Help me choose a new everything! Block/Heads/Cam

[Crimson]

I've come the the conclusion that I'm willing to start fresh with my car working from the bottom up. I've never done anything like this before so what I would be doing is building it up in my garage for a few months (while I come up with the $$) and then once I get enough balls I'll finally drop it in.
I'm really a hands-on kind of guy. I'm not going to learn it if I don't just dive right in and start assembling the goodies.

This is my daily driver and I will be putting many many miles on it as I plan to keep it as my daily driver for years and years to come.

I was looking at the DSS Bullet 306 block with maybe some AFR 165's. As far as a cam goes that's hours of searching stangnet and corral to see what everybody else has and their thoughts, but I'd like to hear everybodys oppinions on what would be great with this setup.

Maybe somebody has a better setup in mind.. different heads/block?
I'm not going for an all out dragster here. It's just that if I'm going to do it and I have the time to save up, why not do it right the first time.
I'm still young (just turned 16) so I can blow all my money. I'm out of highschool and have good paying job (computer tech).

I'm dying to hear some insight on what I should do. There are plenty of combos out there, I just need to find the one for me.

 

[moneypit94]

I think the idea of building a 357 would be different for a change. You would have have to use the S302 block which is the same as the R302 but with a deck height of 8.7 instead of 8.2...

Then use some AFR 185 heads an RPM II intake and a custom cam... You would also have a good enough block to really add a big shot of nitrous for the strip.

Even though this sounds like overkill i think it could be tamed to be a really nice street car... Just think you would be slightly bigger then a ls1, but a heck of a lot more power...

 

[RIO5.0]

if and when mine goes, i'm planning on a nice DSS306 longblock or the like...choose your intake, new ignition and your ready to go...basically turn key....
You wanna keep it somewhat streetable to...its nice to have it badass, but its nice to not be working on it all the time cause its an freakin animal to drive...
I love turning my own wrenchs, but it does get tiresome after awhile...

 

[Crimson]

Yes a longblock would be nice, but very expensive... the block itself actually costs more than the initial cost of my car.
Keeping it streetable is #1 on the list. I love my car to death and would love it even more if it were a 500hp monster, but that will come later in life when I can run two cars. Or maybe I should just invest in a moped

 

[moneypit94]

Personally i think drivability is all determined with the type of cam you use and the tune on it... My car makes pretty good power and as soon as its warm enough i will be using it as my daily driver again.

I would drive it now but even when it was stock it was a helpless in the snow...

You use the right parts the first time around and any car can be very reliable/dependable. Especially if you keep it NA...

 

[Crimson]

Also does anyone know of a manual that that covers pulling and assembling a motor? Preferably one covering our motor. Something more in-depth than my trusty haynes. Man where does one go to learn all of this stuff? Not going to college for another year and a half.

 

[Crimson]

bump

 

[Pstatic]

the most efficient way to get a new engine is to buy a short, or long block since you want a good HCI combo with it. The reason being is that even if you use the stock block (which will need to go to a machine shop to get freshenned up before you can use it again) and buy the parts and install them yourself you are still loking at 2gs for the short block. Buy new heads, a cam and an intake and you are still loking at close to 4gs. Just spend the couple of hundred more or so and get a quality long block, drop it in and go. A DSS bullet 306 with AFR 165s would make a very good streetable combo providing the cam is a reasonable size.

 

[moneypit94]

I will have to disagree on the 2 g's part... I could put a short block together (with my stock block) for under 1000 dollars and it would probably have better internals then what DSS uses... I know for sure i could put a short block with internals that will handle 600+ horse together for under 1500...

Use a cast steel crank (which will hold just as much or more then what your stock block will hold anyway. 200
Forged I beams 200
FORGED pistons 400
rings 120
bore job 120
balance job 170
bearings 100

Thats 1310 Some of those figures are a little high.. add another 1000 and you could upgrade to a sportsman block with H-beams and a Forged crank, Good for probaby 600+ RWHP... (still due to the block)

So for about 3500 dollars (addeded 1200 for a set of heads) you could put together a long block that would could handle a ton of power... Then if you upgrade to an R302 add another 900 or so thats roughly 4500 bucks you could build a long block that could handle over a 1000 horse... Look at DSS website.. I bet you can't find a long block that will even come close to 4500 dollars that will handle 1000 horse... Im sure there a few costs i haven't thought about.. like shipping... lol

My whole point is you can save a ton of money building your own motor. I did.
Also the nice thing about this is you don't have to buy everything at once... I know how hard it is to save up for stuff.. This way when you get the money you buy a couple parts.

 

[go-stang5.0]

hey moneypit, your forgrtting about bluprinting, all the arp hardware, and the stud girdle that dss installs. With that stuff your looking at about 2 grand. And in my case my old block had a hole in it so I needed one anyways. Basically all your saving the money on is the block and a few hundred in labor. Frankly I found dss to have a good price. Also, FRPP has a 331 shortblock for the same price as a dss motor only it has cast pistons, no girdle, and no blue printing. Not to mention its probably not put together as well because it came down an assembly line and wasnt made by just one person. Frankly, i think dss puts out a good product at a good price. I just hope the block holds up to a 150 wet shot (nos bigshot plate kit). Cuz thats where I'm going with mine.

 

[moneypit94]

You mean the stud girld that cost 299 extra when buying anything from them? And blueprinting, that is very inexpencive to do yourself... I found some short blocks they sell for 1500... What a joke... they used all production rods and crank and they use the factory replacement type of pistons...

I forgot the cost of new main studs or bolts. The price i gave for connecting rods comes with arp bolts. So you can add on another 50 dollars, so its still under 1500 like i said... If you want a stud girdle i would go with a canton one and you can get them for like 200 plus you get new arp main studs with it.... So about 1600 for a girdled shortblock with much better internals then what DSS runs...



So yes it is still much cheaper to build your own... (given you know how too, which isn't very hard at all) Personally i wouldn't spend the extra money (which is like over 400) for something that doesn't even compare in strength, that sounds crazy to me...

Im not bashing DSS here im just stating building a motor can be done cheaper and better when you do it yourself.