308 back yard build

[1SIKR8]

Bit of a background story on me, im 19. i own a VT s-pack and a VK that i was given off an old lady up the road as she didn't drive it anymore.

i just purchased at 308 V8 out of a VK off my girlfriends mum, also came with a turbo 350 or 400 auto ( they don't know which it is, will mention later ) also came with a diff/axle and disc brake. all that for $600

now the VK i have at the moment has the 202 black motor in it ( fuel injected ) all thats getting ripped out and i want to drop the 308 in the VK. first question is, how much change will be needed to be made to the engine mounts ? are there kits available ?

also i've got myself here a little shopping list of things i want -

6-71 Supercharger kit -$6900.00

VN alloy heads - $850.00

4 bolt main stud kit - $75.00

355ci stroker kit - $999.00

full gasket kit - $96.00

now i need a cam, harmonic balancer and i dunno if i wanna go carb or injected so i was wondering if you guys could help me decide .. and also help me through the build

doing up a serious street VK has been a long time dream and i want to do ALOT of the work myself so all help is greatly appreicated

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Firstly, the engine will bolt straight in with the mounts already on it, no mods required.

Secondly, if you're going blown, forget the Holden V8 and just go for a Chev. Parts are a hell of a lot cheaper to make a Chev strong enough for a blown application and you can also buy a 4 bolt block off the shelf. The only problem is Chevs aren't a perfect fit in a Commodore, but it can be done.

As for your shopping list, for the prices i'm tipping all that stuff is Procomp (apart from the blower kit). Steer clear of that stuff, especially in a blown application, it won't last past its first start up.

Finally, don't expect any change out of $15,000 (it will probably be closer to $20,000, but that is minimum) to build a good, solid, reliable blown motor.

[1SIKR8]

really money is not a issue here, i just want a "simple' build ... the motor bolts in no problem, thats simple

all the prices where on ebay and yea the stroker kit was procomp, i didn't think they where too bad to be honest ?

just curious to convert the 308 to a 4 bolt main, what does that involve, is it as simple as drilling a new hole and tapping a thread ?

[Blown V6 Hatch]

really money is not a issue here, i just want a "simple' build ... the motor bolts in no problem, thats simple

all the prices where on ebay and yea the stroker kit was procomp, i didn't think they where too bad to be honest ?

just curious to convert the 308 to a 4 bolt main, what does that involve, is it as simple as drilling a new hole and tapping a thread ?

Unfortunately, once the motor is bolted in, that where the simple & cheap stuff stops.

Procomp stuff is crap, don't even entertain the thought of trying to build a blown engine with that shit in the bottom end. Blown motors need to be strong, they don't need overly big cams or massively ported heads, but they need a strong bottom end and a good valve train to live.

Converting a 308 to 4 bolt mains is a bit more involved than that, it needs to be done by a pro. Needs block machined so the caps fit in, the extra holes drilled & tapped, then line bored & honed. Not a simple or cheap operation.

You've got a lot of homework to do mate.

[1SIKR8]

Unfortunately, once the motor is bolted in, that where the simple & cheap stuff stops.

hahaha oh wells works for me

lucky i got a mate in a machining shop but seriously how expensive can it be ? by the time you waigh up buying a create motor and then stripping it down and stroking it ? i just got a feeling you can't go wrong with a 308 for $600 from your girlfriends mum ( she was the only one that drove the VK with that motor in it )

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Ok, price list time:

Blower kit: best part of $7000

Carbies: $1000 each for boost referenced D/P Holleys (carbs can be had cheap, but they work right off the shelf, although you probably won't need Double pmupers)

4 bolt conversion: Best parts of $1000 (good main caps included, not procomp stuff)

Decent stroker kit: anywhere between $2000-$5000 (you will need forged pistons as a minimum. Probably want H beam rods and a steel crank if you want it to live, there is the $5000 end of the scale)

Other block machine work: Best part of $1000 (bore, hone, crack test etc.)

Cam & valve train: Well, this all depends on what you want. But you'd spend probably another $1000 there (probably more)

Will need a good ignition system with a blown motor.

Then there is all the little stuff, gaskets, head & main studs, good balancer etc. etc. etc.

Say, $20,000 for the engine, probably another $2000-$3000 to build a good Turbo 400 to handle it, $1000 torque converter, another $3000 to build a decent 9" diff. By the time you set up a good fuel system, exhaust etc. it will cost you north of $30,000. But, you'd have a killer driveline....

