Engine Rebuild

Rebuild by: Herb Glaesmann Engine Service – Spring, TX

Engine History:  Our family had a 1957 short wheelbase (SWB) stepside purchased for an army surplus auction for $75 in the mid 1970’s.  The 1957 SWB stepside, meant to be an original restoration, suffered a catastrophic engine failure as the 235 I6 engine literally broke in half.  Highly dismayed and searching for a replacement engine, and was basically gifted one by a church member at a great price.

After much research regarding engine rebuilders, we decided to go with Herb Glaesmann Engine Service out of Spring, TX.  His shop came highly recommended as he has provided numerous engine set-ups and sales on eBay, etc.

This section will cover the rebuild of my engine.

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine Cast # – 3970010….350…69-80…4 bolt main
Engine VIN # – VO512TAX
Engine Head # – 1970 3932441….69-70…350……….76cc chambers
1.94/1.50 valves, 76cc chambers
Intake flow 152 CFM
Exhaust flow 93.2 CFM
Intake manifold # – 3965577 350 4 iron Qjet B F X    300,350hp

Herb’s comments:   The motor built started with a 350-4 bolt main block.  The casting number was #3970010, sporting the original casting number #441 heads.   Finding a virgin engine, this age (circa 1970), is INCREDIBLE!!   The motor was in good enough shape, allowing only .030″ cylinder bore increase and the crankshaft was ground only .010″/.010″ undersize.  The machining process, included resizing the connecting rod big ends to OEM spec’s and magnaflux inspection for cracks and defects.  The heads received a 3-angle valve job, new guides, and hardened valve seats.  This will allow the use of unleaded fuel.  The gasket surface was decked for head gasket retention.

After the machine work on the block, crank, rods, and heads were completed, the cylinders were fitted with FLATTOP hypereutectic pistons.  This will yield a 9.2 to 1 compression ratio, with the 76cc combustion chambers.  The camshaft selected has 204`/214`@.050 specifications with 0.446″ lift on 112` LSA, providing 19-20 inches idle vacuum and GREAT street performance!  Power range for this combo is 1400-5000 rpm’s, IDEAL for a daily driver or weekend cruiser.  Expect approximately 300hp and 360ft.lbs. torque, working best with a 3.23-3.55 rear axle ratio.

26 thoughts on “Engine Rebuild

  • December 26, 2011 at 2:54 am
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    If your articles are alawys this helpful, “I’ll be back.”

    Reply
  • March 6, 2012 at 3:18 pm
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    wish I had Googled Herb prior to sending him money he shipped me a pc. of shit full of junkyard parts that ran 30 mins.
    I’ll share the photos of the engine if you like.
    Mike Hayes Mayfield Ky.

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    • November 12, 2012 at 8:03 am
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      yeah, i paid big money for a piece of junk too from herb glaesman in spring texas! blew a head gasket 2 miles down the road, tore engine apart, used cheap junk gaskets. someone else was complaining about cheap head gaskets. he told them to use felpro, funny same thing i heard from him! why didn’t he do it in the first place! then my damper blew apart and destroyed my double timing cheap piece of crap china double timing chain! he used junk parts after i asked him not too! i had more problems than mentioned here! just email me! he’ll do just about anything to save himself a nickel and charge you big $$$$. he’s no master craftsman. i know other people i found after i talked with’ that dealt with this so called professional, nothings ever his fault according to him….stear clear! i also have pictures and documentation!

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      • March 29, 2016 at 7:48 pm
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        Has anyone been able to get there money back?

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    • March 29, 2016 at 7:45 pm
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      Me to , will you e-mail me
      Thanks

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    • September 15, 2019 at 9:27 pm
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      can you please send me photos I was going to use this guy but probably won’t know after reading all of these thanks!

      Reply
  • May 25, 2012 at 4:34 pm
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    hi, I’m having trouble finding specs for my 79 350 chevy 4 bolt main out of a truck. Putting it in a 91 S10. Do you have the ring gap for the first, second and the oil rings, also the piston to block side clearance. Also would you have the main and rod brg. clearance. Sure need help, thank you.

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  • November 11, 2012 at 8:18 pm
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    i would not have herb glaesman build any motor for me, he say’s he’s a master craftsman! master craftsmen don’t do shotty work and use inferior parts. total ripoff this dolt!

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    • November 11, 2012 at 8:20 pm
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      yeah! i hear ya, nothing but prob;ems with an engine i purchased from him, total junk! crappy parts…have many pictures if interested!

      Reply
  • November 13, 2012 at 1:16 pm
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    that guy’s a piece of work! i’d never buy anything from him, i also had major engine trouble from a rebuilt piece of garbage he sold me! i too have pictures if you all intrerested.
    tim makee
    plano, tx

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  • November 15, 2012 at 8:09 am
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    yeah, that herb glaesman is a jerk, he sold me junk too! i have many pictures
    mike thomas
    plano, tx

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  • January 13, 2013 at 8:53 am
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    Gee Herb, you’re not too popular these days ! Looks like you have a slight image problem

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  • July 10, 2013 at 9:24 pm
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    Had Herb Glaesman build me a 455 pontiac. It took me 10 months to get my motor. It didn’t have the D-port heads we agreed on. I bought D-port headers, paid 300 bucks on top of that to get them coated.. only to find out right after he pulls out and I pull the tape off the exhaust ports to find round ports. I paid for a port/valve job done that was not done. I’m almost done with the car, so no report on whether the motor is crap, but it does build oil pressure good and doesnt run hot. Dont give this guy your money. Since he dropped the motor off he has never answered or returned a phone call.

