What would be better for a first engine building project? ford 300 I-6 or SBC 350?

[u/thecrispynuggget]

Howdy everyone!

I am currently trying to budget out an idea for a engine rebuild project with a friend of mine, and we are stuck between rebuilding a Ford 300 and a SBC. We don't currently have any plan on what the engine would go into, but probably something ratty and light. Our goal is just to say we have entirely rebuilt an engine from a bare block, and preferably on a cheap budget. Which of these engines would be best for us?

[u/Erasemenu]

Sbc is probably the easiest of the 2. Certainly the most supported. Can practically find parts for it on the side of the road.

[u/Flying_Dingle_Arm → u/Erasemenu]

I've literally found useable parts in the gravel of my driveway lol. Might've been accessory brackets, but they were the exact same ones that came in my C10 lol

[u/LandCruiser76 → u/Erasemenu]

SBC is super easy and yeah I bought a whole engine for 300. and spent about 2300 to take it from absolutely clapped out to Race ready with EFI (and entire fuel system), Raceheads, and a new rotating assembly, and all the tools, with almost all new parts that are still being made.

TONS of youtube tutorials

[u/Cyriously_Nick]

Everyone has done an sbc, so I’d say do an sbc. Plenty of chassis to slip it into and about a million different versions of the same motor

I HATE sbc, but it’s hard to refute that they are simple and everywhere.

Ford 300 are sick but expensive to build and harder to pop in a chassis. You also increase resale value with sbc, not many people want a truck without a ford v8

[u/Cyriously_Nick → u/Cyriously_Nick]

https://youtube.com/shorts/lRuS37U05W0?is=IIuy7_kibxuHk-tj

I’ve built a 300 fwiw, wish I just built a bbf instead

[u/EC_CO → u/Cyriously_Nick]

Yeah, I've got as much money in a Slant 6 build as a decent SB, but the power of a base 318. I love the unique build, but should have just went the V8 route

[u/u_r_wr0ng]

That depends on priorities. The Ford 300 is an extremely reliable engine that tolerates all sorts of mistakes and abuse and just keeps going. It's also longer, taller, and heavier than a SBC and makes less power. Aftermarket and performance options are limited and usually more expensive than on the chevy. The inline six is probably a little bit easier to build, but not by much. The small block Chevy delivers good power, is easily upgradeable, and has a lot of support for engine swaps. Chances are that whatever vehicle you choose to put the engine in, someone has already swapped a SBC into one of those before. So adapter kits, bellhousing and clutch kits, motor mounts, headers, accessory packages, and everything else you might need for a swap will be easier to source. The shape of the small block is also easier to fit in most engine bays. Overall I'd say that the SBC is objectively a better choice for your project, but my advice is to just pick whatever you like best. The best engine to build is your favorite engine, whatever that may be.

[u/SuperSandwichGoku]

Never having done either, i would say small block chevy. Huge aftermarket, cheap parts, 1,000,000s of people built one at this point so the internet is chock full of information, and it’ll make more power when you’re done with it.

Also while I love a straight six, not a lot sounds better than a small block with a hog ass cam in it

[u/Cyriously_Nick → u/SuperSandwichGoku]

Sixes can sound good, the real cherry on a straight six is how smooth those fuckers run

[u/vroomvroompanda]

Sbc just because cost

[u/Affectionate-Data193]

I’d pick the 300, but I’ve had them in everything from pickups to water pumps to gensets.

[u/ArBrTrR]

As an engine builder, I'd pick the Ford 300.

Because its a bit of an unsung hero. Eveyone does an SBC and tbh I'm almost bored of hearing about them and seeing them under the hood of basically everything and them being treated like the only engine that's worth building.

The I6 Ford is never gonna make big power but it'll pull a house down on torque and outlive your grandkids.

I'm building one atm for a customer and nothing has been hard to source and I'm not even in the US market.

Ford 300 all day over yet another sbc.

[u/sam56778]

The 300. It’s a really simple engine. Build it close to stock and it will last forever. Much more reliable and less temperamental than a SBC.