now that ive decided on what im getting what should i do with it while i have it torn apart? where should i look for parts and what should i get? like i said im on a small 1000 dollar budget

 

pull the heads and do the following:

measure deck height
degree the cam and record the cam events at 0.050 lift, be sure to use a solid lifter or a hydro lifter that has been modified to make solid
record max cam lobe lift
measure crank clearance with plastigage
measure rod bearing clearance with plastigage

find the heads casting number and get the specs, then confirm the specs on the heads
measure spring install height

report back what you find, don't spend any money yet

 

ok thank you! im going to pick it up friday is there anything i should look for to make sure it is a 351w? and what to look at to make sure it doesnt need rebuilt before i pay the guy?

 

??....

 

You have a $1000 for the motor and another $1000 to get the motor in the car or just $1000. You're going to need a front sump 351w oil pan, swap headers, probably a drop base air cleaner, maybe new motor mounts. If you have a $1000 to spend on the complete job you might find you've eaten most of it trying to fit the motor into the car.

 

i have a 1000 to spend on the motor which i just spent 150 on the motor itself out of a 92 van

 

Perhaps you won't need to rebuild it?

Mr. V,
He asked for advice. We gave him advice. He is a college kid that is taking an engine rebuild class. From a rookie standpoint, it doesn't get much better prepared than that. Woody pulled the trigger, let him run with it. I am sure you and I have both budgeted projects and in the end were underfunded. I think this happens to every single first time engine builder/rebuilder. I know it happened to me.

All I ask is that it be well documented.

 

yes my teacher is making me document it alot for a project so every step i do ill be sure to take pictures and im sure ill be asking more questions.. im positive this is the best choice for my build and if it doesnt need rebuilt then ill be in real good shape and have more money for bigger mods.

 

My hope is that he listened. Really listened, as opposed to just skimming through it ("yeah, I read it") when it didn't turn out to be rubber-stamp approval.

Because I didn't have the benefit of being around anybody who ever went inside a motor, almost everything I've done has come along in a "lift yourself up by your bootstraps" sequence. Started out slow, oil & filter changes, then plugs/points/condenser, move up to alternators/starters/water pumps, and maybe do a manifold swap, exhaust, or headers before diving any deeper into the engine. Woody is jumping straight into the deep end. Kind of like taking a final exam at around the third week of the semester.


woody - near as I can tell, you're about the same age my son was when he started getting into working on cars. But I suspect you don't have his experience of having watched it done either. 20 years later, I still have blocks, cranks, transmissions, carbs, manifolds, and God knows what else tucked away in my garage from when the stars in his eyes got too bright for him to make GOOD decisions.


Norm

 

ive done many of projects ive helped restore a corvette i use to work at a car restoration shop for about 6 months until i went to college. ive had many experiences and ive learned if your gonna do something for yourself then u want to do it the way u want it even if its not the best way. like i said im not going for the best im going for what i want and whats readily available around here and for the money i have to spend ill be in good shape going this route with the 351w