John,
The 165 HP is a net figure that everyone started using in 71 or 72, cant remember for sure what year. It is not really a number you can compare to a typical high performance dyno figure. The net figure was with all the accessories and exhaust, just like installed in the vehicle.

The main thing you need to concern yourself with is which pistons are in it and how to end up with about 9 1/2 to 1 compression for pump gas. It probably has dished pistons with 4 valve reliefs. If so you will need a smaller combustion chamber ( 64cc ? ) to get any type of compression. Without the compression, you are wasting your time putting much cam in it, etc.

 

Definately agree. Get a set of 64 cc heads and a little bit of cam. It will work just fine for a mild street motor. If you want a more serious combo the pistons will have to go.

 

The 010 block is a desirable one to use because it has a little higher nickel content which does make it somewhat stronger and a little less likely to core shift. good luck.

 

Not necessarily - about seven million 010 blocks were cast, and only a small number had the 010/020 "high-nickel/tin" iron; the nickel was added to reduce bore wear, and the tin was added for improved machinability, and those blocks used exactly the same patterns and cores as any other 010 block. The additional nickel and tin increased piece cost, warranty reduction didn't offset the expense, and it was dropped.

:beers:

 

John,

I recently completed the same kind of build you are looking at. I snatched the DZ out of my Z/28 as to "protect our investment" if you will, and looked to find a cheap mill that would still be fun to drive. I started with a $250 1984 350 from a pickup. It had the same pistons you describe (pictured below; slight dish on the piston) and was a 4-bolt main block with cast crank.

I got a great deal ($FREE.99) on a set of 1998 062 casting Vortec heads from my brother-in-law (64cc chambers, 1.94/1.5 valves). Vortec heads will flow better than any stock GM head from back when, even with the smaller valves. One downside; with stock Vortec heads, you are limited on the lift you can run on your cam because the stock springs / keepers will bind when you start getting over approx. 0.460"-ish lift. You can use old heads with a large lift cam, or Vortec heads with a smaller lift cam; your choice.

I went with the Crane 100172 cam and lifter set from Summit. This cam has .450/.450 lift, so no head work was needed, just bolt them on and go. If you want a larger lift cam with Vortecs, you can research that.

http://www.cranecams.com/index.php?show=browseParts&action=partSpec&partNumber=100172&lvl=2&prt=5

Crane says the cam gives a rough idle and is good from 1800 - 5800 rpm. I wanted a very blop-itty-blop-itty-blop idle, and this cam didn't do that. It sounds similar to my stock 302; not butter smooth but not the choppy shag-nasty rumble I wanted. All in all, I'm in for about $600 with gaskets, oil pump, timing set and what not. I have no idea what this motor will do because it's winter in Vermont, but it should be around 300hp.

Oh...forgot to add. If you go with Vortecs, you'll also need another intake manifold; $140-ish from Summit. I nabbed one off eBay for $100 shipped; to get a deal took a while.

 

Can't you pop Vortec springs off and mill down guide boss and while you are at it , install PC seals and accomodate higher lifts? You are half way there if the heads are off. Change springs while you are at it.

 

From what I understand, you can go that route, or you can get Comp's "beehive" springs. Either way will get you the extra clearance.

I was on a super-budget build, and did not want to spend $200+ on valve springs, keepers and seals for the beehive springs, and just wasn't interested in pulling the heads apart to do the machining. The heads had 30k on them and were in great overall shape so I chose to leave well enough alone.

I did find that limiting the lift to .450 really narrowed down the cam selection to only a few options.

I was also worried that if I did either mod to the heads, a more radical cam with great flowing 64cc heads bolted to a bottom end that was meant to have relatively low compression / power might tend to break stuff.

My goal was a pump gas, nice sounding small block with maybe 300hp for dirt cheap.

 

Respect you trying save $$, but now that you mentioned how many miles are on those heads, I can assure you that you are in the need of valve guides, you just don't know it. SBC heads just dont last like any others in that area but will continue to run to 100k. Thats my experiance in the last 40 years,, I have been able to slow valve guide wear down with the use of roller tip rockers. Just my .02 here.

 

Seriously? 30k and in need of guides? Are the self-aligning rockers that came stock on them not good enough to keep things lined up correctly? Educate me on this one; I'd think cheap stamped stock self aligning rockers would do as good a job as anything....this is interesting.

 

The problem is the stock rocker arm geometery, the stock align or non align tend to push the valve stem over to side , thus causing unecessary side thrust on the valve guides and unecessary valve stem wear. Any of the roller tip rockers , whether needle roller or ball pivots, tend to allow the rocker to roll across the top face of the stem. When spring pressures go up it only complicates matters but guys tend to chose roller tip rockers for what ever reason. They do help this valve stem side loading. I have found that out even on the bronze insert guide and wiaonna screw in (helicoil type) inserts. They help even on stock motors.

Sbc motors historically will run many miles before anyone notices a slight miss or stumble in performance. These loose guides will also beat out the valve seats , expecially on the exhaust side. This is my take on this issue and its been around since the 265 motors. All itakes is to pull a few valves , when the heads are off , to check this. I would rather do it when car is down rather than when I would rather be cruising.

 

And even fewer had "2482" caps, nodular iron rather than grey iron. That's what the first Bowties had as well before the days of splayed mains.

 

Thanks for the explaination Jon. Makes more sense now.

From what I've read, won't all the 010/020 high nickel blocks have "010 020" cast into the block, behind the timing cover?

 

Yes, that's correct - only the front wall pattern was unique to those blocks so they could be identified for warranty follow-up. :thumbsup:

 

Vortec head info!!

Please go over to SGCOG's site and read their great big long sticky on Vortec's so you will know!!

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56505

pdq67