Port the heads, polish the exhaust, but leave the intake rough to help the fuel to attomize and vaporize. then have the heads flow tested, as well as have the intake manifold match ported and flow tested also. Oversize valves, 3 angle grind with stelite seats. Solid lifters with a gear drive cam is the way to go.

Remember, your making the horsepower in the heads.

BTW... boring the cylinders is not a good thing.... you don't want to do this unless you *absolutely* have to. It reduces cylinder wall thickness and the larger pistons increase the internal rotating mass. You *DO* want to have the engine fitted with 4 bolt mains if it doesn't already have them, then have it ZERO BALANCED. You will probably also need to go with an aluminium flywheel and scatter shield. BTW... Borge and Beck multi plate clutch is a good thing.

Unless your building an engine that will be run wide ass open *ALL THE TIME* like a NASCAR engine, then your probably going to want to have the cam ground for mid-range hp and torque. Figure to have it kick in at around 2800rpm with a shift point around 5750/5800. If you don't have him beat by then, hang it up.

I am assuming direct port induction and 5spd manual trans.... if you can get hold of 4 2bbl 42mm down draft weber carbs, you shouldn't have any problem at all getting 500 - 600 *RELIABLE* hp on the street.....and if you can keep your foot out of it, get 20+mpg

Don't forget to upgrade the trans, drive shaft, and rear end, to handle the extra power.
Then you also gotta upgrade the brakes..... the fastest car in the world isn't worth a crap if it can't stop.

Might want to think about suspension and tire/rim upgrades.... make it quick, make it fast, then make it turn too. Got to be able to get the power to the ground.....hopping axles and smoking tires ain't gonna do anything but lose races and cost you money.


BTW... I built a 235hp 1600cc pinto engine(no blower or turbo) and dropped it into a Cortina..... ran like a scalded cat and handled like it was on rails. those guys in their big block Camer-slos got rather upset when they got their doors blown off by a little 4-banger.
Mississippi Steve Reviewed by Mississippi Steve on . question about engines ok heres the question. im building a 350 chevy motor punched out 60 over, makes it somethin like a 358 i think. but any way im geting ready to start doin my heads and valves. heres the question would you port or polish? or both? please give your reasoning. i know what im goin to do, im porting. but i would just like some other persons opinion on the matter. Rating: 5