I have an engine that needs to be machined but to save money I was going to swap it out for a running engine out of another car, can I go with an older block? Say, an 86 or 85?


All help is appreciated...

Thanks in advance...

 

The only thing with older blocks to remember is the heads are different.
GM Blocks 197?-1986 used the same heads with 4 outside bolts for the valve covers.
1987-19?? used heads that have a center bolt design. That and the water jackets wont line up the same. If you get a long block, you can go that route. I think they started using a better cam in the later years if I'm not mistaken.

 

I'm not sure what years are different but intake bolt patterns can be different as well between certain years. I got a hold of a 350 block from an older guy once, never actually ran the numbers, but I had to slowly drill out the center four bolts on a holly intake to fit it to the motor so just watch out for that.