Technical What are all the Small Block Chevy Cubic Inch Combonations? And Which is your Favorite?

It seems to me like everyone that's ever played with cars has owned one. My questions are, what combonation is your favorite, and which ones have you tried with success or not?

I'm talking mostly cubic inch combinations such as anything from a destroked 265, to a 400+ cubic inch 283 block. I'm a sucker for the wacky combos that people have come up with. So, I wanted to start this thread as a source of information for those who have common interests as me, and for those looking to build something a little more interesting than the standard 350.

 

I think the factory had it right with the 327. Always been a favorite of mine.

 

My original 302 and my 327s. Gary

 

I agree, I love the 327. However I've really been wanting to try a 283 crank in a 327 Block for some time now.

 

327 block 283 crank

 

I've had about every conceivable version of the SBC from the factory plus a 383. The 383 was every bit as fast [in a 74 'vette coupe] as my 406 was in a 50 chevy delivery.
I suppose the most surprising was a bone stock 220 hp 283 in a 66 Impala hardtop with a 3 speed and a 3.36 Posi. Had great power, got 19 MPG on the hiway. That thing would wind 'till I'd get scared and shift.

 

This makes a 302, correct? How does this seem to perform?

 

The doggiest was a 72 nova I bought because it had the factory 4 speed. Motor was a 307, 2 barrel, single exhaust. I replaced the flat cam with a 350 HP job, bolted on a Q-jet and dual exhaust. It was ok up to about 4500 rpm and it'd run outta power. It did get me 18 MPG on a 4300 mile trip tho.

 

I happen to have a bone stock 1966 283 220 horse sitting in a tire on my garage floor right now, I'm actually contemplating throwing it in my 56 Chevy with a Muncie M20 and a 5.57 posi behind it while I come up with a combonation for my street/strip small block.

 

2gm-3703524

Jack E/NJ

 

My best bet is that the heads restricted the 307 pretty bad if a 350 HP camshaft didn't wake it up.

 

265? I can't say I have ever seen one in person, would love to own one though.

 

301's best I ever built.

(for you youngsters that's a 302)

 

this engine was built by Dave Lewis, the author of "the small block chevy interchange manual".
the book is "on topic" for this thread and a must have for those wanting to mix and match sbc parts.
i have 4.56 rear gears and this car is QUICK. FUN QUICK!

 

The 307, with the caveats
Change the heads,
change the cam
You're starting with good bores and bottom end parts
Don't put one in the machine shop.
From the factory They were all a sick pig of an engine.
However with some compression, and a performance cam they are quite surprising.
Dirt cheap too, best dollar to power ratio

 

My A has a bone stock 265 in it, and right next to it is a customers small block 427 in an Avanti. Both are fun to drive for different reasons. As far as factory built engines, chevy got it right with the dz302. Their worst effort was the 267.

 

The bores are small and the Combustion chambers of the factory heads are huge.
They needed compression. A set of 283 power pack heads wake it up or 305 ho heads work even better and are cheaper if you don't mind accessory holes

 

377 ,big bore short stroke ,

 

400. Shoe spooned it into my first car...62 Nova two door hardtop. Crazy fast little automobile.

 

327/350 hp L79, +.040 in my 67 Nova
350+.040 in my 66 Suburban

All aluminum 427 in my Roadster
Rodeck 350+block(4.125" bore).
Callies 4"crank and 5.850 rods
Wiseco forged pistons
Air Flow Research 210 heads with Comp Cams rockers
Crane hydraulic roller cam and lifters
Smith Bros pushrods
Isky rev kit
Milodon fixed idler gear drive
McFarland Torq Link intake
Braswell 750 carb (Holley)

 

Helped a buddy build a 301 ,327 block and a 283 crank, in the early 90's. We found his dad's 12.5 : 1 pistons and Mickey Thompson aluminum rods from the 60's era. Then put on my set of bow tie heads. And a 30/30 cam. It pulled like a sob. Ran almost all summer, until a late night beer run and a rod broke, in a cloud of tire smoke.

 

3 engines within 5 cu. inches:
302-4.oox3.00
307-3.875x3.25
305-3.736x3.480

Bore vs. Stroke. Difference?

 

283,302,327,355,377,383,400, and my blown 406. I like them all!

 

I had a 262 in a '76 Monza 4-speed (loved that car)
307 in a '69 Nova (dog)
Several stock 350's
a couple of 383's - the motor Chevy should have made!

 

Make mine 283s, 327s and early 350s. I built a 301 for a kid in auto shop class in 1969 that we put in a 55 more door with 3 speed and 5:13 rear end that was very hard to clean after til he blew it up when he missed a cog. I had a 55 F100 with a 70 LT-1 350 that was a lot of fun too. Also had a couple small block 400s that ran pretty good. Never thought too much of the 305 or 307.

 

Any one of these CID would perform, IF you take time to grind the correct Cam,
With cylender heads , intake , cfm's
Then Look at what weight of the car , then gearing including transmission tire size,
You would be SURPRISED on the performance ,
Not just by the seat of your pant's ,

 

DDDenny ,your 427 , was it tuned on Dyno , 750 cfm's seem small ,
Is it just a big inch motor with about 520hp ,

 

"Most" of my engines, running ones that is, are 327's; I did't plan it that way, it just sort of evolved. As such, I have NEW 327 stuff piled high. My strangest combination is the 334 in my OT, DD truck, a .030 over 305 block with a cut down 400 crank, 400 rods, and a forged 305 piston. I've also got 301/302 parts in both small and large journal, some 350 parts, and even some 265/283 stuff. Name your poison. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Eddy
I hope this doesn't "break your heart"(I read your profile page) but yes, it did get a couple pulls on the dyno. This was never intended to be a high horse motor, just a mild mannered street motor with an occasional visit to the local dirt track. I got a package deal on the assembly and dyno session so it wasn't fully wrung out for maximum horsepower.
As to your statement about the carb; actually my original plan was to use a 1050 Holley Dominator, but my engine guy said considering the combination of parts and it's intended use, he would not advise it. He had an "in" at Braswell, and this carb is a no label carb so I don't know a lot about it.
Below is a link to the Hot Rod article that hooked me on the Dominator . Damn, those are one sexy carb ain't they.
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/ccrp-0603-run-a-dominator-on-the-street/

Here is my dyno sheet.

 

so i'm boring---> 301.59 (302)
any bilt to the hilt 283 (288ci) you get it....
and the stroked 383 zowee... fun
the high winders...