There"s a sweet spot in the horsepower-per-dollar equation, and this 355 has its works with firmly locked onto the juicy territory. Scoff, if you will, at its mediocre 467hp output, yet printing a large number top top the dyno sheet with utter ignore for fiscal obligation isn"t what this motor"s about.

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With the caliber the cylinder heads, stroker rotating assemblies, and valvetrain contents on the sector today, cracking 550 hp through a small-block is cake. Eclipsing the 600hp note requires simply a smidgen more effort. However, with those incremental profit in power comes one alarmingly disproportional hit to the checkbook. When this 355 was built for much less than $4,000, a 550hp Mouse could easily cost twice together much. Sure, speed costs money, yet what if girlfriend don"t have actually the greenbacks come play with the big boys?


Enter terry Shallington"s low-buck 355. Like many working stiffs, Terry had a real-world budget, which intended that safety $10,000 on a engine was the end of the question. The formula because that the buildup was quite simple: buy what you have the right to afford, even if it method leaving part power on the table. The final product is a ridiculously straightforward 355 mill that uses a factory four-bolt block, a stock GM stole crank, Eagle I-beam rods, forged Speed-Pro pistons, world Products steel heads, and a 255/263-at-0.050 Comp solid flat tappet cam. With a price tag appropriate at $4,000, the 355"s 467hp output works out at around $8 every horse.


Assuming because that the sake of argument that a 625hp small-block would ring increase a $10,000 tab, the math works out come $16 per horse. In various other words, that would certainly be 100 percent more money for just 22 percent more power. Favor we said, this 355"s target is recognize the sweet spot-and gloriously exploiting it.


From Attic to DynoIn an interesting backstory come this engine buildup, some of the antique parts came straight out of the attic. Terrycloth is the initial owner of an all-original "69 Z/28, and after the factory 302 went poof! decades ago, that went on prolonged hiatus from traction racing. Currently that the kids are every grown up, he"s hitting the neighborhood bracket racing step again and also is even considering competing in stock Eliminator. Prior to that could happen, that enlisted the aid of the institution of Automotive Machinists in Houston to construct a long lasting powerplant. Many of the components are new, yet to assist keep prices down, terrycloth dug up some 30-year-old parts from his street racing days. Not just are the battle-proven Crane roller rockers, Victor Jr. Intake, stock Z/28 carb, and Stahl headers interesting pieces the nostalgia, but they still execute exceptionally fine by today"s standards.


Quick NotesThe BuildA stupid-easy pump-gas 355 clip motor


Bottom LineNothing an intricate here, just an $8-per-horse formula


Price (Approx)$4,000


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See all 18 photosA large cost-savings originates from our swapmeet finds: a four-bolt block and also a factory steel crank. After cutting the journals 0.020/0.020 and align-honing the block, the crank was all set to drop in. A benefit of a stock-stroke crank is the lessened labor prices when balancing the rotating assembly, which forced simply removing a wee bit of product from the prior counterweight. Due to the fact that the engine won"t see much past 7,000 rpm, key studs are not necessary.
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See every 18 photos...but its performance was marginal to nonexistent. The baffles in the 7-quart Moroso pan supplied on the 355 perform far better.
The RecipeSince you most likely don"t have a bunch the 30-year-old parts lying around for your following engine build, we recognize that your price for this 355 could be a little higher. Come calculate her probable price to replicate this combination, substitute contemporary equivalents the the recycle parts used in this build. By tacking on $180 for a collection of Crane Energizer rockers (PN 11744-16), $200 for an Edelbrock Victor Jr. Entry (PN 2975), and $340 because that a Holley 650 double-pumper (PN 0-4777C), your expense to duplicate this 355 could concerned $4,651. Either way, it"s still dirt-cheap.

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MFG ITEM PN PRICE
ARP Head bolts 134-3601 $60
Clevite Main bearings MS909P 24
Rod bearings CB663H 24
Cam bearings SH2905 18
Cloyes Timing chain 9-1100 32
Cometic Head gaskets C5877-040 86
Comp Cams Camshaft Custom 166
Lifters 833-16 90
Pushrods 7993-16 130
Crane Rockers N/A 0
Eagle Connecting rods 5700BPLW 236
Edelbrock Intake manifold N/A 0
Fel-Pro Intake gasket 1405 19
Oil pan gasket 1818 15
Melling Oil pump M55HV 28
Moroso Oil pan 20191 196
Professional assets Harmonic balancer 8000 40
Proform Timing cover 66666 60
Speed-Pro Pistons L2256F30 280
Rings R9343.035 116
World Products Heads 014150-3 1,171
Factory Block N/A 50
Production steel crank N/A 100
Z/28 carburetor N/A On hand
Parts Total $2,941
MACHINE job-related BY SAM
OPERATION PRICE OPERATION PRICE
Bore/hone $225 Deck resurface $100
Align hone 125 Balancing 75
Turn crank 65 Head/intake porting 400
Machine work-related Total $990
GRAND TOTAL $3,931

BUILD SHEET
All dimensions are offered in inches uneven otherwise noted.
Block Junkyard GM four-bolt
Bore x Stroke 4.030 x 3.480
Displacement 355 ci
Rod length 5.700
Deck height 0
Head gasket thickness 0.040
Main bearing clearance 0.0023-0.0026
Rod bearing clearance 0.0020-0.0024
Piston-to-wall clearance 0.004
Piston dome volume -6.1 cc
Piston compression height 1.56
Top ring gap 0.017
Second ring gap 0.025
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Camshaft 255/263 at 0.050; 0.540/0.534; 106 LSA
Installed centerline 102 degrees
Rocker ratio 1.5:1
Valves 2.08/1.60, intake/exhaust
Valvespring diameter 1.55
Valvespring chair pressure 135 pounds
Valvespring open up pressure 360 pounds
Carburetor Factory Z/28 DZ
Fuel 93-octane unleaded
Ignition advance 35 degrees

DYNO DATA
RPM LB-FT HP
4,000 378 288
4,100 378 294
4,200 378 303
4,300 407 333
4,400 414 347
4,500 417 357
4,600 421 369
4,700 424 380
4,800 426 390
4,900 428 400
5,000 429 409
5,100 428 416
5,200 425 421
5,300 422 425
5,400 418 430
5,500 416 435
5,600 413 441
5,700 411 446
5,800 408 450
5,900 404 454
6,000 401 458
6,100 397 461
6,200 393 464
6,300 389 467
6,400 383 467
6,500 375 464
6,600 366 460
6,700 358 457
6,800 351 454
6,900 346 454
7,000 341 454
AVG 398 414