What is a good small-block V8 that can take a lot of abuse?

[Ultima]

A friend of mine wanted to build a dune buggy, so we were thinking of going to a junkyard and getting an old car with a small-block v8 and ripping the drivetrain out and sticking that on a dune buggy frame, along with the other components that we'd need. We'd need a guy to weld the frame for us, but after that we'd stick the motor in the back (mid-engine design) along with everything else. I think a V8 would be grossly overpowering a little dune buggy but that's what my friend wants

 

[SuperSix]

For versatlity, cost, and ease of building, the Chevy small blaock is king. Get a seasoned 350, if you're lucky, you will find on with a 4-bolt main. No matter what anyone says, the cheapest power comes from a Chevy small-block...

 

[vi edit]

Be certain you sign the back of your driver's license conscenting to organ donation, ok?

 

[JustinSampson]

Deffinitly Chevy 350. Cheap and easy to work on. A 4 bolt main barely makes any differnce. (It might make a little differnce if it was a drag car, but just get whatever you can get the cheapest in this situation).

 

[AvesPKS]

Junkyard Wars!

 

[Evadman]

dunebuggy + sand = power needed.

Power is your friend in sand and mud.

I would go with a fuel injected V-8 out of just about anything. Just remember, in sand, stick with an auto. an auto is just better in sand and mud because of the momentum loss you will get when trying to change gears. Keep that wheel speed up.

I would probably go with a LS1 from a wrecked auto Camaro. Keep the auto behind it. ( 700-r4 ) Remember, you will need a heavy duty Trans cooler for the 700-r4 as they will run very hot.

Make sure to get the computer and the entire wiring harness.

I also recomend a set of sand ladders and a hi-lift jack. You will need it.

<edit>
as has been said, a 350 can never be beat for price / perforamce. Parts are cheap, and they are easy to work on.

 

[notfred]

Chevy 350 or Ford 302.

 

[Cyberian]

With the engine in the rear, you may have a bit of a problem squeezing the tranny, driveshaft and rear end back there.
How much is this thing going to weigh? Is a 350 CID engine really necessary?

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Ultima
A friend of mine wanted to build a dune buggy, so we were thinking of going to a junkyard and getting an old car with a small-block v8 and ripping the drivetrain out and sticking that on a dune buggy frame, along with the other components that we'd need. We'd need a guy to weld the frame for us, but after that we'd stick the motor in the back (mid-engine design) along with everything else. I think a V8 would be grossly overpowering a little dune buggy but that's what my friend wants

It's also gonna handle like crap with the weight of a V8. Go the VW route; they're light, simple and you can actually squeeze a lot of power out of those little buggers.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Cyberian
With the engine in the rear, you may have a bit of a problem squeezing the tranny, driveshaft and rear end back there.
How much is this thing going to weigh? Is a 350 CID engine really necessary?

Vortec 4.3 would be good too.

 

[CurtCold]

If your using a dune buggy frame, you'll wanna get a volkswagon beatle engine and put on it. It's simpler, air cooled (get on of the old one's) and you'll find tons of sites with info on how to do this through google. If you put a small block v8 on it, you'll need to also go get a life insurance policy, cause your going to need it. Look at it this way. Your going to be hauling nothing but engine, wheels, and yourself. A good 4banger would run you 100+mph, cause you have no weight. Also the weight of a 350, 302, or 318 engine is going to bog you down in mud, and also effect the jumping capabilities of your buggy. You can get an old bug motor, frame already built, or use the specs to build your own, a rebuild kit from JcWhitney, and even chrome dress up for less than you'll have in the v8, and be a helluva lot less likely to kill yourself, or passengers.
JMHO.......

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: Cyberian
With the engine in the rear, you may have a bit of a problem squeezing the tranny, driveshaft and rear end back there.
How much is this thing going to weigh? Is a 350 CID engine really necessary?

Vortec 4.3 would be good too.

IS it true that the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders lopped off?

 

[vi edit]

IS it true that the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders lopped off?

That's what I heard. LAUST????

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: redly1

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: Cyberian
With the engine in the rear, you may have a bit of a problem squeezing the tranny, driveshaft and rear end back there.
How much is this thing going to weigh? Is a 350 CID engine really necessary?

Vortec 4.3 would be good too.

IS it true that the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders lopped off?

yes.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: redly1

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: Cyberian
With the engine in the rear, you may have a bit of a problem squeezing the tranny, driveshaft and rear end back there.
How much is this thing going to weigh? Is a 350 CID engine really necessary?

Vortec 4.3 would be good too.

IS it true that the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders lopped off?

