I think I have it narrowed down to what I want: A 408 with L92 heads. That being said I havent decided on weather or not I am going to buy a pre-assembled short block or build one myself.

Let me just throw this little tidbit out there: I can get a Lunati 408 rotating assembly for less than $2400 at work.

I've never built an engine before, and I'm a little hesitant to go onboard and say that my first engine is going to around have $4000 in new parts. But I dont just want to order an engine because, one, I think I can save some $ by doing it myself; two, I would like to say that I successfully built a late model engine in a car that I drive frequently; three, it would give me the excuse to purchase some new and exotic tools

I have a lot of the tools already, ie torque wrenches, dial calipers, magnetic bases, dial indicators, engine stand (go figure), and I have been successfull in setting up ring and pinion gears, as well as installing a cam in my car ( but that was a piece of cake with a howto).

If I acquire a block, what kind of things do I tell the machine shop? Any special instructions that they should know before going to work on a genIII? Just say I want it .030 over, cleaned, and here are the cam bearings that I want you to install....?

I assume that its pretty similar to rebuilding a small block chevy, and that a manual could help me out.

If anyone knows any links to building a stroker please fill me in. I have viewed a few but I know that y'all have some jewels that I havent had the pleasure of seeing yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreaciated.

 

Too big of an investment to start learning engine building 101. I think you should pay a pro.

 

Anyone else care to comment?

 

Find someone with experience to look over your shoulder. Agree on a fee up front, then let them help you with parts selection, clearance measurements, etc. There are a lot of small parts that necessitate countless trips to the parts store, he can help get most of those bundled into a single trip. My local performance shop does all my machine work, balances the rotating assembly, checks clearances and supplies me with the correct bearings and assembles my heads after I do the cleanup work on 'em. It's washed and ready to assemble when I get it. I do all my own assembly work but have access to my machinist when questions come up. I've found no satisfaction quite like firing up an engine I built for the first time, but hammering on it for the first time after the break-in period is a close second.

 

^^ what he said. and you know exactly what went into it. Helps if there is ever a problem too as you have seen how the engine works.

 

It would be ridiculous to think the first go around that you will do every single thing an expert will do and not miss any of the hundreds of things that need to be checked and done perfectly. Unless I had an expert standing next to me building it with me, there's no way I would do it.

Now if money is no issue, go for it.

 

For what its worth I thought about doing the same. I've been very successful with heads and cam swap and anything else and I know I can do the work. SO I started looking into it. There are so many little nuances to building a good engine, not just one that runs that I went with a pro instead. If you can get a personal tutor then all the power to ya! Nothing more satisfying than doing it yourself. But if you cant find someone to watch over your shoulder maybe go with a pro. You dont want to drop 4k on parts and ruin them. Builders also dont actually charge that much for their actual labor. Parts are most of the cost. I've had a few built and they break down the labor costs for you so you can see what they charge for each service of the build. In the end I decided with what I'd spend on additional tools and machining sevices, that it was a better idea for a pro. Right now my new engine and is a complex build. Not for a beginner by any means and honestly its an advanced build for any shop. 4.250" stroke.

 

When I priced out my LS2 403 short-block I found out that by the time I bought parts, paid for the machining, my time, etc - it was easier and about the same cost to by a short-block form SDPC. I specified a few upgrades and they built it. I broke it in exactly as they said and it doesn't use any oil or smoke at all.

My heads are from Richard at WCCH and I spec'd the cam.

My $.02

 

Maybe yall are right. I dont know of any Gen III people here in Montgomery, AL. If I lived in texas then clearly I would be fine. It is going to be a long time before I am even financially capable of doing this anyway. Once upon a time I called around to see if I could find a dirt cheap rotating assy for an all stock 6.0. It doesnt exist, or at least it didnt then. I called summit and a chevy parts counter. They could sell me individual parts, but not a kit. I thought that if I could successfully rebuild a stock bottom end iron 6.0 then a stroker would be roughly the same idea.

I still really want to do this, and I think I am not going to just give in and buy a short block, especially when my cost on a rotating assy is about a GRAND cheaper than retail. I would love to get some experience on a cheap SBC, but for what? My chevelle?... oh wait, I dont own a chevelle or anything that has a SBC. In the grand scheme of things (getting married this weekend) this is it. This is my car that can be worked on. I probably wont get the chance to own ninteen different cars and spend all my time in the garage. But, its just kinda a life goal to have the knowledge on engine building... or assembling, rather.

What I am trying to say is that if I want to build an engine in my lifetime, then this is probably going to be my only channel to do so.

 

I had the wanted to build my own motor but after weighing everything out I thought it would be best to let a PRO do the work and have the piece of mind that it was done right. I got LME to do my 408.