I''m looking for some insight in building about a 350hp 350 Olds motor. Want to know what year block would be best to work with and what number heads I should look at using that are affordable. Also, I have a 488 lift cam with 280 duration for a 455, is this interchangable with the smallblock? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

MAY!? You posted this is may and no one can reply? Has all the Olds people gone to yuppies!? PLEASE NO!!!!! Don''t you people realize the break throughs that came from Olds? The track records!?





OK here''s a breif idea on a 350 olds build. Lubrication is number 1, get a high volume oil pump, trw make s a decent one, then tighten up that spring with about 1/4" in washers, pushing around 90 PSI oil pressure. DO NOT LISTEN TO CHEVY PEOPLE ON HOW TO BUILD AN OLDS!!!!!!!


next, drill out the cam bearing''s oil holes thru the crank main''s with a 5/16" bit, this increases the flow on the mains. Sorry Miller/Mondello, I disagree with running oil restrictors, I also have made 10k RPM big block olds mills and they stayed together, I also ran with you at norwalk and held class winner years in a row. I repsect them, they know alot, they sell good gear, i don''t always agree with them.


Next, you can get away with 10.5:1 compression on high grade pump gas, 94 octane min, after that the motor will complain. I recommend a 10:1, seeing as your most likely going to be running stock heads.


Heads, #6 stamping is what you want. This si the W-31 head with the largest valves GM ever put in a head. Next here''s where you must dig deep in your pockets, port and polish them hard core.


A offenshauser intake is my recommendation, and the Olds produces a butt loaad of torque so don''t bother with split intakes, and the other "chevy" info that edlebrock will try to shove down your throat. If you going carb, this thing will drink a 800 spreadbore with no problems, if you did the port and polish, I dropped 5k in my heads and intake.


Don''t scimp now, full floating pistons, and you better do a full slug for slug balance and blueprint. Thats the key to keeping her together, and don''t go to local "joes" machine shop either! Gellner Engineering, or miller or mondello, they do know their machining, they will get you the most out of your heads for flow. Expect to pay. If you want cheap crap go chevy.

 

Thanks for you input. I am just getting so tired of seeing small block chevys in EVERYTHING, and I''m a chevy guy. It''s like nobody has an imagination. I just want to make sure I do all the right things to the Olds. I mean, a monkey could put a sbc together with no instructions and get good results, I know I''ve done it, now it''s time for more of a challenge.