Sorta yes, sorta no. It would be like a 350 minus the #3 and #6 cyl's. The bore, stroke, deck height, piston center to center, are exactly the same, and you can use most of the 350 parts on your 4.3. There are small differences. The main one is that most 4.3's are split pin. In order to even-fire ( have the same time between each cyl firing ) the crank has 3 journals, but each is "slpit" in the center ofsetting the journal slightly for the next cyl. there is a cast in thrust surface between them. The rods are slightly thinner than a 350, and the journals are slightly larger @ 2.250 vs 2.100. The engines are interanly balanced like a 350, but they still shake very well, which is why sometime around '93 GM started including a balance shaft in the lfter valley.

There are non-split pin versions used back when chevy was racing v-6's in the grand national days, but they are not as easy to find, and they are odd-fire.

most 350 valvesprings will not fit either, as the 4.3 springs are small diameter, so the heads have to be machined to fit, along with using stiff shims under them bevause of the thin metal you are left with.

<edit>
Just filling in for LAUST

 

[Siddhartha]

A Ford, Chrysler, or Chey engine will fit your needs nicely. The Chevy small block has been the engine of choice for aftermarket use for the past 40 years so you could find parts for one pretty easily. You will need a transaxle that can handle the torque of a V-8 engine.

 

[joeryu]

i also recomend the chevy 350. easy to get, easy to work on, best price/performance. be careful though, that will be one fast dune buggy

 

Easy fix for the space limitation.

Clark's Corvair Parts carries a kit which allows you to adapt a Corvair transaxle to a small block chevy.

This setup would be perfect for a dune buggy.

Dune Buggies and Hot VW's also have some very good articles on dune buggy design

 

[toph99]

if you find a Northstar V8(out of a cadillac) you could take the whole driveline(it's FWD) and made a rear engine, rear wheel drive buggy. i've heard of people using them in the back of fieros and such. As for reliability, any chevy 350 or ford 302, like what was said

 

[Thegonagle]

How about a Saturn Twin Cam/Auto drivetrain? It's aluminum, so it should be relatively light weight. It's simple. It's also fairly torquey for a small 4 banger, and it's durable. Pop that in the back and you'll have a nice transverse mid-engine deal that won't weigh a ton. (The centerline of the engine will be ahead of the centerline of the rear axle, so I believe that it would technically be a mid-engine.)

EDIT for more thoughts: It's simple except for the water cooling part, but not as bad as it could be. The cooling fan is controlled by the PCM, so you could fit any radiator without worrying about finding a place for the cooling fan sensor. The transmission already has cooler lines. The engine mounts at 4 points, 2 at each end of the drivetrain, so it should be simple to fit between two frame rails. Distributorless ignition is a plus. As far as I can see, the electrical system that controls the engine wouldn't be too complex to transplant. Cable operated throttle, no drive-by-wire. Common and inexpensive. Cheap parts from GM. Strip the PS pump and AC, and you can still find a stock size serpentine belt to fit (since PS and AC are optional).

I like my idea so much, I figure I might need to try it sometime

 

[slag]

A guy I know uses the supercharged 3.8 from the W body platform and with some simple mods has a great running dune buggy setup. HE uses the stock motor with a beefed up LSD and input shaft, 3.8 motor with a 3.5 pulley, pcm, and intake *and he had at one time run a different cam in it), and it makes great power and is fairly light.

He made the car in his garage in Topeka, KS.

 

[Stallion]

How about a 455 out of an Olds toronado. They are FWD and you'll have more then enough power. just grab the trans as well.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Roger
Easy fix for the space limitation.

Clark's Corvair Parts carries a kit which allows you to adapt a Corvair transaxle to a small block chevy.

This setup would be perfect for a dune buggy.

Dune Buggies and Hot VW's also have some very good articles on dune buggy design

Listen to Roger. A liquid-cooled engine in a dune buggy is asking for trouble IMO. A dune buggy's engine is just too exposed and subject to too much for me to think that adding another system, especially one as vulnerable as a liquid-cooling system, isn't a great idea. I'd think that an old VW flat four is the way to go, or a Corvair's flat six if you wanted more power.

ZV

EDIT: Clarity.

 

[Phuz]

Originally posted by: CurtCold
If your using a dune buggy frame, you'll wanna get a volkswagon beatle engine and put on it. It's simpler, air cooled (get on of the old one's) and you'll find tons of sites with info on how to do this through google. If you put a small block v8 on it, you'll need to also go get a life insurance policy, cause your going to need it. Look at it this way. Your going to be hauling nothing but engine, wheels, and yourself. A good 4banger would run you 100+mph, cause you have no weight. Also the weight of a 350, 302, or 318 engine is going to bog you down in mud, and also effect the jumping capabilities of your buggy. You can get an old bug motor, frame already built, or use the specs to build your own, a rebuild kit from JcWhitney, and even chrome dress up for less than you'll have in the v8, and be a helluva lot less likely to kill yourself, or passengers.
JMHO.......

This guy is so right.. and nobody's listening to him.
I rode in my friends VW Dune Buggy... and it was aprox 1000cc... it was insanely fast... I really don't think you're friend fully realizes what he's asking for.

 

[zCypher]

How much would something like this weigh?