Some pics of my Dart sbc block....

SmokedTires · 10-27-2003, 08:46 PM

Well since this is the motorhead section, I thought it might be appropriate to post this here :D

Well not much has been happening with my block, there's a big suprise :mad: . So I stopped by the shop on Saturday & picked up my block. I just finished deburring it tonight, and will be chasing all the tapped holes Wednesday night.

Now when I drop the block back off it will be on an engine stand where it will be in plain site instead of in the corner where it has sat for the last 10 months in it's cardboard box.

So since something has now happened towards my new engine getting finished, I figured I'd share what my new block actually looks like :crazy:

Here's a general overall shot:

Here's a front shot where you can almost see down the cam journals, notice the oil port located in the front :crazy:

Here's a shot of the oil galley, notice how open the center is open for the oil to drain to the cam directly below.

A shot of the splayed main caps:

And lastly, a shot of the main journal webs:

BTW, I took this opportunity to stamp my name into the block in a couple of different places while I have it at home ;) .

:cheers:

Flareside · 10-27-2003, 10:59 PM

Nice looking block Mike! I had all my engine parts at a local engine shop for months just like you, then got frustrated and brought everything home. After a little research I found an even better shop that was willing to commit to a reasonable schedule. They were an hours drive away, and took a week longer than predicted, but everything's done now and looks good. :D

It takes a dedicated enthusiast to make two trips to a machine shop just to deburr a block. :lol:

[Modified by Flareside, 8:33 AM 10/28/2003]

CORKVETTE1 · 10-28-2003, 12:39 AM

why your preference on the dart block over the motown block just curious :cheers:

SmokedTires · 10-28-2003, 07:49 AM

Quote:

It takes a dedicated enthusiast to make two trips to a machine shop just to deburr a block. :lol:

Naw, just one that wants to enjoy his new parts in the near future :crazy: . I've been considering taking my bussiness elsewhere, we'll see.

Corkvette, the choice (Dart/ Motown) was easy for me. I bought this block on Dec. 24 off ebay from a dealer for a great price :D . I would probably go with either one or even the GM performance block, they're all much stronger than production blocks from what I understand :) .

gkull · 10-28-2003, 12:36 PM

CorkVette1 - I have the standard deck height 350 mains 4.125 Motown. The motown is much thicker every where than a stock GM. The pan rails require Motown pans and bottoms of the bores don't require any clearancing with 4 inch stroker cranks. Right off though I can see that Smoked tires Dart block came with splayed caps. He also mentioned the cam chain oiling hole.

IMO - the only way to go is the raised cam tall Dart blocks. Motown and Dart cost about the same. With the right intake and head combo the 427, 434, and 441 ci small blocks should take on most any big block that they ever come up against. If not it's super charger time.

CORKVETTE1 · 10-28-2003, 06:51 PM

thanks for the reply it is a good looking block i was just wondering any pros or cons dart vs motown the motown says that you can bore up tp 4.250 but dart only says 4.185 i believe not to say someone would go that big because it is throwaway then but nice to know :cheers:

gkull · 10-28-2003, 07:15 PM

Corkvette - There is a couple of people on the different forums running the 454 ci small block Motowns. But they did it with 4.185 bores and the 4.125 stroker cranks. Monty who owned a Dart tall block told me "NoWay" Could you bore a small block to 4.250!" Just think about the sbc bore spacing - center to center. Even with the siamesed bores the walls would be very thin.

The 440 ci small block is a pretty good size also. That and a 8/71

SmokedTires · 10-28-2003, 08:31 PM

OK George, that's twice you've mentioned a supercharger/ blower in this post, is there something your not telling us :rolleyes: :jester . I've struggled a bit with what compression JE pistons I should have made because I know that I'd like to install a supercharger under the hood someday, but I also know that it'll be sometime before I step up to a supercharger :sad: . I'm going with an 11 to 1 compression for now ;) .

There's a guy with the same block that built a 440sbc for his tubbed Chevelle. He made over 700+hp, but is running something like 14 to 1. He has lots of $$$ in that motor as he has a Hogan Sheetmetal tunnel ram on there also :eek:

gkull · 10-29-2003, 01:34 PM

With my weisco 22 cc dished pistons and 76 cc chambers I can get my compression down to @ 8.8 Near blower motor specs. With my 64 cc heads and .021 copper head gasket it's lower than I like, but 10.38:1 compression is exceptable.

I already have a feeling that this 427 won't be a substantial change from my pressent setup so I'm looking at a killer motor in the future

vette_tweak · 10-30-2003, 10:24 AM

Smoked, I have the same block but w/ the billet caps. When you assemble the engine, pay attention to the oil pump shaft to bearing cap clearance. I had to take a die grinder to my cap because it did interfere with the shaft. Otherwise, the block is awesome! :cheers:

SmokedTires · 10-30-2003, 03:29 PM

Thanks for the heads up vette-tweak , I will keep that in mind :cheers:

thegypsie · 11-01-2003, 10:51 AM

A beauty Mike. We've got a long snowy/cold winter right around the corner, sounds perfect to me for getting engine work completed. :smash:

SmokedTires · 11-02-2003, 09:51 AM

Thanks Lance, I should be able to hang with you modified C5 rockets next year ;) .