331 motor going to machine shop

65fastbackresto

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Apr 13, 2007

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Apr 24, 2007

#1

• Apr 24, 2007

• #1

Starting with 302 base roller, having it bored 30 over, motor will be balanced and he is gonna work over the GT-40 heads. Getting stroker kit for 331, dont know much more then that at this point.

Questions I have are..

Is $2500 for a build like this average, fair, good or what? I`m sure it depends on the parts involved...

Any questions I should ask the guy doing the work, I`m going to meet him tommorow night.

 

1

1966conv

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Mar 5, 2004

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Apr 24, 2007

#2

• Apr 24, 2007

• #2

This is my opinion only; if you're going to stay with the "stock" GT 40 heads, don't waste the effort on the stroker kit. They don't breathe well enough for a stroker. They can be made to breathe better, but whether or not it's enough i don't know. About two years ago Mustangs and Fords did a 5 or 6 article story on the different heads and IIRC they came in fairly low on the scale.

Power's gonna cost some $ Decide on a plan in the beginning before you start. My custom 331, complete, cost well over $8K.

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 24, 2007

#3

• Apr 24, 2007

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66

If I didnt stroke it, and went with a little higher compresion and good intake and carb, what kind of hp could I expect ya think?

 

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tylerrocks

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Apr 24, 2007

#4

• Apr 24, 2007

• #4

a 306 with gt40's intake and a decent cam should net ~300hp. keep the compression to 10:1 with iron heads.

I dont know that I wouldn't stroke it. sure the heads will be a bottleneck, but if you upgrade them later you could see a really nice increase in power. However the 331 will but out of power at a lower rpm with those heads. Not bad for a street car though

Is he putting a cam in it? get the specs for it. need the duration @.050 (fifty) and the lift. also ask if he is using roller rockers and ask the rocker ratio (either 1.6 or 1.7) Ask if he is using forged pistons. Ask what kind of rod bolts/head bolts he is using. Ask about any kind of warranty/standing behind his work

I assume this is a long block? $2500 covers all parts and labor? thats a pretty good price to have someone build it for you. I would want a list of parts.

 

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BlackGMC

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Feb 6, 2007

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Apr 24, 2007

#5

• Apr 24, 2007

• #5

Why don't you just do what you had planned and upgrade the heads later? IMO there is no substitue for cubic inches....

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 25, 2007

#6

• Apr 25, 2007

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I should be able to tell yall more tommorow

The engine guy said something about GT-Z heads? I think? That make any sense to anybody?

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 25, 2007

#7

• Apr 25, 2007

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Update on the heads

Engine guy says they are GT-40p. Anybody know what that means? He said they are better heads then the GT-40`s.

 

SoCalCruising

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Apr 25, 2007

#8

• Apr 25, 2007

• #8

The P heads have a raised exhaust port and are a revised version of the GT40 head. They can be ported, but have limited potential. P heads require a specific header because of the raised exhaust port. Make sure you can get a header that fits your year of car before you buy them.

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 25, 2007

#9

• Apr 25, 2007

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ut oh

Always something aint it....LOL

 

CraigMBA

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Apr 25, 2007

#10

• Apr 25, 2007

• #10

You have an explorer motor

Others will disagree with me, but the Explorer heads are useless on early cars because the headers to fit them are so expensive.

Either way, you should figure out what you're going to do for headers before you proceed.

I'd buy 185cc AFR's and a Coast High 331 stroker kit and call it good, but that's just me........

That $4K crate engine just got a lot cheaper didn't it.

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 25, 2007

#11

• Apr 25, 2007

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HEaders

Are $359 from MAC Headers for ceramic. They got chrome for $249 too

 

CraigMBA

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Apr 25, 2007

#12

• Apr 25, 2007

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Those came way down from the last time I looked.

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 25, 2007

#13

• Apr 25, 2007

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I even called them to make sure

They said the newer headers they have they made to fit both styles of GT heads, the same headers will fit both heads now.

 

allcarfan

The Answer Man

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Apr 25, 2007

#14

• Apr 25, 2007

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the GT-Z heads are aftermarket aluminum heads IIRC. They are/were roughly $1100 a set the last time I checked. I think they are called the Z-swirl heads.

 

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tylerrocks

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Apr 25, 2007

#15

• Apr 25, 2007

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The problem is not raised exhaust ports, but sparkplug angle. I modified my tri-y's to work.

 

65fastbackresto

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Apr 26, 2007

#16

• Apr 26, 2007

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I backed out on it

The engine guy was way to vague on what he was gonna do...had a bad feeling when I left there too.

Back to the drawing board.

 

S

SLVRBOY

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Apr 28, 2007

#17

• Apr 28, 2007

• #17

call coast high performance and order their street fighter 331 short block with forged pistons and stud girdle for around $2900.

i bought their 331 kit took it and a 302 out of a 92 mustang to an engine builder, since ive been working on my car the shortblock sat in my garage for over a year before i started messing with it. now i find out that it was never balanced so i have to take it apart and have it balanced = more money. once i do this i will be over the cost of just ordering it complete from C.H.P.
i called the engine builder and he said that.
1-he thought that stroker kits came pre balanced.
2-if it wasnt going to go over 5500rpm anyway that it wouldnt matter. (get a fluiddampner)
3-i had it too long for him to tear it back apart without paying him

i will pay someone but it will not be him..............

 

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tylerrocks

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Apr 28, 2007

#18

• Apr 28, 2007

• #18

Have you seen this ad?

http://classifieds.stangnet.com/showproduct.php?product=43113&cat=3

He doesn't say weather it's been machined, but it would be a great deal if he had. He also doesn't say if its got the crank but I'm sure it does. Slap a set of Trick Flow Twisted Wedges on the and you'll have a potent little daily driver. Gonna cost more than $2500 by the time it's all said and done...but thats the norm.

A shortblock from a reputable company is a good option for you as well.