[NovaSS350]

Im in the market for a bare sbc block and don't quite know the best place to obtain one. I know they are very common but everyone I know who has a good one doesn't want to part with it. Im in no rush as this will be a stroker project that could take a year to complete but I don't want to dissasemble my current engine cause then I couldn't drive the car. Any way were do you guys go to get project engine blocks? I know the junk yard may have them but that could be a crap shoot as far as quality goes.

Thanks

 

[cabowabo]

craiglist

craiglist i were i find mine i got lucky and found a 4 bolt main 010 block that was still at std. the person i got it from even told me that if the machine shop found any cracks in it he would give me my 100 bucks back
whoa what a deal that was

 

[Blazin72]

Have you tried a junk yard? Arm yourself with some casting numbers and tools and you'll probably find what you're looking for.

If you have some other parts laying around your garage then somebody might be willing to trade.

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

I agree with Blazin72, check the junk yard. Many junked vehicles have good blocks or they just need a nice boiling and boring. :thumbup: Good luck.

 

[automotive breath]

I look hard at the heavy duty trucks and buses, these normally
come with a forged crank and X rods.

 

[66GMC]

The best "core" (IMHO) is a running engine. I was lucky enough to buy a 1979 C20 with a 454 for $500.00 ... and I drove it home.

 

[NovaSS350]

In your experiences do machine shops usually have any blocks sitting around. That way you would probably have a good idea if it was a good block or not.

 

[66GMC]

In your experiences do machine shops usually have any blocks sitting around. That way you would probably have a good idea if it was a good block or not.

Yes, most machine shops will buy cores for rebuilding their own "long-block" or "short-block" engines, which they usually assemble during "quiet times".

If they will sell you one, it will have been hot-tanked and checked, and you should expect to be paying a bit extra for that.

I would probably go a couple of steps further, at that point, and have them prepare the block for a "DIY" assembly. (Boring, Align Honing, Decking, Rod Resizing, Pin Fitting ...etc)

 

[Blazin72]

If you generally don't have any leads on a good used block then you can also purchase a new 4" bore block.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=NAL-10066034&autoview=sku
Dart and World Products both offer blocks with either 4" or 4.125" bores and either 350 or 400 mains. They are, however, quite a bit more expensive than the GM block.

 

[NovaSS350]

I've seen that both summit and jegs have GM blocks and thought about it but the shipping would be killer. Also if I were to buy a block from a machine shop I would have them prep it because this would need to be done anyway.

 

[DeathRattle]

I got mine(1) out of a local hotrodder enthusiast magazine called cruisin' news. They always have great deals. I got mine for 150. If I had money I would be up to my neck in engine blocks.

 

[curtis73]

The best "core" (IMHO) is a running engine.

I kinda disagree. A running engine could be completely wasted and require tons of machine work. I've had several running engines that had egged bores, tapered bores, out-of-spec crank alignment, and fragments from a toasted bearing all through the oil passages.

If I go to look at a block, I can tell really fast with a bore gauge and my eye what its worth. Make a provision with the seller that if its cracked you get your money back.

But, keep your eyes on craigslist and the newspaper. I have two blocks right now that I got for free. One is an 010 4-bolt, and the other is a vortec 2-bolt roller block. The 010 block has 18k miles on it and no ridge, and the vortec block is standard but needs to go 30-over.

Paying for a good 350 block is fine, but if you have time, wait for the freebie.

 

[CNC BLOCKS NE]

We have some good cores in the shop from time to time and we are on the deep deal on Dart and Bowtie blocks and we stopped selling the World blocks as there were to many problmes with them and they would not take them back.

If your looking for a block try to find one that has 2482 on the center 4 bolt caps.

 

[RPM]

I called all the local machine shops and found just what I was looking for. Keep in mind you buy a block from an individual and he agrees to give your money back if it is cracked. You still have to pay to have it cleaned and magnafluxed. I bought a running engine out of a van and it had a freeze crack that did not leak yet. I got my money back on the motor but cost $70.00 to have it cleaned and checked. Several of them and a new block looks pretty good.
If ya buy it from a machine shop the cleaning and checking will already be done and it will be worth more money.

 

[Mustangsaly]

I look at old cars trucks busses ect. sitting not as junk but as a potential power plant donor. all the time people toss away what they think is junk that has a good donor engine or tranny or rear that you can snag cheap. yrs a go buses & straight trucks and the 70s 1/2 and 3/4 and 1ton trucks were real plentiful that had steel cranks ect. I have had sbc & bbc steel cranks that I only had $25 or $50 in plus I got the rods heads ect. a buddie has 2 50x100 buildings rat holed full of the desired bbc and sbc parts plus rear ends wheels ect. plus hes stashed some vortec sb and bb stuff too. he calles it his retirement. but hes in a salvage yard and has very little money if any in this stuff. as some said look 4 P/Us buses trucks ect. 1 or 2yrs ago I found a 72 chevy pickup with a/c & tilt in fair shape with the original 350 and it was a all complete truck that run, it had bad tranny but I found it in a local paper for $100 it was all original from the factory Qjet to air cleaner and it run, Its still all complete waiting on me. the deals are out there just be patient. now the late model p/u & vortec motors/blocks are easy finds, along with the p/u & passenger car tbi 350s that are 1 piece rear main seal blocks in 2 & 4 bolt mains should be cheap and plentifully at salvage yards ect. I've seen some nice deals on sbc & bbc complete running engines on craislist.org butt buying a engine someone has already tore done worries me as if the main caps are put back in the rite place or not same on rods if you want to reuse them.




Mustangsaly