My v8 conversion thread, With pics, progress, questions ect!! Options

[Andyrew]

So making it official I am making this my one v8 progress thread, I will possibly post questions about the conversion elswhere, but my progress will go here.
Anyways, the story..
Knowing that I needed a new engine, I searched for some conversions, finding a few, then falling through, I ask about a v8 conversion, two guys here generously said that they will help and sell me some of their stuff. Together I will be able to make a nice conversion on a very limited budget. Here I will take the time to thanks Scott K and Steve H for what they have done and what they will do.

Anyways with that, I then went to pick and pull and found a 305 engine from some later car. We look all around and cant find an engine number.. Hey, its a v8, we need to pull something, Lets just do it (im very glad I said that..)
We then get the engine home and I plop off the valve covers and find that it has 350 heads(via the number), hmm.. Interesting... So I go and find the block number look it up. Sure enough, its a 350 block. Well thats not enough for me, I take it apart check the bore, theck the stroke, Yuppers 4in bore, something or other stroke, Yup its definately a 350! Whats not known is why it was in a 305 car.. So checking the pistons dad says there high compression, I wouldnt know any better.
So then talking about radiators, Mike Mueller kindly offers me his (very large) aluminum radiator for cheep. I take him up on his offer and drive to his house to see his garage packed with neet toys! Thanks mike for the walk through! We enjoyed it!
So we go home, and later in the week(yesterday) I start taking off the pistons, I get one off and clean it, trying to find an overbore number.. Cant fine one Check the bearings, they have .0005 on them. No clue what that means...
Anyways, while taking out the rest of the pistons dad stares at something for a second, laughs, and shows me that it is a 4 bolt main. So, now where very curious to why it was in a regular family car.. 84 or such.

Anyways, enough with the gabber, heres my list of pics..

[Andyrew]

Thanks neal.

Alright guys I've been thinking (oh no... RUN! HE'S GOT A WELDER IN HIS HANDS, RUUUUUN!)

I've been thinking about chassi (hmm *checks word's spell check*Gah, stupid "s") chassis strength.. Yes this does include the welder.... I was thinking of adding some tubes in very percise locations to strengthen the car... I cant really put super good pics of it... But let me Tell you what im thinking.

Up front in the trunk, Since I will be cutting the inside fender wells, I think I should put a couple braces in there. Mainly, From the front A arm pick up point on both sides To some point on the firewall of the gas tank. Creating a triangle. Also from those two bars, possibly putting in one or two bars that go horizontally, one at the bottom by the a arms, and one in the middle, possibly holding a battery down the future when I decide to put the battery up front.

In the middle of the car.. I dont know, suggestions accepted, but I dont want this to be a tube car... I have ONLY a certain amount of welding skills.. lol. I want to add as much strength as possible while not cutting up the car or "ruining it" Maybe 10 bars max through the car. I do have plans of welding in the interior long stiffening kit. My longs are perfect, but this is a going to be a v8 car.. and you never know what that extra tq could do.

Next I heard some traffic about the rear suspension ears possibly flexing a tad.. I also saw the thread where they ran a tube from the front engine fire wall to the ear.. Looks good... Anything else in that compartment?

Also the rear trunk.. Somethin like this

(IMG:http://i3.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/27/1c/c3_12_s.JPG)

Anyone have any advice? Where can I help this problem of "stress"? I get it enough myself...

Andrew