Chevy/Olds aluminum block

[COPO_Anders]

Hi !
I picked up an aluminum block with some damage today. I don´t really know if it can be used on the street, but my first thought was to use it in a friends Olds 442. He is running a blower on his original engine, and I think this Keith Black-block is better suited to take that power. I would hate to see him destroy his original block.
Now does anyone have any experience with this type of block from K.B. ? I was told by my friend who had it that it has the Chevy BB head-boltpattern and that it accepts a Chevy BB crank, but it´s taller than a talldeck Chevy BB. The waterpump-pattern is also Chevy BB so it has ofcourse waterjackets.

Would it be crazy to try to use it on the street ?

[COPO_Anders]

Sidewiew of block.

[Seattle Sam]

"The KB600 Oldsmobile block uses big block Chevrolet internal components, which are available through Keith Black Racing Engines. Cylinder heads and manifolds are available through General Motors. The blocks are cast from the same 356 T-6 virgin aluminum that all KB Blocks share, (except for the Stage 15 fuel block) to ensure only the highest quality material. A multi-pattern bell housing pattern is machined into the rear of the block for use with GM or Chrysler transmissions. The big block Chevrolet or Oldsmobile head bolt pattern can be machined in the block.

Standard deck height is 9.800; available up to 10.200

Bore sizes from
4.250 to 4.500

KB600 can be made to accommodate up to 5 inch stroke crankshaft"

Quoted from teh Keith Black web site http://www.keithblack.com/racing_generalmotors.html

Anders, I hope this helps!
-Sam

[COPO_Anders]

Thanks Sam !
I don´t remember the deckheight but the bore is 4.400 inches.
A yenko aluminum block can be used to build a street-engine but is this K.B. Oldsmobile-block just to much of a racepiece to be used on the street ?

[Chevy454]

Could be used on the street, no problem...it'll only be as racey as you build it! LOL!! Only issues I can think of are if it's a tall block, then you'll need special headers, intake (or spacers), distributor...everything else sounds standard fare big block stuff. With that block, you could easily go big bore/stroke (550"-600" I'd say), but keep the compression down to pump gas levels, and have a thumper of a street engine...

[COPO_Anders]

Thanks Rob, that´s what I wanted to hear ! I think I can buy a couple of Dart heads that would fit. Then we would need a proper superchargerintake and some spacers like you said.

[markjohnson]

That looks like a dry block to me and not very streetable. I think these things are super exotic and there's a reason that you don't see them used in fast street cars. Do some more research.

[Chevy454]

You know what, you may be right, Mark! In the first picture, there are holes for the water pump flow, though, but none on the deck faces of the block? Maybe it's for use with dry heads, and just circulates coolant in the block itself somehow? Wierd...

[COPO_Anders]

Yes that´s weird. I think I´ll contact the Keith Black company and ask them of their opinion.
I spoke to a guy a couple of years ago, who used an aluminum K.B. Hemi raceblock on the street. He told me that it worked if you knew which measures to take.

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue">If I'm not mistaken I think you must plumb the water to the heads seperatly.
"Don't quote me", I remember seeing a blown one at the track with a few water lines off the top. </font>