I just got my 350 back from the machine shop. It was bored 30 over and the heads have been ported. I will have the 4BBL carb reworked. I was going to buy a Lunati flat tappet cam but they didn't have one in stock, and their customer service is a PIA. Perhaps someone has one available or can recommend a good street performer cam that's readily available? TA thinks very highly of the 350 but recommend porting the heads (which was done) or buy a set of theirs. It will be going into my '67 Skylark, and it will be adapted on to a 700R4 transmission. I don't know what the rear ratio is but I'd like a .350's to .375 rear end. It already has Wilwood discs in front and dual master cylinder. I clear coated the old paint but it wil;l be reupholstered. New wheels will be 17's.
Depending on your converter, you can go with a TA212 and it will have a little lope but still have excellent power and drivability. If you have a looser converter, you can go up a size. TA had the 212 cam in stock when I ordered mine a few months ago and I don't suspect a lot of 350s are getting built, compared to 455s. For reference, it took me 2 years to get machine work done locally on my engine. Nothing fancy, didn't have it bored. I only had the block decked .020, bores honed, crank polished out standard, bottom end balanced, heads redone, new freeze plugs and cam bearings. The rest I assembled myself with the TA back-grooved cam bearings, TA 212 cam, lifters, neoprene front and rear seals. So far, it has done well and seems strong but no 455 strong. LOL
I would suggest the crower level 3 cam. You don’t mention pistons or compression ratio and heads look more like port match not actual porting . Valve guide are untouched. And the crower cam works well with stock heads and lower compression. Makes good lower torque. The 700 isn’t a great trans due to the huge mismatch in first and second gears. I yanked it out of my car. So if you’re interested I will sell it. Mine even has the caddy tailshaft. Also I have a fresh 3.90 rear gear that should fit your 67 rear end. Too much for my 65 . Since I’m going to run a 350 trans.
I second the opinion of the 700r4. With a looser converter and 3.73 gears and 28" tires you get a very odd combination of shifting from 1-2 at about 3 mph (unless you're really on it), and a 1500+ rpm drop as it goes from 3-4 at 40 mph. Doing so brings the rpms down to the point where the converter is generating a ton of heat. I suspect that it would overall be much better with 3.08-3.23 gears and manually shift to 4th only above 55 mph. If I had to do it again, I'd definitely figure out how to do a 4L80.
I am requesting the displacement and compression from the machine shop. As for the 700R4, I have a '55 Nomad with a 94 Silverado 350 with a Lunati cam and 700R4 transmission. A couple of years ago I did 15 seconds flat in the 1/4 mile, and I've had it up to 130mph. I have driven it up and down the California coast with no problems. I do have a problem with the transmission burping fluid, so maybe it does overheat. I also have the 700R4 in a '56 Chevy with the same burping issue. Might need a better tranny cooler.
I don't have the specs on the engine yet, but my mechanic is ordering a Comp Cam 92-203-4. Power range of 1500 to 5500. Slightly choppy idle and likes 340 to 370 rear gears. Bob
I'm guessing that the "Slightly choppy idle and likes 340 to 370 rear gears" recommendation assumes a TH350/400 which have a 2.52/2.48 first gear. The 700 is 3.06 which is a full 20% lower and has a much larger spread to 2nd.
I have spare Chevy 350 and two Buick 350's, and a '67 Lemans 3 sp. . I'm paying $500 for the 700R4,,,,I like the overdrive. My '62 'Vette 327 has a Muncie 4sp. I cruise the highway at 3200 RPM. (pic taken at July 4th parade) Bob
You do run a lockup kit on the 700? If not that’s your overheat. Or burp fluid. The comp cam is ok . Likes headers. Still like the crower over it myself. More torque, less rpm .
The Comp cam and all related parts are due in Monday. Crower didn't have the blank, and will be about three months before they can get one. Lunati was my first choice but their C/S is a joke.
Got the Comp Cam kit today. Will start putting the engine together this week, but I need to order a few key parts. The heads were ported but not heavily. I also have the pistons, dual timing chain, but I need the water pump, and electric fuel pump, plus the distributor with electronic ignition. I have the original carb but I will probably swap for a Holley 550cfm or 600cfm, and possibly dual plane intake. Gotta swap out the 290 rear for a 3.73 Posi. It was bored 0.30 over. Positive inputs always appreciated. Bob
Are you going to plug the heat crossover ports in the heads? I did and went with an electric choke to keep the intake charge cooler. Unless you drive in the winter, it shouldn't be an issue.
I plugged those holes on a couple of SBC's. I believe it's Felpro that sells a special gasket that covers up those holes. In most parts of CA we don't have the same problem as other colder states with cold starting.
Whose pistons are those, Badger? How far in the hole are they going to sit, You MAY end up with 8 to 1 compression as is. Plug the exhaust crossover with pipe plugs or core (freeze) plugs. Any gasket, even the factory bathtub metal will burn thru in no time.
Send those pistons back. 77-86 231 v6 pistons. Those things sit .090 below deck. You will be lucky if they make 7.8 compression. Ask for Buick 3.0 v6 pistons uem1734 This will net about 9.6 compression . With that cam will probably make 280 hp. 360 torque or better. And 650-750 on carb I would recommend. 600 is gonna be small .
My 71 block was decked .020 and the heads were shaved to 54cc. When assembled, the stock 8.5 cast pistons were about .030 down in the cylinder and it spec'd out to 9.0:1 compression ratio.
