First Engine Build - Advice Needed
Thanks for the info guys...
I guess I should have specified my original concerns better. I've spoken to three local machine shops and all three have told me that they wont touch the block until I purchase the rods and pistons to go with it. I don't want to do that in case the block is bad or some other restriction changes. I was hoping that I could have the shop check for cracks, clean the block, etc, before I needed to buy any new internals...
First find a good machine shop. If they can't bore and hone with a torque plate, find another shop. If they want you to buy parts before they check the block, crank, rods, and heads, find another shop. If they mention Chevy, find another shop. Even if you have to drive a hundred miles.
New parts to buy, pistons, rings, main bearing, rod bearings, cam, lifters, valve springs to match the cam, double roller timing chain, stainless steel exhaust valves, Fel-Pro gasket set, water pump, brass freeze plugs, high volume oil pump, high pressure oil pump spring, windage tray, "A" body oil pan. What size pistons? Don't know till they measure the bores. Go as small as you can to get the bores straight and round. What size exhaust valves? Don't know till you decide on heads. Your heads are probably fine for what you want. Any 4 barrel intake and carb will do.
I have a "throw" together 383 in my 68 Barracuda, didn't even replace the pistons. 20 years later and about 100,000 miles on it, it still runs great. It was my daily driver for years. You don't have to spend a lot of money to go fast.
As for your transmission, I doubt it is a 727 from behind a /6. You'll need a big block auto trans, and shorten the driveshaft and have it balanced. You will also need an 8 1/4 or 8 3/4 rear, unless you build it up to 500+ ft lb of torque. Then you are looking at a Dana 60.
