360 magnum build

If you want to go roller cam, then the magnum block would be a better place to start. If you can verify the magnum runs and doesn't make any strange sounds, then it would be a good starting point.

I started down this road a while back, but the Magnum I started with for $400 turned out to be toast. I decided to take all the parts I acquired for the Magnum swap and throw them at my old 360 (LA). I ordered up the 2.02 version of the EQ magnum head from Clearwater with the LA intake bolt pattern. In order to use the roller cam I had in the LA block I had to order retrofit hydraulic lifters from Hughes Engines for $360.

I just got the motor back together and running again, but it has rained almost every day since so it doesn't have much time on the road yet.

I was hoping to get 9.5 to one compression by swapping the small chamber heads onto the LA 360, but the pistons we so far down the hole .088 that even with thin head gaskets I ended up with 8.7 to 1 compression.

The pistons in the Magnum motor should be closer to the deck yielding a better compression ratio.