Cost and benefits of stroking a 350

[kip younger]

I'm toying with the idea of using a stroker kit to rebuild my 350. I have discovered that they vary in price greatly and that all of the kits demand that they be professionally balanced. Soooooo, any ideas what it might cost (roughly) to have the machine shop work completed, on the block to fit the stroker kit? And does anyone know of a good shop in the Ocala, Fl. area? Is the cost of the kit and the machine work worth the added benefits? thanks much.

[shakedown067]

Most stroker kits really bring the 350 to life. Nothing like the roar and stump pulling torque of a 383 to wake the dead. I'm not sure on machine shop pricing, but just to drop off the car, have it installed and tuned, and back to you ranges from $3,500-$5,000. If you're dropping off the block, it probably won't be too bad. I'd expect to pay around $750-$1,250 (just an educated guess at best).

[AdvAutoBob]

Originally Posted by shakedown067

Most stroker kits really bring the 350 to life. Nothing like the roar and stump pulling torque of a 383 to wake the dead. I'm not sure on machine shop pricing, but just to drop off the car, have it installed and tuned, and back to you ranges from $3,500-$5,000. If you're dropping off the block, it probably won't be too bad. I'd expect to pay around $750-$1,250 (just an educated guess at best).

Too many other factors in play to attempt trying to measure cost (camshaft design, cylinder heads, etc.).

Too many terms are bandied about at shows, on the forums etc (i.e. "stroker kit", "port and polish", "balanced and blueprinted", etc., etc.) by people that really don't understand the terms. Consequently, a lot of misinformation is passed along as gospel. Not calling anybody here out, that's just been my experience in 27 years of building high-performance cars and engines.

Rule of thumb: add up everything you think you're going to need, figure worst case cost, then add 60%.... you'll be in the ballpark, but plan on spending a bit more for the unexpected things that pop up.

[shakedown067]

Originally Posted by AdvAutoBob

Rule of thumb: add up everything you think you're going to need, figure worst case cost, then add 60%.... you'll be in the ballpark, but plan on spending a bit more for the unexpected things that pop up.