Want to build a good horsepower, good fuel economy engine for a 1978 c20 with stock 350. I don't know much and need help.

[82sbshortbed]

This is what I'd recommend for you to get better performance and not break the bank with your skill set should be able to do the most of the work yourself. When I first got my truck it had an old 305 in it.

I got an edelbrock performer intake for I believe under 200 bucks. If you have a quadrajet carb(like I did) you'll need a spread bore adapter for it to fit. 25 bucks IIRC. Rv cam for under 200 bucks. And a set of long tube headers. I think it was around 3 or 400 bucks. Now you can get really expensive ones but not nearly needed.

Except for the cam these are all bolt on parts that you can install yourself. I would have a shop install the cam because you have to break in a flat tappet cam correctly or it will not last. That's why I'd have a shop do it for you.

I put on the new intake and headers myself with the quadrajet and adapter. Instantly noticed a pretty big difference in performance. Way better than before. Before I had the cam put in I happened to find a 454 to replace it with.

I sold the Intake, cam and headers to my neighbor. He put them on his truck and was very happy with it. Got rid of the 305 afterwards.

Now I have the 454 in it with cam, intake and headers. Also put a 700r4 behind the BBC so I'd have od. Also put a 3.73 gm Trutrac 8.5 10 bolt posi rear end in it. Love it now! Pulled out of the shop Friday after getting an inspection. Gave a little throttle and she got sideways. Fun! Lol

I might get roasted for this by the guys who know a lot more than me but, I don't really think there's a huge weight difference between the 3/4 -1/2 ton trucks. Heavier suspension and maybe rear axle? Idk

But good luck with your truck. This is just what I did and liked it. Definitely hold on to the 700r4 for sure.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Google it and got this.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

Nitrous HP 218/230 Hydraulic Flat Cam and Lifter Kit for Chevrolet Small Block

Nitrous HP 218/230 Hydraulic Flat Cam and Lifter Kit for Chevrolet Small Block

www.compcams.com

something like this for cam?

or like this?

Performer-Plus Camshaft Kit for Small-Block Chevy 283-400 V8

Edelbrock part #7102 Performer RPM Camshaft is designed for 1957-1986 small-block Chevy 283-400 V-8. This Edelbrock cam kit produced 410 HP & 408 ft-lbs. of torque when used with #7501 intake and #60899 cylinder heads on a 350 engine.

www.edelbrock.com

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

Edelbrock Chevrolet SB Performer EPS Manifold w/ Gaskets, Bolts, Studs

Edelbrock Manifold Installation kit PN 2040 includes all the necessary components to replace your existing intake: PN 2701 Performer EPS intake manifold, intake gasket set, carburetor base gasket, RTV sealant, intake bolts & carb studs.

www.edelbrock.com

intake manifold

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

Quinn keep that 700r4, it’s a good transmission for what you want to do, perfect really. The 4l80e is an od th400 very strong, but I just use them to last under higher hp rigs. I did a build like you want years age, 20 over 350 so 355 hyperutectec speed pro pistons, weiand intake, Holly 650 carb ( Holly fan), 1 5/8 headers. Used 194 heads ported like David Vizard book showed me. It was really fun for me, learned lots, compression was 9.2. I balance all my motors, 2 gr or less, ind. standard, and dyno 328 hp and 340 torque. Runs good on 87 octain with total advance at 34 degrees. Cam 230 dur short overlap 550+ lift. Still have that motor, runs like a champ, been in three rigs now. I am a journeyman machinist, and did some of the work, but you could buy a David visard, enjoy learning and reading, port your own heads find parts on Craigslist etc, and build a solid long lasting motor that it cheap, reliable, and fun. If you want could take som pic of good books and etc.

am i able to use different heads so i don't have to port the 194? and also what do you mean by 20 over 350?

 

[Craig Nedrow]

.020 twenty thousands, over stock. So 4.020 finished bore. There are alternatives, aftermarket, here is an example, excellent.
No cheap date. Components are top shelf.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[RanchWelder]

If you are already an expert and you are screwing with us, then we'll see.
If not, then let's see what your machinist says, OK?

If you want to learn, you came to the right place.
"Learn to trust your machinist."

