How come the 350 chevy is still made?

[Allaneddie]

If you want to go down a rabbit hole about 5.7 Chevy blocks as basis of Mercruisers: go this forum site and start there:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/search.php?searchid=37953710

 

[The motor guy]

If you want to go down a rabbit hole about 5.7 Chevy blocks as basis of Mercruisers: go this forum site and start there:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/search.php?searchid=37953710

Link doesn't work

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Link doesn't work

How can one tell the hull truth and nothing but the truth if the website has died??

Considering GM Performance has had that same engine for a loooong time, and posts zero sales numbers (or remaining inventory), the data (that a subsidiary is “building” them means these are possibly just NOS production blocks. Sure, aftermarket makes some castings, but those don’t have GM serial numbers.

 

[GR_CoB]

I've replaced engines and transmissions, same-for-same. But never did a swap with adapting components not initially meant for the application. Yet it always fascinated me.

So now I wonder... How hard is it to adapt a SBC350 to a 5-speed manual 1993 Ford Ranger? Instead of that slow 8-plug 2.3L... Or would it be easier to go with a Ford V8? If so, which one is the most friendly for a mechanically inclined DIYer (used to MIG weld for living) who has never done an engine swap?
I do have a soft spot for SBC350, as it did great in 1995 Tahoe TBI, despite 12MPG...

 

[Rmay635703]

Who makes them? I had no idea the Chevy 350 small block is still in production.

Too bad the 350 isn’t still in pickups and suburbans albeit semi modernized.

I've replaced engines and transmissions, same-for-same. But never did a swap with adapting components not initially meant for the application. Yet it always fascinated me.

So now I wonder... How hard is it to adapt a SBC350 to a 5-speed manual 1993 Ford Ranger? Instead of that slow 8-plug 2.3L... Or would it be easier to go with a Ford V8? If so, which one is the most friendly for a mechanically inclined DIYer (used to MIG weld for living) who has never done an engine swap?
I do have a soft spot for SBC350, as it did great in 1995 Tahoe TBI, despite 12MPG...

Engine swaps are always “hard” in stupid ways, for many the mechanical is the easiest, it’s everything else…

That said 350’s are in everything because they have an immense install base with an immense availability of conversion kits and random one off parts to make them work.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/8-cylinder-tech-34/chevy-350-ranger-98383/

If your vehicle has kits available to retrofit some other drivetrain I would go with whatever (if anything) exists to do it.

https://www.jegs.com/p/Trans-Dapt/Ranger-V8-Swap-Kit/760688/10002/-1

 

[DuckRyder]

I've replaced engines and transmissions, same-for-same. But never did a swap with adapting components not initially meant for the application. Yet it always fascinated me.

So now I wonder... How hard is it to adapt a SBC350 to a 5-speed manual 1993 Ford Ranger? Instead of that slow 8-plug 2.3L... Or would it be easier to go with a Ford V8? If so, which one is the most friendly for a mechanically inclined DIYer (used to MIG weld for living) who has never done an engine swap?
I do have a soft spot for SBC350, as it did great in 1995 Tahoe TBI, despite 12MPG...

Its probably WOT for this thread but the easiest swap there is a 5.0 from an explorer and a T5, whether it can be adapted to the existing 5 speed depends what 5 speed.

Ranger 5.0/302 swaps are all over the tube of you.

 

[The motor guy]

Too bad the 350 isn’t still in pickups and suburbans albeit semi modernized.




Engine swaps are always “hard” in stupid ways, for many the mechanical is the easiest, it’s everything else…

That said 350’s are in everything because they have an immense install base with an immense availability of conversion kits and random one off parts to make them work.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/8-cylinder-tech-34/chevy-350-ranger-98383/

If your vehicle has kits available to retrofit some other drivetrain I would go with whatever (if anything) exists to do it.

https://www.jegs.com/p/Trans-Dapt/Ranger-V8-Swap-Kit/760688/10002/-1

You can get a 350 with mpi

 

[clinebarger]

Those blow up

Using what parts? Ground down cast 400 cranks are trash....A forged crank, H-beam rod, Forged piston 383 can be quite a durable engine.

I'd start with a Dart block & build a 406 if I still played with SBC's.

 

[The motor guy]

Using what parts? Ground down cast 400 cranks are trash....A forged crank, H-beam rod, Forged piston 383 can be quite a durable engine.

I'd start with a Dart block & build a 406 if I still played with SBC's.

I was just told they don't last in boats, probably bad info

 

[UncleDave]

I was just told they don't last in boats, probably bad info

My 406 ran for 25 years in my boat. It was a 500/500 mill.

It was a beautiful mill. I had good parts for sure.

 

[UncleDave]

The Small block chevy in most all forms is the single best modular building block since God handed down tablets to Moses.

Cheap enough for a high schooler to build, possessing frightening potential in its highest forms with everything in between.

 

[dishdude]

The Small block chevy in most all forms is the single best modular building block since God handed down tablets to Moses.

Cheap enough for a high schooler to build, possessing frightening potential in its highest forms with everything in between.

Well said!

 

[Allaneddie]

Link doesn't work

Sorry, I guess you have to be a member like I am. Anyway, 350 Chevys serve as a basic engine that is marinized for use in inboards and inboard/outboard applications, mostly by Mercury (Mercruiser).

 

[emmett442]

IIRC, Mercury hasn't offered the old GM based engines in years. A while back, they switch to their own in-house designs.

 

[The motor guy]

IIRC, Mercury hasn't offered the old GM based engines in years. A while back, they switch to their own in-house designs.

Volvo penta uses the gm350

 

[oil pan 4]

Dang! The one in my 83 C30 dumptruck made 160hp when new

That was the epa flexin hard after Chevron deference.

 

[Chris142]

The 350 was used in all kinds of stuff. Still plenty out there that will need rebuilt or replaced eventully. I think many people that live in the rust belt forget that the west coast still has millions of 350's puttering around in rust free cars and trucks.

Chevy made a 262,265,267,283,302,305,307,327.350 and 400 cubic inch small blocks. Any of those can be replaced by any others as a direct bolt in

 

[emmett442]

Volvo penta uses the gm350

Still? I thought they went LS

 

[oil pan 4]

I've replaced engines and transmissions, same-for-same. But never did a swap with adapting components not initially meant for the application. Yet it always fascinated me.

So now I wonder... How hard is it to adapt a SBC350 to a 5-speed manual 1993 Ford Ranger? Instead of that slow 8-plug 2.3L... Or would it be easier to go with a Ford V8? If so, which one is the most friendly for a mechanically inclined DIYer (used to MIG weld for living) who has never done an engine swap?
I do have a soft spot for SBC350, as it did great in 1995 Tahoe TBI, despite 12MPG...

You would want to swap a GM engine with gm transmission. I bet for a ranger there's some place that sells ranger to 350sbc and gm transmission adaptor mounts.
Most ford people don't even want to swap from one Ford V8 to a different ford V8, let alone go from a Ford 4cyl to a Ford V8.

 

[The motor guy]

Still? I thought they went LS

Still? I thought they went LS

Looks like they use the 5.3 now. I'm sure they have bigger engines