318 engine

[W300FLATBED]

I have a W300, with a 318. I think that its poly 318, from what I understand the LA wasnt till 1967. My question is, I want to build an engine for my truck. Should I stick with the 318 poly, or upgrade to a 318 LA?

What is the best reference to get started in building an engine? I have the time, so I think I can do it.

Thanks, Im sure that I will be posting more later.

[cowboy]

w300 there's plenty of goodies for both the poly & the LA 318's LA are just a little easyer to find goodies for & more afordable , What kinda of power & what are you going to be useing the truck for ? I have some paper work that tells how to make a 318 poly into a 402 stroker , it all depends on what you can aford & what your useing the truck for

[Shaun]

I have a poly in my 65 that will do 15's in the 1/4 mile,but what if a new Saturn pulled up next to me and smoked me? The Saturn is one of the slowest new cars now and it does 15's!
I am going to sell my poly(or part it out)when my 440 project is completed. I have to be able to burn those little weedeater cars .
If you want to build that poly,start with a stroker crank-at least 3.58(a 360 stroke). You can use a 360 crank,but you have to have the mains turned down to(what is it?)2.5 from 2.625-the rod journals are the same.But you might as well go bigger yet-a 4 in stroke! Then over bore it,good pistons,good cam(Racer Brown is what I have-they have new ones,so does Chris Nielson and Schnieder-talk to Gary Pavlovich at glpavlovich@cox.net-he's the local poly guru).Then put a stock 4bbl mani on it,or a Weiand(that's your choices almost,unless you can find a three-duece(P-600)Edelbrock. You can make 400 hp with a poly,if you want to really pay for it.Not me though,I'll start big this time. Shaun

[W300FLATBED]

Thanks guys. I am not looking to make my truck into a hot rod. The engine I have now is failing, burning oil, and has a coolant leak. I want to build a replacement engine similar, so I dont have to change mcuh on the tranny. The old engine I may tweak a bit. This is a long term project. I just want to do it, just to say I can.

So, with all that,
Will either a LA or Poly bolt up to my tranny?

[cowboy]

Yes on the trannie , a good Rv cam will do just fine for a good driver & will help out on the working end as well