built bottom end vs short block

[usaf_branham]

At some point I would like to invest in the trickflow twisted wedge 2v kit with some stage 3 blower cams and a 14 psi pulley for the kenne bell. Before any of this can happen I have to do something about the bottom end. Money is an issue so which is the best route...

1. rebuild my stock bottom end with forged pistons and rods and leave the stock crank in place - cheapest route, but i dont know how safe it is for what i want to ultimately do

2. rebuild my stock bottom end with an entirely forged rotating assembly - I know this is a safe route, however i question the stock aluminum block integrity and wonder how much it can take.

3. buy an already assembled iron short block...

Its a weekend / nice day driver and I dont take it to the track that often, so its not going to get beat up all the time. I just want to make sure that when I do get all over it, im not crying over a hole in the side of the block...

Im not even sure what kind of horsepower the combination would make, and im still in the planning stages, so any input would be appreciated.


Also, I get the whole 8.5:1 compression ratio and it being best for boost, but since i have the kenne bell 2.1 and I have no intention of upgrading to a better blower, I am limited to 14 psi. How much compression do you guys think i can throw 14 psi at?

 

[trinity_gt]

At some point I would like to invest in the trickflow twisted wedge 2v kit with some stage 3 blower cams and a 14 psi pulley for the kenne bell. Before any of this can happen I have to do something about the bottom end. Money is an issue so which is the best route...

1. rebuild my stock bottom end with forged pistons and rods and leave the stock crank in place - cheapest route, but i dont know how safe it is for what i want to ultimately do

For a KB at 14psi I wouldn't get that far into the engine and not upgrade the crank to forged as well.

2. rebuild my stock bottom end with an entirely forged rotating assembly - I know this is a safe route, however i question the stock aluminum block integrity and wonder how much it can take.

The GT 2V block is iron. It isn't weak.

3. buy an already assembled iron short block...

If you're technically apt and have access to a good machine shop and can afford the car to be down a while it'd probably be cheaper to build your own combo using the OE block.

However, good outfits making such engines (e.g. MMR) have good reputations and vast amounts of experience building engines...

 

[usaf_branham]

thanks for the input. i now feel completely retarded about the block though, i thought the GT's had aluminum heads and block, i guess its just the heads then.

anyway, what kind of costs do you think im looking at for the machine shop? I know i would have to get the cylinder walls cleaned up, but i cant think of anything else.