The questions you are asking are exposing that you are most likely way above your skill set; in my humble opinion.
82sbshortbed?

You cannot just grab a camshaft off the web without actually "knowing" what you are doing.
It all starts with the cam.

What makes you think you know what you need or your drive-line can handle, for a cam selection?
Darts at an online sales page does not cut it.
Careful, deliberate, intellectual selection, is required.

Engine, leads to torque, torque at HP leads to modified transmission or upgraded transmission, leads to drive line and better brakes.
Stopping is always nice?

Everything you upgrade resonates down the drive line and the frame re-enforcement. $$$$$

Why not keep it stock and drive it for another 3-5 years, while you read and learn what you do not know?
The money you save, will be your own. Not mine or Craig's.
Read the books you were asked to buy?
Learn everything you can, first?

Come back with what your new EXPERT machinist suggested, (now you read those books and he didn't throw you out of his machine shop?)
It's cool you are enthusiastic.

You got the bug, don't you?
We all have it here. It's cool.

Why not listen to 82sbshortbed?

Just because you have the cash to spend, does not mean you should waste it.

Building an efficient hot rod is cool.
Blowing everyone away with an ugly 2-barrel carb and a stoopid sick camshaft is cool.

Wasting your money and breaking things because of poor planning or lack of knowledge: NOT COOL.

Welcome!

My 2 cents. (Try to spend it wisely, please?)

Read my sig below?

*** Love those heads Craig Nedrow...***
They look like they can eat an old unmodified OEM cheapo transmission build in a few seconds!

Not meant to be rude:

Dress Barn for a New Dress,
New Pair of Discount Shoe's Ghetto Buster's,
Trip to Mickie-D's Drive In;
"Any guy can afford to build a cheap date, if that's what he wants".

It won't last long and you get what you pay for.

Sachs Fifth will cost a lil' bit more for the "proper" outfit.
You'll need the helicopter transmission, on the roof top for dinner and the hotel.
Your planning will have to be meticulous, if not excellent.
You'd better know what your doing; not guessing at what to do for the flight home.

The exact opposite of the so called "Cheap Date".
There's no such thing at the level you are considering.

As The Man says: "Burn Out or GTFO!"

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

If you are already an expert and you are screwing with us, then we'll see.
If not, then let's see what your machinist says, OK?

If you want to learn, you came to the right place.
"Learn to trust your machinist."

The questions you are asking are exposing that you are most likely way above your skill set; in my humble opinion.
82sbshortbed?

You cannot just grab a camshaft off the web without actually "knowing" what you are doing.
It all starts with the cam.

What makes you think you know what you need or your drive-line can handle, for a cam selection?
Darts at an online sales page does not cut it.
Careful, deliberate, intellectual selection, is required.

Engine, leads to torque, torque at HP leads to modified transmission or upgraded transmission, leads to drive line and better brakes.
Stopping is always nice?

Everything you upgrade resonates down the drive line and the frame re-enforcement. $$$$$

Why not keep it stock and drive it for another 3-5 years, while you read and learn what you do not know?
The money you save, will be your own. Not mine or Craig's.
Read the books you were asked to buy?
Learn everything you can, first?

Come back with what your new EXPERT machinist suggested, (now you read those books and he didn't throw you out of his machine shop?)
It's cool you are enthusiastic.

You got the bug, don't you?
We all have it here. It's cool.

Why not listen to 82sbshortbed?

Just because you have the cash to spend, does not mean you should waste it.

Building an efficient hot rod is cool.
Blowing everyone away with an ugly 2-barrel carb and a stoopid sick camshaft is cool.

Wasting your money and breaking things because of poor planning or lack of knowledge: NOT COOL.

Welcome!

My 2 cents. (Try to spend it wisely, please?)

Read my sig below?

*** Love those heads Craig Nedrow...***
They look like they can eat an old unmodified OEM cheapo transmission build in a few seconds!

Not meant to be rude:

Dress Barn for a New Dress,
New Pair of Discount Shoe's Ghetto Buster's,
Trip to Mickie-D's Drive In;
"Any guy can afford to build a cheap date, if that's what he wants".

It won't last long and you get what you pay for.

