I'm ashamed to say that in my 7 years of wrenching on customers cars, the closest I've ever been to rebuilding a motor was tearing down a Chevy 350 for a friend.. Now that I've got a little more money available, I'm wanting to take my 70 Skylark and turn it from a stock daily driver into a street beast. So... I'd like find out if anyone has any tech specs to make a 400ish horsepower Buick 350? At the moment I have a stock 350-2 barrel motor, which I believe to be the origional. Was disappointed to find out there isnt any stroker kits available for this motor, so I thought I'd ask someone who's toyed with one or more of these. To start with, I'll be having it bored .030 over, and adding a HEI distributor. If I can find it, a direct inject fuel injection unit.. Any suggestions on a cam, the heads, or anything else?
Jim Burek Just finished up my 449hp 350. The most need Item on these motor in my oppinion is head work. (only option OEM Iron Heads) My Motor is 9.6 to 1 compression with ported heads and an 850 demon carb. The Power can be made pretty easily. I need to emphasis The power is in the heads. Noticed your also a Texan :TU:
Buicks have more "metal" to them, so don't be afraid to bore them out....you can get a lot more piston than you can with a Cheby motor. The blocks are all pretty much the same as well as the heads between 4bbl and 2bbl Check the nhra.com for casting numbers and what the "base" hp for different years. There is TA Performance that may offer kits, but I know they have lots of goodies for us poor Buick folks. Wayne S
Start by throwing out your ideas about FI and strokers, etc.....you don't need any of that and for that kind of money you can get a good, "regular" motor built. Areas you will need to "improve": Intake -- Carb and Intake combo--check TA for their aluminum small block offerings...they have what you need Cam -- Same thing--talk to TA or like Phil, run one of Poston's grinds...if you use one of the engine builders that are on this board they will have a pretty good idea on cam choices Heads -- Already mentioned---that will be key to taking advantage of the other parts mentioned. Exhaust-- Headers and a good mandrel bent 2-1/2" system. TA, Hooker,etc sell these. You might consider contacting Jim Burek at PAE Enterprises in El Paso (he is on this board) for some ideas. Remember--you can get a NEW GM timing cover still for that motor--I think it's the V6 cover and works just fine--in case yours is well worn in the oil pump gear area. Once again--no need for anything exotic like alum heads, FI, stroker, etc. Check with Jim on cylinder bores---not something you want to randomly specify to an engine builder...just bore it the MINIMUM NEEDED. You are looking at a pretty basic buildup...keep it simple.
FYI, that little 350 can handle more HP without self detructing than a 455BBB. How's 1000+HP sound from a stock block. It can & has been done.
350 Performance You should contact Mike T at T/A Performance. His wagon was originally a 350" car running 11's back in the '80's. I'm sure he can guide you thru the parts selection for your desired HP set-up. Matt
400 HP SBB is easy. PORT the heads and everything else you can get off the shelf. Here's two combos from my archives... 350 bored 30 over index ground crank&cross drilled Forged pistons w/valve reliefs TA Performance Reconditioned rods SFI flexplate Balanced assembly/ Torque plate used TA intake Port matched to heads, exhaust crossover is open 1 5/8 TA headers New valves (stainless) larger heads ported Supposed to be 235 cfm intake 176 on exhaust. 750 dbl pump holley 70- 78 jets 1 inch open hole spacer Never experimented enough with 2 inch spacer did some but didn't notice much new TA front cover Oil Pressure 65-70 lbs hot @6000 rpm 50-55lbs @3000 rpm 395 hp At 5900 rpm TA510 cam 370 Tq @ 4000 rpm 373 rear gear 350 trans 3500 stall This gave me the best of 13.66 @100 mph this motor was dynoed before iput it in. This was in 1994. Today I have the GS club pop Mech. cam Comp Cam Pro Mag Lifters These work the best now car runs 13.50 to 13.80 did 13.33 as best 2 years ago can'get back. good compression 180 -190 leak down was 3-5 percent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9/8/05 quick note here on another little 350 Buick. Here's the combo, trw forged pistons, 9.4 to 1 compression, ported heads flowing 263 intake and 190 exhaust, poston 350-112 cam, TA intake, 1000 demon shop carb. it's the 1000 cfm race demon, street version with vac ports. They were around $800. Real simple combo, good power. It's just touching 400 horsepwoer at 5900 rpm and is in the 430 torque range at around 4400 rpm. Holds just under 75 psi at 6100 rpm. Nice running engine. Looks to be about 20 horsepower more with the demon than with a 750 edelbrock. Jim BurekP.A.E. ENTERPRISES
Sonic test after 40 over on a Buick 350. There is no need to stroke it becausse it is already a square motor (close to same stroe as bore). A chevy has a way smaller stroke then bore and needs the extra stroke. 400 hp is easy, just pollish the heads and run a hot cam...
How big can it get? How much can you usually overbore a Buick 350, and does anyone make stroker kits? Thanks.
you can't stroke a buick 350... rods are VERY close to the cam as it is... come any closer with stoking it and KABOOM :eek2:
How big can it get? It makes sense that a small, light engine wouldn't have a lot of room for a longer stroke or bigger pistons. So, I take it the extra 5 cubes you'd pick up from an .030 overbore are about all you can get. Thanks.
The first Buick build up belongs to me. I added a 125 shot of Nitrous. Look at my sig you can see some additions. Right now I am making changes to the trans governor then I will try to get to the track. See if I can go faster than 11.81.
I'll second the above comments, especially pglade's. Make SURE your oiling is good - good pump, good bearings and good clearances. Do some port-matching and bowl-blending on the heads, and POLISH the chambers. Danged detonation-prone open chambers are (imho) the worst part of the Buick 350. Get some headers, pick a cam, and go scare people! :TU: Also, there's lots of free power in tuning a 350 - I posted better times with my 150K mile kinda-tired old '70 GS350-spec engine than several 455-powered cars on this board, and I'm convinced it was mostly due to a good timing curve and a good Q-jet. If you're going HEI, search this board for the weights and center you'll want, and get an adjustable vacuum advance. If you use a Q-jet, send it to somebody like John Osborn and have them calibrate it specifically to your combo.