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  • November 30, 2013 at 1:29 pm
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    how can i reach this herb guy? sounds like i can get a motor done cheap(ly).

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  • September 12, 2015 at 4:36 am
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    A look at engine rebuild costs, what’s included in a performance engine rebuild kit, and the basic procedure for rebuilding an engine.

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  • March 25, 2016 at 2:08 pm
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    Purchased a motor from herb on eBay. After being installed for a couple days I realized something was very wrong. Because it was supposed to be guaranteed I shipped it back to be fixed. He was paid thousands for the motor and now it has been approximately 6 months since we shipped it back to him to be fixed properly and we can’t even get him to answer a phone call from us. We are from Maine and have tried everything to get him to answer a call from us. I used my friends phone from another state and as you can imagine he answered the phone immediately. Apologized all over the place. Told us that the motor was bad when he checked it and told us to call him back two days later to talk about how to resolve this problem. No surprise…he won’t answer again. He is a thief and should be treated as exactly that.

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  • February 20, 2017 at 6:56 pm
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    I wish I had searched and reviewed Herb before using him. I paid him to rebuild my engine and to date (2-20-2017) I have not received everything I paid for and now he’s PURPOSELY ignoring my calls, texts, emails, and now certified letter. I WILL BE TAKING HIM TO COURT IF HE DOES NOT MAKE GOOD ON WHAT I PAID FOR! Oh ya, its been about 7-8 months since I paid him for everything.

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    • May 30, 2021 at 11:03 pm
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      Hey I just came across all of these reviews and I wanted to know what was the out come of your situation? I two paid him for a 383 stroker motor and have yet to receive anything. I paid him back in October of 2020.please email me back at James Elliott.be2@gmail.com I don’t know what to do and any advice would be greatly appreciated

      Reply
  • February 20, 2018 at 1:19 pm
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    Herb put too much cam in my Pontiac 400 motor. When someone else took the cam out it was amazing the mess. After only 4,000 miles, the cam bearings, rod bearings and crankshaft bearings were toast. No alignment dowels used on the lower boltholes of water pump cover. Loose timing chain. Head bolts were not uniformly torqued. A head bolt was not a heat treated head bolt. A cylinder rod bolt was cross-threaded.

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  • March 25, 2019 at 11:56 am
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    I bought a new rebuilt 383 stroker from him it was poping an back firing an he did nothing I spent well over 5 grand with him ported intake he got me good he wouldn’t respond to any of my messages are calls it’s been now two years I

    Reply
  • September 15, 2019 at 9:26 pm
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    damn I was gonna use him to build me a 383 stroker for my 89 camaro but I am glad I decided to look at his reviews will not be using him sounds like he doesn’t know what hes doing at all! someone please send me pictures of his work please thanks!

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  • May 19, 2020 at 12:48 pm
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    This guy is a big ripoff. Paid $3500.00 for a motor and what I received was a piece of junk with used parts. Nothing like we had discussed. Told him I was sending it back for a refund because there was no way I was going to give him a chance for another junk motor, and when he received it he had neglected to tell me he charges 30% restocking fee even though he is the one who built this piece of junk and didn’t build what we had discussed. He finally said the best he could do was refund $1800.00 of my $3500.00. I had no choice but to accept this because he lives in another state and I figured if I argued about it I would get nothing. Finally after a few weeks of calling and texting him everyday he finally sent $900.00 one day and another $900.00 a few days later. This guy sells on ebay as 1951herb and I wish there was a way to let people know don’t buy from this ripoff. Wish I would have googled him before buying.

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  • December 24, 2020 at 8:10 pm
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    Engine purchased (383) was not setup for smog as agreed. Second attempt, smog part(s) installed, engine was vibrating (out of balance). Third attempt (another rebuild) engine was again crap (overheating). There were two accidents of the vehicle while left with the rebuilder. A backing accident and bed dents from an engine rolling around. He denied responsibility. I gave truck to a mechanic friend. He removed, disassembled, inspected and photographed the engine. It was not a professional rebuild. Sealant inside of the engine. Bearings were scarred due to dirt circulating (engine not clean on assembly). The wrong and a used cam installed. End Result: Cost many thousands of dollars, lost the plot with the restoration vehicle (total economic loss), forced to purchase another vehicle. He did not refund money as agreed.

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  • May 30, 2021 at 10:55 pm
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    Damn I paid this guy herb gleasmann $4800 for a 383 stroker motor back in October of 2020 now it is may 30 2021 and I have yet to receive my engine.i have called and called but he has not called me back.has anyone had this problem? Or has anyone taking him to court?

    Reply

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