Sachs Fifth will cost a lil' bit more for the "proper" outfit.
You'll need the helicopter transmission, on the roof top for dinner and the hotel.
Your planning will have to be meticulous, if not excellent.
You'd better know what your doing; not guessing at what to do for the flight home.

The exact opposite of the so called "Cheap Date".
There's no such thing at the level you are considering.

As The Man says: "Burn Out or GTFO!"

You're definitely right, I need to read more and do more research before i start buying anything. ill get the books, and be patient. i am definitely not a machinist and im not sure where to find one but ill start asking around locally. im just trying to learn as much as i can from other people with life experience, definitely not saying books don't. but i can't really ask a book a specific question i have about a specific thing or without the correct terminology. and i can assure you i am not screwing with anybody lol i just like to ask questions on the things i may or may not have a basic understanding of or just straight up heard from a book, article, or other people.

 

[idahovette]

I've got a feeling you would make a hell of a Preacher, @RanchWelder

 

[82sbshortbed]

If you are already an expert and you are screwing with us, then we'll see.
If not, then let's see what your machinist says, OK?

If you want to learn, you came to the right place.
"Learn to trust your machinist."

The questions you are asking are exposing that you are most likely way above your skill set; in my humble opinion.
82sbshortbed?

You cannot just grab a camshaft off the web without actually "knowing" what you are doing.
It all starts with the cam.

What makes you think you know what you need or your drive-line can handle, for a cam selection?
Darts at an online sales page does not cut it.
Careful, deliberate, intellectual selection, is required.

Engine, leads to torque, torque at HP leads to modified transmission or upgraded transmission, leads to drive line and better brakes.
Stopping is always nice?

Everything you upgrade resonates down the drive line and the frame re-enforcement. $$$$$

Why not keep it stock and drive it for another 3-5 years, while you read and learn what you do not know?
The money you save, will be your own. Not mine or Craig's.
Read the books you were asked to buy?
Learn everything you can, first?

Come back with what your new EXPERT machinist suggested, (now you read those books and he didn't throw you out of his machine shop?)
It's cool you are enthusiastic.

You got the bug, don't you?
We all have it here. It's cool.

Why not listen to 82sbshortbed?

Just because you have the cash to spend, does not mean you should waste it.

Building an efficient hot rod is cool.
Blowing everyone away with an ugly 2-barrel carb and a stoopid sick camshaft is cool.

Wasting your money and breaking things because of poor planning or lack of knowledge: NOT COOL.

Welcome!

My 2 cents. (Try to spend it wisely, please?)

Read my sig below?

*** Love those heads Craig Nedrow...***
They look like they can eat an old unmodified OEM cheapo transmission build in a few seconds!

Not meant to be rude:

Dress Barn for a New Dress,
New Pair of Discount Shoe's Ghetto Buster's,
Trip to Mickie-D's Drive In;
"Any guy can afford to build a cheap date, if that's what he wants".

It won't last long and you get what you pay for.

Sachs Fifth will cost a lil' bit more for the "proper" outfit.
You'll need the helicopter transmission, on the roof top for dinner and the hotel.
Your planning will have to be meticulous, if not excellent.
You'd better know what your doing; not guessing at what to do for the flight home.

The exact opposite of the so called "Cheap Date".
There's no such thing at the level you are considering.

As The Man says: "Burn Out or GTFO!"

Wtf? Lmao

I know the kid doesn't have experience with this but, what I suggested he could slap on himself in a weekend (with a little help from the good guys on this forum) and make his truck perform better than it is now. Plus give him some more confidence to work on his truck going forward. Everyone has to start somewhere. Intake and headers are pretty much straight forward and he shows a willingness to learn.

I didn't just buy a cam off the web either. I called the cam manufacturer and told him what I was planning and HE recommended one to me. And my neighbor was very happy with the setup on his truck over stock.

Y'all are suggesting bore it .02 over and get expensive heads and stuff. I took that he just wants some more hp and torque not a 10 sec truck. What I suggested doesn't break the bank and he can enjoy driving his truck as he saves money to build a faster more powerful engine if he wants one. As you can add stuff later or maybe buy a used engine to build.