[1SIKR8]

Ok, price list time:

Blower kit: best part of $7000

Carbies: $1000 each for boost referenced D/P Holleys (carbs can be had cheap, but they work right off the shelf, although you probably won't need Double pmupers)

4 bolt conversion: Best parts of $1000 (good main caps included, not procomp stuff)

Decent stroker kit: anywhere between $2000-$5000 (you will need forged pistons as a minimum. Probably want H beam rods and a steel crank if you want it to live, there is the $5000 end of the scale)

Other block machine work: Best part of $1000 (bore, hone, crack test etc.)

Cam & valve train: Well, this all depends on what you want. But you'd spend probably another $1000 there (probably more)

Will need a good ignition system with a blown motor.

Then there is all the little stuff, gaskets, head & main studs, good balancer etc. etc. etc.

Say, $20,000 for the engine, probably another $2000-$3000 to build a good Turbo 400 to handle it, $1000 torque converter, another $3000 to build a decent 9" diff. By the time you set up a good fuel system, exhaust etc. it will cost you north of $30,000. But, you'd have a killer driveline....

i'd have a killer VK full stop !

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Yes, that you would. But, don't think for a second that it will be cheap and easy, that's what i'm getting at.

Sure, you could build a blown motor cheap, but it won't last. I guess you need to ask yourself a question, do you want it strong and reliable or do you want it back in the shed broken every 5 minutes?

If you want it to live, you will need to spend the money.

[1SIKR8]

surely pro comp are not that bad .....

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Well, try it and find out.....I guarantee, the first time you stand on the gas, you will have bits of cheap 355 stroker kit flying out of the block from all directions.

Blown motors need quality parts, end of story.

[1SIKR8]

you really don't like procomp do you lol

well i did some looking around and came across COME racing, herd of them a bit

"355ci Holden V8 Boost short motors: Available outright or we do your late model standard bore cylinder block. Includes fully machined block with our billet steel 4 bolt main bearing caps fitted, clearanced for stroker, decked and "O" ringed supplied with copper head gaskets. Fitted with a our best 4340 steel billet 355 crank, "H" beam rods and custom Diamond Racing low compression forged pistons. Rotating assembly is fully balanced internally...OUTRIGHT for $11,000.00 or using your block for $10,000.00"

going to contact them and see if i can get just the parts sent to me and i'll fit it and get the machining done up here, get a set of those alloy VN heads, flow them out a bit, bolt the charger on, bolt the carbies on

at least i got a general direction on where im going atm, savings account is looking pretty healthy atm, lucky i didn't do the V6 up like most P-platers

[soop]

Come are good. 30k on a 355... If money is no issue id be looking at getting an rhs tall deck block and a gen3 conversion kit. 454ci ftw.

[RazzaCaine]

ive looked into building a N/A 355 stroker and found pro comp. i thought hey theyre cheap awesome, after speaking to a few forum members and a few mates everyone said the same thing, dont buy them theyre crap. thats for a N/A motor. strap a blower on top and the stroker really will blow to pieces.

COME seem to be the go or SCAT, everyone seems to swear by those 2 brands.

have you been on Aussie V8 | Holden - Ford | Australian V8 Engine Community theyll be tons of useful threads on there for you

[RazzaCaine]

i was pricing up an LS3 manual conversion for my VB yesterday when i was living in fantasy land. if youre happy to spend $30k building a blown 355 maybe look into an LS engine conversion. My pricing was just for parts and included a complete LS3 crate motor ($8k), used T56 6 speed manual ($3k), CRS conversion kit including speedo corrector ($2k), exhaust system ($2k), ve brake upgrade front and rear ($2k), suspension overhaul ($2k), diff ($2k), tailshaft ($1k) and then id factor another $5k for anything else like wiring, fuel system etc. my calculations you could have all the necessary parts for a LS3 manual crate motor conversion for $30-35k, bear in mind that includes overhauling you brakes, suspension, diff and driveshaft to cope as well. if you could do it all yourself then you wouldnt need to pay for labour.




just remember that besides the cost of building a blown 355 you need to upgrade your transmission, tailshaft, diff and rear axle to cope with the increased power or you will be forever breaking stuff. you will also need to upgrade your brakes and suspension so that the car will be able to stop as well as go.


