Will these heads/block match?

[fuzzypuppy]

Hello just became the owner of a 73 Chevy, truck.
It's got a beat 350 in it, I'm looking to freshen up the bottom end and bolt on a set of vortec's I have been saving for my 91, so the question. Will vortecs bolt onto the 73 block?
Thanks for looking.

 

[michael hurd]

Yes, they will bolt to the block. The bolt pattern has not changed. You will need to use a vortec specific intake manifold, with like gaskets and bolts.

As far as freshening up the bottom end, it may be more economical and quicker to purchase a crate engine to install, depending of course on what you intend to do to the bottom end. If you drop it off at a machine shop with a wish list and have them disassemble, hot tank, machine it, purchase oversize pistons, new rod bolts, resize rods, etc, the costs can add up quickly.

Of course, your mileage may vary, but I would do some research first.

 

[Jorge6.5]

He's right. Redoing your own motor will add up cost quick, been there done that

Have you considered a rebuilt short block?

 

[vic_v8]

For a while, I was picking up gmt400s that had a crate motor in them, but had bad transmissions, etc, for dirt cheap. I could hear them run.

Consider that route and slap your Vortecs on it. You can get knock of intakes for $150 and a decent cam for $200.

 

[Mrich0908]

It cost as much to build your own short block as a GOOD JY engine cost. Balanced hypereutectic pistons/ cast rotating assembly , gasket kit , summit pre-machined block, your heads surfaced , lap your valves , new valves seals. You could have a new block 0 miles for around 1400$.
Or if the bottom ends good - the summit block hone de-glaze your cylinder. Allot of people do it with 50-60 thousand mile results.
Point being dont be scared to rebuild a motor its cheaper than most think. Most dont believe what I have in my forged h/c/I 383 turbo motor.