Buick 350 powered Hotrod

I've been doing a lot of reading here and have asked a few questions but I'm about to get serious with my project so I decided to start a thread mainly for all the questions that will pop up while I'm building the engine.

I have a 350 and transmission that was pulled out of very rusty 1976 Buick LeSabre. This was a running engine that had a little bottom end noise. I had the crank ground and the block is stripped down and clean, ready to start building once I order the parts. The cylinders looked pretty good, so I did not have them bored out.




Here is where I'm going be a tad unique on this site. I will be putting the engine and transmission into a 1948 Dodge Business Coupe. I picked this up last October. The rearend has already been changed out to 3.73 Limited Slip from a Ford Explorer.

As you can see this is going to be Mongrel build.



That is a short summary of where I am now. I'm about to start ordering parts, but I will have some questions before I do.

Matt

 

What are you looking to achieve from the engine?

 

I have the nebulous goal of having a fun car to drive. Basically, something I can take on Poker Runs, enter some of the local festival burnout contests, hit the drag tack sporadically to see just how fast it is. I dont want to break the bank building it but trying not to be disappointed i didn't spend just a few dollars more.

I wanted to run a TA_284_88H-350, TA_290_84H-350 or something similar. I guess you would call that a mild build?

My big question at the moment is piston and compression related. I was looking into the Silv-O-Lite UEM-1734 pistons (flat top V6 piston). Is there another affordable option that would work well in the late 70s block? I know now that the late 70s engine may have had a little taller deck. I didn't have my block decked when it was at the machine shop. I was going to cleanup the heads myself, but I could have the heads shaved and cleaned at the machine shop if I need the extra compression.

 

I used to have a 49 Plymouth Business coupe I put an early Dodge Red Ram Hemi in. Cool cars.

 

Buy Autotecs, specify compression height to achieve the ratio you want. Eliminate all the decking blk or shaving heads, plus they're forged and also lighter.
Cool hotrod!....

 

Sweet project, excited to see the progress!

 

Custom forged would be best but will cost more with a wait time for them. The 1734 is about all at a reasonable cost for a decent compression . About 9.6. I don’t believe the later block has that much more deck I believe the pistons are the shorter v6 pistons. Silvolite 1736 would be about the next less expensive piston option with a lower 8.7 compression. Still better then the 7.7 in the later engine. Milling block .020 would be helpful depending on your need. But 9.6 compression with the 284-88 would be decent. Give a strong lower end but would still like a more converter. 22-2400 Atleast.
The 290-94 is decent also. Higher idle tuning. May have lower vacuum and could be an issue with vacuum brakes.
If your running headers , the ta 310 is good. Decent idle, strong midrange. Run 4 degrees advance in cam with 9.6 compression. Likes a decent head porting or big valves. 26-2800 converter works well here but can get by with less . I run a 26-2700 on mine . If I had bigger valves and a little more compression I would get the 413 cam. Stronger upper mid range. Would fit the 3.73 gears better. I’m suggesting a tall tire with the 3.73 gear. Bring it down a bit . 28 inch or more.

 

Put that comp at 10.0 for those cams and you will be a lot happier you can run it on pump gas get the good autotech pistons. 2500 convertor

 

Do what Mart said below. Take the block to your machine shop and have them measure everything to get you the CORRECT pistons to achieve AT LEAST 10 to 1 comp ratio.
DO NOT cheap out here, also have the line bore checked and crank checked for proper sized bearings, big end of the rods resized, and TA back grooved cam bearings, don’t bother with coated bearings.
Possibly a TA assembled timing cover if you’re not familiar with setting up the Buick oil pump properly.
Do this right the first time, spend the money where it needs to be spent, otherwise you’ll end up with a 180 hp 350 that knocks.

 

DSS also has Forged pistons.

Buick – DSS RACING PISTONS

 

I thought autotec was out of business?

 

I believe it’s Race Tec now.
When I ordered my pistons a few years back I wasn’t sure if it was Auto Tec or Race Tec I was dealing with, lolol it had both names on the packaging

 

Another year specific question.

ARP High Cylinder Head Bolt Kits 120-3601 is listed for years 68-74.

What is the difference on the newer heads?

 

oil thru pushrods instead thru head

 

I don't believe there's a difference that would affect head bolts/studs from '68-80 but learn new stuff every day.

 

They were bought out by Scat but the manufacturing is still done at the original company.
https://procarbyscat.com/racetec-acquisition/

 

I ordered a set. If I see any major differences from the old ones I will update this thread.