Hi-po 327

[wally409]

I've just found out that my 62 SS that I'm going to restore is a factory 327 car instead of the 409 I was hoping it would be.
I bought it years ago without an engine and transmission.
It has the flared frame, boxed rear frame around the trunk, 3/8 fuel line through the passenger side A-frame, transmission tower for the wiggly-stick shifter, hole in the drivers side firewall for the tach cable and it has the two bolt holes on the driver's side inner fender for the tach sender unit,
I can't tell if the bottom two holes of the four on each fender that would have held the '409' emblem was punched out or drilled out because there is some rust around them.
I sent some pictrues of the ground strap from under the master cylinder to Phil Reed at his request and he said it was for a small block.
So - I'm wondering if Chev had anything other than the 300 HP 327 in 62.
I have a 62-64 .040 327 block and a pair of 462's in my garage that I could use for the build.
I've searched the web and found a picture of a 62 Biscayne Junior class record holder that had a cross-ram on a 327 - I'd never seen anything like this before.
I have a '62, 380-409 bubbletop as well as a complete 409 truck engine ready for rebuild, minus the hi-po heads.
I could probably build the 327 for a quarter of the cost of the 409 and have a numbers matching car.
If you have any information and tips on building a really hi-po 327, please let me know.
Thanks for your time.
Wally

 

[dq409]

There are a few good books on building the SBC. I think Smokey had one
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/part.asp?pid=MB115&c=0&e=0&cat=8&hid=824AB12127&trk=

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/headline.asp?hid=824AB12127


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Building+the+Small+Block+Chevy

 

[oldskydog]

Numbers matching?

Wally,
The only way to have a truly "numbers matching" car is if it has all the original components. You can build a correctly date coded car by finding all the correctly dated and cast components and even go so far as to restamp the pad on the block if you want and it will be a correctly numbered and appearing car. I personally would not use the term "numbers matching" unless I had documentation to back it up.

The 300 hp 327 was the biggest smallblock available in anything other than the Corvette. The block you have may be fine but unless it was cast within about 60 days before your car was built, it would not be correct. Likewise the 462 heads are great double hump heads but they were not used before the 66 model year. The heads you will need for a 300 hp are 461x castings appropriately dated.

My point is that if you want a 409 go for it. It will not be totally correct for your car but neither will the 327 components you have. As far as cost, you will be surprised when you start looking for correctly dated 327 parts as they are not cheap either. You can certainly save money by building a smallblock over a 409 if you don't worry about "numbers matching" but if you really want that fire-breathing W block then that's what you should do.

JMHO

 

[RCE1962]

Excellent information provided by oldskydog.


I agree with reasoning. bang


RCE1962

Ron

 

[wally409]

Thanks for the input - I appreciate it.
So now I have to decide whether or not I'm going to build a numbers matching car.
I could probably find someone who will either swap my 462's for 461's or do the buy and sell thing.
The other option (and it's probably the best one) is to create a replica, era-correct looking car with a stuffed 327.
Could you let me know components were in a Z-79 creating I think, 365 HP. That might be the way to go using what I have in my garage.
I forgot to mention that I have a factory 300-327 intake manifold. Is that the same piece they used on the Z-79? Also, did that engine come with headers?
Again, thanks for your help.
By the way, this is fun going through the site as I do my weekend gig as a DJ on a country station here in southern BC trying to get away withoug playing Chrismas music.
Right now I'm playing "That's The Way They Do It In Dixie" by Hank Jr. and friends (If I have to play Jingle Bells one more time, I'm gonna puke!)- hope my program manager doesn't stumble across this. wally

 

[oldskydog]

Wally,
I'm with you on the Christmas music. My wife is a Christmas nut and I guess I'm a Bah Humbug type. This is a high stress time of year for me . A lot of guilt for not lavishing her with expensive gifts (no money left after buying car parts) and right after Christmas comes what?.....Tax time, thats what. Right after the holiday bills come in. Then Valentines Day---more guilt. Maybe I should just forgo that 2x4 setup and buy her something nice. Nah.....

Anyway back to your dilemna. I think you are referring to the hydraulic cam L-79 350hp 327 that came out in 65 and was available only in the Corvette and Chevelle that year. It continued in some models with some changes in carburetion through 68 I believe. It came with 461 heads with 2.02 intakes, 2.5 inch exhaust manifolds, and an aluminum intake for the Holley carb. Other than the hydraulic cam it was identical to the 365 hp Corvette solid lifter engine. This would not be correct in appearance for your car but would certainly be more exiting than the correct 300 hp engine your car probably came with. If you are only going for correct appearing then you could use the 462 heads and 300hp intake, 2.5 exhaust manifolds, afb carb and correct air cleaner and no body could tell the difference by looking at it. The 462 heads look just like the 461's with the valve cover on.
I don't know if you've ever driven a 300 hp 327 but I think it is the best all around engine for a car thats driven on the road a lot. Plenty of torque. It just looks kid of plain jane.
JMHO

 

[wally409]

Hey Cecil - appreciate the info.
I've never had a 327 but have ridden in many that my friends had in the past.
The majority have been the lo-po versions and theyr'e really a sweet engine.
Regarding the aluminum intake you mentioned, I'm one that likes to stick to a stock look on the Chevy's I've built in the past and I'm going continue to do so for another reason.
Here in BC, you can get a Collector license plate if you restore classics and antiques and the key for eligibility is making the vehicle look 'era correct', using the governments vernacular when you submit the photos and documentation.
What's inside the engine does not have to be documented so that will be my intention - to build a wolf in sheep's clothing.
By the way You can register and insure a car or truck for about a quarter of what it costs for a daily driver.
Classics and antiques here cannot be driven to work. Weird huh? I can drive my 62 to Calfornia and back (3,000 miles) but I can't take it to the radio station two miles away from my house.
Anyway, I'll be going through my inventory in my garage and decide in the next couple of months which direction I'm going to go.

Re: the music again. I've been a Bah-Humbugger for a couple of decades now. I've been in radio and TV for 33 years and when they started running Christmas commercials in October, I've become de-senstized to the season. My wife (God bless her) of 34 years still is like a little kid and I try not to spoil the party for her too much.
I play drums in a hard-core rock band and we had a party at our house last night and I told her three was the maximum number of Christmas songs we would play which we did, then it was on to AC/CD, Deep Purple, Van Halen,
ZZ Top and other classic tunes.
The thing that really twists my crank is that the Wal-Marts of the world are using Christ's name to make another billion dollars - but I don't wanna go there.
Takes the fun out of making music.
wally