4 bolt later down the road.....
any thoughts??????????
Thanks in advance
GM


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What are your plans for the motor? A 2 bolt block will hold a lot more then people think. Unless your turning 7k rpm or over 500hp I wouldn't worry about it.

i have ran the snot out of 2 bolt mains with no problem but they wernt strokers

i have a two bolt block that is a 383 stroker, i haven't had any trouble with it and i run the motor however I want. A two bolt block can be converted to a 4 bolt and some people say they are stronger than the factory 4 bolts. They make special main caps for this though. You could slot the holes in the intake to make them fit the heads that are already on the motor. But if you are building the engine for mild performance I would scrap them heads and intake. I used scat 4340 with cap screws and didn't have to clearance the block for the rods. Are you sure the engine is a 350 though? 305's were pretty popular in those trucks. I would check the casting number on the heads to make sure first. I have been fooled before. Good luck and have fun with that 383, they are worth building.

Those heads are poor-flowing (as "performance" heads go) anyway- designed for low RPM torque in a truck.

I agree the engine will be a decent foundation for a street engine. Consider a set of Vortec heads or aftermarket heads if your budget permits.

I will be going over to my buddies house tonight,I will definatley check the # to make sure it is a 350.......if I recall corectley when h bought the truck the owner tol him that he had changed the motor in the truck.......
Thanks
GM

You should be able to get it bored for a fuel pump pushrod and
have all the fuel pump mounting holes etc. done on it relatively cheap
if you want to run a mechanical fuel pump too.

Besides the casting number, there should be a raised "5.7L G" somewhere, usually driver's side adjacent to the casting number just in front of the bellhousing flange.

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i agree with every-one else a 2bolt main is just fine for a street motor, even if you plan on hitting the track, i dont know if i would consdier 200 for the motor a great deal when it sounds like to me all you need is the block it's self, do you plan on using any of the origianal parts (i wouldn't) or only the block, cause you can fine decent 350 blocks for cheap everywhere, check craigslist

That's good advice, IMO- as a "for instance", I found in ten minutes of looking, a '98 350 Vortec engine, complete w/a bad crank for $150.

Pays to shop around- that was my first time using craigslist and the engine was 30 minutes away.

I'd pass on that engine, all you can get out of that engine is about 400 - 450 horse power!

i would agree on pass, on the engine, but only cause of the price, he only needs a block, maybe a crank to go with it, and the price, 400-450hp for the street is pretty bad *****, but a 2bolt can handle up to 500-550 ive seen it a million times anyway, if you ask around and look at the classified's in your are, also there is a great website called racingjunk.com i dont think your gonna find to many great deals on a core but you could find some of the rot assy your looking for,

so put the carb heads on the tbi block

2 bolt will hold gobs of power

no worries.

mains arent the weakest link in the sbc engines.

and are far from it.

My power has been out so I haven't been able to post....... i didnt get to stop by my buddies house as he wasnt there but i looked on craigs list there were no postings for motors but many parts......I did find one in the local bulletin board for the same price of the 200,I havent called about it and it didnt say what it came out of but it was complete with heads but disassembled.Thats ok because i would be tearing it apart anyways.I had my father ask around the Pepsi plant(his work)to see if there were any gear heads there with any motors and wha la.....one guy has a complete 350 that was rebuilt 20,000 miles ago and it came out of one of the company trucks...
he bought it and never used it so its just sitting in his garage.I can have it for 150.......you guys were right to shop around......I just figured the old rule of thumb like how junkyards usually charge $1.00 per c.i. so thats why i figured 200 wasnt bad at all,and now 150 sound like a steel of a deal.....the only thing i really know about this 350 is it was carburated.....not sure when but ill be going over to look at it.....the guy said it was a jasper motor? it was rebuilt by jasper? I'm not really sure what that means but i have heard the term jasper before just not sure where........
Thanks again for all of your posts....all of your input has helped me into making better decisions....as soon as i look at the motor ill post to let ya know more about it
GM

i agree with the others.... a 2 bolt block IS a lot stronger than many people realise, with proper clearances and arp main studs they will take lots of power and should be safe to a maximum of 7000rpm!... mine is i have ragged the crap outta my motor on street and strip and on tear down no problems at all. i would risk it for the money