Hey everyone I am new to these forums and have a few questions as to how I would like to build my z28. I have a 79 Z28 350 (stock) and it doesn't have enough hp. I want to do a stroker and am curious as to if a 5.7 vortec is a good engine to do this to. I also want to convert my car to a 5 speed. Any info would be great.






Thanks, jclay154

 

The 5.7 vortec motor your are referring to should be a 880 casting with the vorte heads that take the 8 bolt intake instead of the old 12 bolt intake. I have done a 4 of these motors using a stroker kit by Eagle off of ebay. The 880 casting will have little if any wear in the cylinders. (Good NO BORING) order the kit as a standard bore dished piston rotating assembley and your set to bolt it together. With the standard bore it will be 377cu. in. The block is a hyd roller cam set up and you can use the roller cam of your choice. Keep the lift very close to .500 and you can get the heads done with a set of Comp. bee hive springs to handle the lift. Being a one piece seal crank you will need to get a fly wheel for the late crank. If you are really on a tight budget you could just freshen the bottom end, (first send the bare block out to be CLEANED then rings rods mains cam bearings) use the factory hyd. cam and a set of 1.6 self alining rockers.

 

Thanks for the info YAV8 and I found a kit on northern auto parts that has a scat crank hyperutectic flattop pistons clevett bearings gasket kit and some other things and it is $978 but doesn't have connecting rods. Do you think this is worth getting? Here is the URL Chevy 383 Vortec Stroker Kit 96-98 | Northern Auto Parts

 

Go over on ebay and look up the 383 stroker kits. It might take some time looking but you can find some with FREE SHIPPING. These would be complete balanced kits for your application. (one or two piece seal blocks) If you can save money by not boreing then go with the standard bore kit if not then get the one for the .030 .040 bore. If your using vortec heads they are 64cc chambers so watch the compression.

 

Thanks again YAV8 and I've seen compression from 10:1-10.4:1 with flattops would that still be able to run on pump gas? And ok you said you use eagle stroker kits Is there a specific one you prefer or they all about the same I'm new to stroker builds so I'm trying to get as much info as possible before I go spending money. I'm trying to anywhere from 425-450 horse out of this build do you have any suggestions that I might do other then the kit?

 

The ones that I use for the street and vortec heads is the dish piston one. Comes in around 9.5 with the vortec heads. The last one I did for a guy I used the Comp. EX276HR cam, in a 81 monty and it still went 109mph in mid July. The ET was in the low 13 because of the LACK of traction. It mostly just drove through first gear with the street tires. If you going to use that Hyd. roller cam let me know, I found a guy that regrinds them on ebay for around $150 shipped. Just punch in SBC ROLLER and it should come up with one of the grinds he has listed now 510/520 lift. Click it on and check out the other grinds he has listed. It comes without a fuel pump lobe so you will need a electric fuel pump. If you want give me a call and I will try to answer your questions. Ph.920-901-9777 If any one else has question on vortec motors or the Gen. 1 sbc just call.

 

Thanks YAV 8 and the only other question I have which shouldn't require a phone call but I appreciate you helping me on this. I am on a budget like most everyone that builds engines so I was wondering if I just wanted to raise the compression of the 350 with fresh piston and have the bottom end freshened and maybe port and polish the heads to 2.02 would that be good enough or is a 383 that much better all the way around?

 

If you just want to freshen the motor then use the vortec pistons that come with the motor. Have the block sent out to be cleaned and cam bearings installed. Barrel hone the cylinders and reuse the pistons with new rings. These are smaller metric rings for these pistons. Reuse the stock cam and roller lifters if you want, the only thing I would do is get a set of 1.6 self alining rockers to bump up the lift some with the stock roller cam. Port the vortec heads and reuse the stock factory valves with new valve seals. To raise the compression use a .015 steel shim head gasket that you paint with any spray paint you have and use that. Compression is 9-1 with the stock head gasket but the shim will raise it to about 9.6. Autozone or AdvanceAuto can get these for around $9.99 each. If you can find a good vortec long block with out any spun bearing you could have under $400 in the complete setup if you do most of the work your self. Clean and reuse the pan oil pump and the rocker covers and the front cover if their in good shape. If you have a spun rod bearing cranks at the listed stores can have a rebuild crank kit for around $150 with the rods and mains included. Beat the snot out of it until your budget allows you to get a stroker kit cam and lifters and some work to the vortec heads for higher lift valve springs. Those vortec motor in stock form moves a 7000lb 4 wheel drive extended cab around nicely it should move a 3700lb Camaro along a lot better.

 

Thanks again YAV8 for all the info you've really helped me out I think I'll just freshen the engine up and then down the road I will stroke it. I appreciate all the help.

 

Be sure to let us know how it goes with the build.