(edit/p.s.) when i was do the LS3 price up i was living in fantasy land, and me personally, id buy something newer as a start point for a big project like that

[1SIKR8]

soop i would but .... eh too much effort !

yea im starting to get that feeling about pro comp, COME do have a good rep so thats alot to go by, thanks for the link shall jump on there now.

well heres something that just crossed my mind ...... there is no physical way to keep this legalish is there ? like i wouldn't get it passed the blue slip with a dirty blower hanging out the bonet would it ?

[RazzaCaine]

no you would never pass emissions so there would be no hope for it being street legal not to mention if you did drive it on the street every cop out there would pull you over.

doing an LS conversion could be engineered to be made legal though

[1SIKR8]

yea but i've herd engineering alone costs an arm and a leg ?

i just had a thought of building a tough 383 N/A ? try and keep it some what street legal ... but tough as ####

[RazzaCaine]

yeah engineering could be costly but i honestly wouldnt have a clue with engineering costs.

383 stroker would be good. i like the idea of a 355 stroker, fuel injected, with a valley charger such as a raptor charger sitting in between the heads =p

[1SIKR8]

383 stroker would be good. i like the idea of a 355 stroker, fuel injected, with a valley charger such as a raptor charger sitting in between the heads =p

i love the idea too but i also like the idea of a tough as #### street machine that turns heads not by looks, but by ground shaking sound

[dirt drifter]

i wouldn't go near those cheapo alloy heads if i were you. for starters, despite what the ad would have u believe, they could well flow less than stock vn heads!

i would just get some cast vn heads, give them a clean up/mild port job (porting/flow figures dont matter on a blown motor anywhere near as much as they do on an n/a motor)

remember that alloy don't handle heat like cast iron can, those cheapo heads could well be all cracked and warped after u get it right up on the temp gauge

[Blown V6 Hatch]

you really don't like procomp do you lol

well i did some looking around and came across COME racing, herd of them a bit

"355ci Holden V8 Boost short motors: Available outright or we do your late model standard bore cylinder block. Includes fully machined block with our billet steel 4 bolt main bearing caps fitted, clearanced for stroker, decked and "O" ringed supplied with copper head gaskets. Fitted with a our best 4340 steel billet 355 crank, "H" beam rods and custom Diamond Racing low compression forged pistons. Rotating assembly is fully balanced internally...OUTRIGHT for $11,000.00 or using your block for $10,000.00"

going to contact them and see if i can get just the parts sent to me and i'll fit it and get the machining done up here, get a set of those alloy VN heads, flow them out a bit, bolt the charger on, bolt the carbies on

at least i got a general direction on where im going atm, savings account is looking pretty healthy atm, lucky i didn't do the V6 up like most P-platers

Not bad, still a 20 odd grand engine when it's all said and done. Atleast it'll live though....However, no way i'd be fitting them cheapo alloy heads to a blown motor either. Be much better off just sticking with Cast iron VN heads.

Seriously mate, look into a SBC, it'll be much cheaper.

Bugger the LS1.

[1SIKR8]

i wouldn't go near those cheapo alloy heads if i were you. for starters, despite what the ad would have u believe, they could well flow less than stock vn heads!

i would just get some cast vn heads, give them a clean up/mild port job (porting/flow figures dont matter on a blown motor anywhere near as much as they do on an n/a motor)

remember that alloy don't handle heat like cast iron can, those cheapo heads could well be all cracked and warped after u get it right up on the temp gauge

yea i remeber learning that in the second year of my apprenticeship now that alloy heads do warp easy, and every time they are taken off need to be machined ... good point

Not bad, still a 20 odd grand engine when it's all said and done. Atleast it'll live though....

Seriously mate, look into a SBC, it'll be much cheaper.

Bugger the LS1.

SBC ?

[Blown V6 Hatch]

SBC=Small Block Chev.

[soop]

Too much effort? You want to build a supercharged 355ci holden and your talking effort? Wtf. Rhs block and gen3 parts is LESS effort. Holden motors just arent worth spending shit loads on. It will be just about impossible to get an sbc passed vic roads. Honestly build a 355ci yourself and leave it NA. bout the easiest route.

[1SIKR8]

grrr but then that lil bit of modifying to the engine mounts will end in needing to be engineered = not an option ... think i know where im going to head now that i got my head in line. 355 or 383 N/A ... would be nice to do up the VK like i wanted at the start, but i want a tough ass street car, not a car thats only seen at car shows