Gentlemen,
OK. I've been a member here for a very long time (5 years and counting) and know this isn't taboo for the 'bolt. But I have some very general questions about the SB Chevy, specifically the most common older small block - the 350.
For a carbureted pre-1985 street vehicle, which way would you guys go for the best combination of mild performance and reliability? Buy a "GM Goodwrench" long-block? Buy one the many "Ebay special" crate engines? Find a local builder?
I've actually been favoring a couple of the Goodwrench long blocks - one producing 290 HP and another 330 HP (with recommended performance accessories). For the buck they actually aren't a bad deal at all.
The Ebay deals are tempting because they are a few hundred dollars less for supposedly the same performance. But instead of posting real numbers from a dyno the HP specs seemed to be "guesstimated", or just grabbed out of thin air. The customer feedback is good, though many have given positive feedback before they've had time to fire up the block (which seems a bit hasty to me).
What do you guys think?