I just know how good I felt after swapped the intake and headers myself and felt the difference it made. By no means am I saying I know more about this than others on here because I'd be lying. Lol

Hell have a fun trip to the muffler shop with open headers too. At least I did.

Trying not to put the cart before the horse. But by no means do you have to listen to me. This is just a suggestion that won't break the bank or pay a machine shop a ton of money and give the truck a noticeable difference in performance that he can feel proud of because he did some of the work himself and didn't just pay a shop to do everything for him.

He could go home from school on Fri and pull up Monday with a better performing and sounding truck. And when his friends ask what he did he can tell them what HE did to it.

Idk about Y'all but in high school we were always showing off our cars and trucks to each other and the work we did to them. Oh great times!!

 

[RanchWelder]

Wtf? Lmao

I know the kid doesn't have experience with this but, what I suggested he could slap on himself in a weekend (with a little help from the good guys on this forum) and make his truck perform better than it is now. Plus give him some more confidence to work on his truck going forward. Everyone has to start somewhere. Intake and headers are pretty much straight forward and he shows a willingness to learn.

I didn't just buy a cam off the web either. I called the cam manufacturer and told him what I was planning and HE recommended one to me. And my neighbor was very happy with the setup on his truck over stock.

Y'all are suggesting bore it .02 over and get expensive heads and stuff. I took that he just wants some more hp and torque not a 10 sec truck. What I suggested doesn't break the bank and he can enjoy driving his truck as he saves money to build a faster more powerful engine if he wants one. As you can add stuff later or maybe buy a used engine to build.

I just know how good I felt after swapped the intake and headers myself and felt the difference it made. By no means am I saying I know more about this than others on here because I'd be lying. Lol

Hell have a fun trip to the muffler shop with open headers too. At least I did.

Trying not to put the cart before the horse. But by no means do you have to listen to me. This is just a suggestion that won't break the bank or pay a machine shop a ton of money and give the truck a noticeable difference in performance that he can feel proud of because he did some of the work himself and didn't just pay a shop to do everything for him.

He could go home from school on Fri and pull up Monday with a better performing and sounding truck. And when his friends ask what he did he can tell them what HE did to it.

Idk about Y'all but in high school we were always showing off our cars and trucks to each other and the work we did to them. Oh great times!!

Was backing your suggestion 100%.
Thought your advice was great.
Added your name twice to make that point clear, so you would see how cool I thought your remarks were and how they had value.
If that was not clear when you read my words, I failed.

Seemed like Quinn got my point without being offended or misinterpreting a word I said.
Hope you are not offended by mistake, either.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Was backing your suggestion 100%.
Thought your advice was great.
Added your name twice to make that point clear, so you would see how cool I thought your remarks were and how they had value.
If that was not clear when you read my words, I failed.

Seemed like Quinn got my point without being offended or misinterpreting a word I said.
Hope you are not offended by mistake, either.

No not offended at all. Just misread probably. I thought you were saying not to listen to my suggestions. That's why I have to go back and reread things sometimes. My reading comprehension has not always been the best. That's on me not you. Lol

But it's no problem bud my feelings aren't hurt. Takes a bit more than that. Lol

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

Hey all, i know it's been a while but I've been figuring out alot on my own and i've been doing a decent job with some little stuff. but the other day my truck would not start no matter what I did, eventually I figured that it had something to do with the ignition, since the spark plugs and wires were pretty old. so after some struggle, I finally replaced everything last night and tried to fire up my truck but it sounded like the engine was kinda trying to start but wasn't. after a bit of cranking on and off, I started to give some gas ass I cranked and it sounded like the engine would start but it wouldn't. as soon as I stopped cranking, fuel just projectile vomited out of the top of the carb ( please pardon my word choice but that's the best thing I can use to describe what happened lol). I had the air cleaner off so it just shot up on the hood.. what could be going on? stuck float? something with the pins? im not sure, but some outside ideas and advice would be awesome!

 

[Quinn_Hanifan]

im also looking into just a carb replacement once i can save up enough. i was looking at the Edelbrock Carbs, but dont really know what im looking for, but know they have good carbs. the one i have right now is 4 barrel, electronic choke if that helps anything

 

[idahovette]

Double check your plug wires, a couple may be crossed???