Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - Getting a Nova 350, Mods?

New here. Planning to pick up a Nova with a 70's 350/350 in the next few weeks, looking to get some modding help. I know very little about carbed motors. I want this to be a car I can street drive, not a DD though, but be a decent track car too (12's). Anyone help me out with a heads, cam, intake, carb etc setup? Thanks

first thing id freshen up the Th350 and pick a nice stall to compliment whatever cam you choose. i dont know much about that year 350 but id say some vortec heads, at least 10:1 compression and a good 230 duration cam. 4000 stall and some 3.73 gears car should go 12's all day.

Don't wast your time with the vortecs. They're just allright. You have to modify them to run a decent cam, and buy an intake that only works with vortecs. I got mine for $40 bucks in good shape and run a .465 lift cam. $100 for a used intake. Runs strong but nowhere near 12s.

I'm trying to decide whether I should dump money on the one I have (350) or take the lsx plunge on my nova. I love the old small blocks but its 2011.

My 70 sports stock vortecs that haev been cut for springs and a valve job.

A crane 238/246 .485/.495 112 flat tappet cam with lt4 springs and pro mags. 10.2:1 compression 36* of timing all in by 2k on 91!

my car made 335/320 with 1 3/4 super comps, open 3 inch collector extentions through a th400 W/ 3800 nitrous converter and 4.10's in a 12 bolt spinning 275/60/15 mt drag radials.

Car went 12.16@112.6 with a 1.86 60ft. I had to eazzzzz it out because it would blow the tyres off (I still have suspension issues). race weight 3200 with me in it and a 3500 da with 90*weather.


So yeah stock vortecs arn't worth it :confused:

The car is set up and drives great. I can drive everywhere, 5 gallons takes me to the track and back (30mi) with 7+ passes and still sum to spare.

first thing id freshen up the Th350 and pick a nice stall to compliment whatever cam you choose. i dont know much about that year 350 but id say some vortec heads, at least 10:1 compression and a good 230 duration cam. 4000 stall and some 3.73 gears car should go 12's all day.

Problem with doing the tranny/stall first is, from what I've read, the stall is very dependant on the cam which is why im trying to get the motor done first.

Another thing, the motor is a 350 out of a 78 Monte.

Also any other sites where i can do some good reading? I know ls1tech is huge but it doesn't seem to be the biggest sbc site lol.

My 70 sports stock vortecs that haev been cut for springs and a valve job.

A crane 238/246 .485/.495 112 flat tappet cam with lt4 springs and pro mags. 10.2:1 compression 36* of timing all in by 2k on 91!

my car made 335/320 with 1 3/4 super comps, open 3 inch collector extentions through a th400 W/ 3800 nitrous converter and 4.10's in a 12 bolt spinning 275/60/15 mt drag radials.

Car went 12.16@112.6 with a 1.86 60ft. I had to eazzzzz it out because it would blow the tyres off (I still have suspension issues). race weight 3200 with me in it and a 3500 da with 90*weather.


So yeah stock vortecs arn't worth it :confused:

The car is set up and drives great. I can drive everywhere, 5 gallons takes me to the track and back (30mi) with 7+ passes and still sum to spare.

Put it another way, I wouldn't buy them new. By time you get done cuttin them for springs, guideplates, screw in studs, and buying another intake, you coulda had a decent set of aluminum heads. Maybe im wrong this is the internet:confused:

your engine is low compression, new pistons with at lest 5cc or .125 pop ups, new 3.73s and a stall. cams are open to what you want

Put it another way, I wouldn't buy them new. By time you get done cuttin them for springs, guideplates, screw in studs, and buying another intake, you coulda had a decent set of aluminum heads. Maybe im wrong this is the internet:confused:

Yeah I got the $500 bill for the machine work for all that. But i got the heads for free. So if he can get a used set for cheap then its worth it. Ive been building sbc's and ls stuff for a long time, going fast aint cheap! Now do i think a low buck set of aluminum heads would be better? Probadly not. I dont think a set of big runner heads (200cc+) on my 10.2:1 355 would drive as nice and snappy.

Yeah that late 70's short block may not be up to snuff. For pump gas and a head with a good chamber design id go with some flat tops and around 10:1 compression. There is more money into my short block than i'd like to admitt. It adds up fast, even a cheap build. Search c/l and the forums for someone's abandoned project. That alone will save you a ton.