Pre-post cliffsnotes:
What would you do for a rotating assembly (piece together or buy a kit)?
What clearancing would be needed for a 383?
Someday I will be dropping a small block into the truck... this 4.3 is already causing me pains when I have it floored and everybody & their brother is passing me up, in little import cars no less!
I was originally thinking of a pretty much stock 350 with a set of Vortecs, and a fairly small cam. I have emissions testing every year, plus there is quite a steep learning curve with the DIY TBI stuff that I'm not really ready to dive into, so if I'm to put any type of cam in it'll need to be compatible with the TBI setup. There's no reason I can't change the cam somewhere down the road when I have the Malibu down here (for a 2nd set of wheels).
I've also decided that (at least for interest's sake) I'd look into a 383 also. I would be using a 1-piece RMS block that's capable of a factory roller (may even get a Vortec motor & kill 2 birds if I could find one cheap enough), and compression would probably have to stay around 9:1. Just so there isn't any confusion, of course this would be on a budget (no really special parts mainly, outside what's needed). Also, where is clearancing typically needed for a 383?
I guess my main question would be what you guys would go with. I also just made a call to one of the larger shops that deal with emissions testing, and was told that so long as the emissions equipment is intact & functioning they don't kick up a fuss if I have a carb instead of TBI, so that opens the door to a bigger cam.
What would you do for a rotating assembly (piece together or buy a kit)?
What clearancing would be needed for a 383?
Someday I will be dropping a small block into the truck... this 4.3 is already causing me pains when I have it floored and everybody & their brother is passing me up, in little import cars no less!
I was originally thinking of a pretty much stock 350 with a set of Vortecs, and a fairly small cam. I have emissions testing every year, plus there is quite a steep learning curve with the DIY TBI stuff that I'm not really ready to dive into, so if I'm to put any type of cam in it'll need to be compatible with the TBI setup. There's no reason I can't change the cam somewhere down the road when I have the Malibu down here (for a 2nd set of wheels).
I've also decided that (at least for interest's sake) I'd look into a 383 also. I would be using a 1-piece RMS block that's capable of a factory roller (may even get a Vortec motor & kill 2 birds if I could find one cheap enough), and compression would probably have to stay around 9:1. Just so there isn't any confusion, of course this would be on a budget (no really special parts mainly, outside what's needed). Also, where is clearancing typically needed for a 383?
I guess my main question would be what you guys would go with. I also just made a call to one of the larger shops that deal with emissions testing, and was told that so long as the emissions equipment is intact & functioning they don't kick up a fuss if I have a carb instead of TBI, so that opens the door to a bigger cam.