I doubt anyone here really knows how to rebuild an engine. I would look to more car orinetated forums for that.

Bigger cams usually net a nice amount of horse power.

Also I would just get engine paint/high temperature paint. Should work fine.

It comes down to your application towards daily driver or street or strip car. depends on budget most of the time the crate engine wins hence the warranty. if you assembly you have much machine work to do talking almost 1500 dollars and then add parts. i would personally find an engine shop to do it or crate motor especially if you have little inclination on what your doing.
but a good start is camshaft max .488 lift or you will collapse the valve springs and than go with msd ignition. maybe change your torque converter on top of that with something like a 1800-2000 stall speed..

What do you want more power for? 0-60, 1/4 mile, etc. If it's 0-60, get new gears and go down to 4:10.

I'm not sure how much you can bore a Chevy engine, but we took the 351M out of my dads Bronco and bored it out to a 400. It's got the power of a 400, yet the light weight of the 351M. I think that'd be my main point of attack after gears. Then it'd be raising the timing / fuel injection, cams, spark plugs, bigger injectors, long tube headers with a 3.5" full exhaust, etc.

GiveMeRep4free wrote I doubt anyone here really knows how to rebuild an engine. I would look to more car orinetated forums for that.

Bigger cams usually net a nice amount of horse power.

Also I would just get engine paint/high temperature paint. Should work fine.

I have rebuilt multiple small block chevys, been doing it since i was 14 yrs of age

as for painting the block just make sure you degrease it good then before painting it make sure you wash it down with some brake clean and let it dry shouldn't take to long

Use engine paint for block and cylinder heads, oil pan and valve covers and intake unless your changing it to aluminum . headers if your buying them can have them coated or use 1200 degree paint or higher or even barbecue paint

Camshaft change, after market intake , headers, don't need much to make a little extra horsepower and still drive on pump gas

Im_ViruhL wrote I have a 1990 GMC Sierra 2wd stepside, with a 1st genereation 350 small block. Im gonna buy all the necessities (if thats how that word is even spelled) such as gaskets and pistons and plugs and wires o rings. But i want more horsepower. What do i buy for the most horsepower on a stock transmission? And i have 3.55 rear end ratio. And how do i shine the block and paint it? What special paint and buffer do i use?

nice thing about 350 chevrolet small block alpt of the parts from 1950's to 2000 alot are interchangeable . cylynder heads changed some like bolt patters on valve covers and intake some may have changes been a while . but best thing to do is find a full ejection system from a vortec 350 from 1997 to 2000 and bolts right on with heads and use same cam shaft or litte better one and you will need the ECM from the vehicle and get a 4l80 transmission that 1990 truck will fly simple cam change not to much over stock should make around 325 hp and run good and get pretty good gas milage still

pic of what style truck he has
[ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

002 wrote What do you want more power for? 0-60, 1/4 mile, etc. If it's 0-60, get new gears and go down to 4:10.

I'm not sure how much you can bore a Chevy engine, but we took the 351M out of my dads Bronco and bored it out to a 400. It's got the power of a 400, yet the light weight of the 351M. I think that'd be my main point of attack after gears. Then it'd be raising the timing / fuel injection, cams, spark plugs, bigger injectors, long tube headers with a 3.5" full exhaust, etc.

Thing is with going with 4:10 gears you most likely snap axles then, even with stock motor

Weld wrote

002 wrote What do you want more power for? 0-60, 1/4 mile, etc. If it's 0-60, get new gears and go down to 4:10.

I'm not sure how much you can bore a Chevy engine, but we took the 351M out of my dads Bronco and bored it out to a 400. It's got the power of a 400, yet the light weight of the 351M. I think that'd be my main point of attack after gears. Then it'd be raising the timing / fuel injection, cams, spark plugs, bigger injectors, long tube headers with a 3.5" full exhaust, etc.

Thing is with going with 4:10 gears you most likely snap axles then, even with stock motor

Not at all, I ran 4.56 gears in a stock Ford 8.8 rear end on my '97 F-150 lol. We had 4.88's in my brothers old '96 Ram 1500, these trucks can handle a lot of abuse especially with straight solid axles.

002 wrote

Weld wrote

002 wrote What do you want more power for? 0-60, 1/4 mile, etc. If it's 0-60, get new gears and go down to 4:10.

I'm not sure how much you can bore a Chevy engine, but we took the 351M out of my dads Bronco and bored it out to a 400. It's got the power of a 400, yet the light weight of the 351M. I think that'd be my main point of attack after gears. Then it'd be raising the timing / fuel injection, cams, spark plugs, bigger injectors, long tube headers with a 3.5" full exhaust, etc.

Thing is with going with 4:10 gears you most likely snap axles then, even with stock motor

Not at all, I ran 4.56 gears in a stock Ford 8.8 rear end on my '97 F-150 lol. We had 4.88's in my brothers old '96 Ram 1500, these trucks can handle a lot of abuse especially with straight solid axles.

I agree with 002 not going to snap an axle, thing will get up and haul ass though from the get go

id say put some cams in it. and some long flow headers