TBI heads on 5.7 Vortec short block

[Supercharged111]

I thought the TBI cam was like 178 degrees intake, what am I thinking of?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I thought the TBI cam was like 178 degrees intake, what am I thinking of?

That is the peanut 305 cam. It is in a TBi 350 in a B/D car with the 180 hp Civilian 350. Same cam that came in the last LG4 305, the TBI 305 cars and the 87-89 TPI 305 Autos.

178/194 @ .050
.350/.385 lift
109 LSA
106 ICL

 

[ht89]

I have no idea what I might be getting into. Will this thing ever be worth the asking price?

 

[c1500deathtrap]

I think not. but then again, truck diapers with smoked signal lights and orange peeled paint isn't my thing. Also whats up with the ****** tan seats? Sticks out like a dick on a "girl" in yoga pants.

 

[c1500deathtrap]

Are you sure that is a tbi headed engine? it looks like it using the 96+ accessory drive and ac compressor..... ask him for a picture of the front of the heads (for the casting marks).Also give er a look for excessive bondo rust "repair" especially up there in Ohio.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Are you sure that is a tbi headed engine? it looks like it using the 96+ accessory drive and ac compressor..... ask him for a picture of the front of the heads (for the casting marks).

Or look at the center 2 bolts on the intake manifold, if they're straight up instead of angled like the front and rear bolts, it's TBI heads and intake.

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[ht89]

Are you sure that is a tbi headed engine? it looks like it using the 96+ accessory drive and ac compressor..... ask him for a picture of the front of the heads (for the casting marks).Also give er a look for excessive bondo rust "repair" especially up there in Ohio.

Or look at the center 2 bolts on the intake manifold, if they're straight up instead of angled like the front and rear bolts, it's TBI heads and intake.

Just got back from looking at it (1hr 45 mins each way)... it's definitely a TBI headed engine, TBI intake and distributor. It is using the 96+ accessory drive and AC compressor with the shorter type water pump that sits tight to the block w/o the timing mark tab. Although I forgot to check for a plastic timing cover... I think those are the chief indicators of a Vortec short block.

The verbal history I got, after an un-impressive test drive, was that the truck was purchased last summer from a 454 SS enthusiast in Dayton who set it up the way it sits... Vortec short block, TBI heads, etc, etc.
There was a slight "tick" in the lower end so the current owner had "another" Vortec short block installed for $3,???.
I politely asked if he had the receipts for the work... which turns out to have been done by his childhood friend who still lives close by, and... who had made the comment that some one "spent a lot of money on those heads".
So I politely asked where his friend got the engine... a junk yard or a crate? It turns out that his friend just happen to have had a Vortec short block in his shop. (It occurred to me that maybe the TBI heads might have been just sitting around as well.)
So I politely asked if the heads I was looking at were the same heads that come from Dayton. I was assured that his friend wouldn't do him like that... (although 3k sounds to me like a lot of $ to swap out a short block).
Although the receipts were going to take a little time to locate... I was assured they were very non-descriptive as to the scope of work performed. All I could do was give him a silent WTF look.
He asked me what I was thinking...
(ummm... no verification of which VIN / RPO code the short block came from, no flow test numbers for the heads...)
So I politely gave him my standard "0 receipts = 0 vale" response... with another WTF look.

 

[ht89]

The cab corners and rockers look factory and are in excellent condition. The front end has been lowered with tubular lower control arms and drop spindles. The rear may have drop spring hangers, not sure... but no C notch / flip kit.
Stock transmission and a 454 SS rear end that the current owner says is a 4.10 gear ratio.
I haven't researched the gear ratios for the trans yet to see how it works with the final drive and stock tire wheel size, but at this point the rear end isn't a wow factor for me. The speedometer was definitely incorrect.

So when he asked me a 3rd time what I was thinking... I said I'd give him an even $3k and come back for it tomorrow. AND HE AGREED! A $1250 price drop!

Sure... it needs a fresh coat of paint and an OEM split bench seat... and an engine tear down, rebuild, cam etc... but I think I'm going to go for it

 

[c1500deathtrap]

Ehh 3k isn't awful for a rust free truck up north that runs good.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Not a bad deal, enjoy playing with it!