1989 Chevrolet C1500 Project Rehab: Serious Small-Block Part 1
The venerable Chevy 350 can be found at the heart of nearly four decades of GM vehicles, and as a result it has been built and modified in just about every way imaginable. Some may claim it’s played out, and that the LS engines are vastly superior, but Gen I small-blocks are still very popular. So, to prove the small-block can still hold its own, we made a few phone calls to aftermarket parts suppliers to create a legit powertrain. SCAT Crankshafts sent us a complete 383ci stroker rotating assembly (PN: 1-92302BIE), which includes the crank, I-beam rods, hypereutectic pistons, rings, and bearings. Edelbrock was our one-stop shop for all the top end parts we needed, including their 460hp-rated Power Package Top End Kit (PN: 2096). Finally, Summit Racing supplied us with their Pro Pack oil pan kit (PN: SUM-PANKIT8), and Professional Products sent over an 8-inch harmonic balancer (PN: 8002).
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a stroker build, you probably know it means more power, but you might not know how that’s accomplished. By using a larger 3.75-inch crankshaft compared to the factory 3.48-inch, the pistons are able to travel further up and down within the cylinders, resulting in increased stroke. This, along with a set of larger-diameter pistons, creates more volume in each cylinder, meaning a bigger overall displacement. With the addition of a new crank, larger pistons, and boring the block, our 350ci engine gains 33 cubes and becomes a 383ci “stroker.”
With an old donor long-block and our shiny new parts in hand, we headed to L&R Engine in Santa Fe Springs, California. Having built countless high-performance engines for several magazines and even the TV show Overhaulin, the guys at L&R had the experience and know-how we needed to bring it all together. We’ve got big plans for this motor under the hood of Project Rehab, our ’89 C1500 performance truck build, so read on to see how we created a small-block that can go head-to-head with any modern LS engine.
