[Curtis Thornton]

I have been given an older chevy school bus. The motor had just been rebuilt by the owner before he parked it up. It is a gas engine and runs good. it looks like a big block engine, I run the numbers and if I remember right it is something like a 365. What i was wondering if anyone knew if these engines are good for anything other than busses ---- like hot rodding and such. I am about to build a mud race truck and wondered if it would be good to put in my truck running in the stock class help advice please

[LATECH]

They are a low rpm motor. Its probably a 366 big block chevy, small heads low performance. Not good for much except maybe a tow truck or a stationary pump motor for deep well irrigation on a farm.
Not a bad thing , I just wouldnt put it in my camaro. Maybe My one ton pickup or my 4X4.

[my87Z]

^^^X2

these are the least sought after BBC, that is why not many people have even heard of them, they were only used in HD comercial vehicles and i've heard of some people trying to get good performance out of them but i've never really heard of anyone being successful

[Valkyrie5.7]

Smaller bore than a 350 sbc, tall deck block. Had one in a dumptruck. Made good torque but it that was about it. They have a factory govenor built into them too, if I'm not mistaken. For a perfomance build, it would probably perform equal to or worse than a 350 sbc when all was said and done, and cost a ton in parts. Pass.

[sqzbox]

x-3^^^ right up there with the old 348! Being you got it free, I would convert the buss into a motorhome or sell it to someone and spend the money on a 396-454 big block.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by Curtis Thornton

I have been given an older chevy school bus. The motor had just been rebuilt by the owner before he parked it up. It is a gas engine and runs good. it looks like a big block engine, I run the numbers and if I remember right it is something like a 365. What i was wondering if anyone knew if these engines are good for anything other than busses ---- like hot rodding and such. I am about to build a mud race truck and wondered if it would be good to put in my truck running in the stock class help advice please

These engines have a couple good parts that can be scavenged for use in another engine- like the 4-bolt caps, the rods and the forged crankshaft. The rest is basically scrap.

[Curtis Thornton]

Thanks I guess for a mud truck I should go ahead and use my small block 350 that I have. I was thinking that maybe a mud truck may need a lot of torque and thought maybe the 360 had a lot torque.

[my87Z]

Originally Posted by Curtis Thornton

Thanks I guess for a mud truck I should go ahead and use my small block 350 that I have. I was thinking that maybe a mud truck may need a lot of torque and thought maybe the 360 had a lot torque.

366, if you are looking for a high reving mud truck (competition) then no, you want high hp, but if you are just looking for a torque motor for doing a little off roading it wouldn't be bad, but since you have a 350, that is what i would build

[sqzbox]

The 350 works great in the mud for me. I have a 350 in a 76 chevy 4x4 with a performer rpm intake, 1 in. 4 hole spacer and 600 Vac. secondary Holley with a set of headers and dual turbo's. Tranny is a Th350 with shift kit and a 14 bolt full floating rear end w/4:10's and a gm 44 w/4:09's in the front. The engine is stock 79 4 bolt main.
Just for wheelin which I do often in a OHV off road park 20 mi. from here, I have more power and torque than I need with it set up like this. The 31" Maxxis mud terrains work great and haven't got stuck yet except for a couple of mud bog races I entered just for fun. I still ran114 ft. good enough for 3rd place twice in pure stock class against 15 other competitors. Not bad for a rookie.

[Curtis Thornton]

I have a 75 4x4 short wheel base I am building up to run in stock class mud racing. Hope to have a lot of fun. I guess I will just keep the stock motor that is in it. It runs good --- just wanted a little more and thought about the bus motor but I guess I will scratch that idea.