After thinking it over, I've decided to forego installing a cam in my car and just build a 355 to swap in. My goals are to build a stout 355 making ~400rwhp. By the time I install the motor my Z will no longer be my daily driver, but I still want the car to remain streetable. I'm looking for advice and opinions on this project.

I plan on purchasing a stock shortblock, and rebulding it using the stock crank. I dont plan on spraying the motor so I'm not too worried about having the strongest components. Basically, I plan on bumping up the compression, putting on a nice set of heads and shifting ~6500rpm. I want a nice motor, but I'm in college and on a budget. I hope to have the bottom end built this summer.

Has anyone on this board built a 355 LT1? Any recoomendations on a rebuild kit? I was thinking about running forged pistons and rods, but is that really necessary if I dont plan on spraying the car? Could I reuse the rods and just get better pistons? I have done searches, emailed members etc., but everyone is doing something different. Some run a stock crank, while others convert to 4 bolt splayed bottom ends with eagle cranks. I dont want to spend excess money and overbuild my motor when the cars only going to be driven on the street. I've had the car 2 years and have been down the drag strip maybe 6 times.

I am trying to sort out all this now so I can see what this is going to cost me. Any advice/suggestions is appreciated.

Thanks

 

How many miles are on your stock shortblock?

My setup consists of:
stock crank
lt4 4-bolt block with billet main caps
forged scat i-beams
forged and coated mahle pistons

It was built for spray. Your right on not needing forged internals unless your gona stray aways from a n/a motor. If your under 100k miles or just over, i would just do a heads/cam kit. Probably an le2 to keep it streetable and make around 400 rwhp. Check a recent thread on here a guy made 417 rwhp with a stock short block.

But if you did want to do a rebuild i would reuse the stock rods have them reworked and fitted with arp rod bolts though. Forged pistons would work good but a good set of hyperuetectic(spelling?) pistons would be fine for a n/a 355. I know that summit racing has some pretty good deals on rebuild kits that come with pistons and bearings and such.

Also remeber that you will need to find a good machine shop to perfom the machining and put the bottom end together if you dont trust yourself to assmling it.

Good luck
James

 

What James said sounds good to me.

I would get the crank polished (not reground).

You don't need the 4 bolt mains, but they dont hurt. Just go with a set of ARP studs in the mains and you will be good to go.

Bret

 

i can get you a deal on scat rods and some pistons. i just built a shortblock for a really good price. pm me.