Projects It's 3/27, so show off your 327's!

Doug, did you forget what day it is ? I recently picked up this complete 67-350 hp. Sadly it belonged to a close friend of mine who passed in January.

 

This is my filthy '68 over the counter L79, 461 heads.
This is the other 327 I have

 

P. S. It's my wife's birthday too!!
My favorite 327

 

OK, ok...so I know this isn't quite what the original intent of this thread is about but I just can't help tossing out my pics. After all, it is a 327.
The ol' beast runs pretty good;

 

The above photo was taken in downtown San Francisco, near the Steinhart Aquarium.

Hello,

My first real new car purchase was a 327 powered, red El Camino. The odd thing was, I purchased it in downtown Long Beach, CA and within weeks, drove to Northern California to go to college in San Jose. While there, between classes, I got the wild notion of going to the birthplace of my own red 327 powered El Camino. It was just a few miles North on the freeway to Fremont, CA. The giant GM Factory was located just within viewing distance, off of the freeway and I drove right up to the front gate.

I had previously found out that my El Camino was built on a Wednesday and while I drove the daylights out of the 327 powered car/truck, it required no repairs until 10 years later and 120k miles of fun adventures. A lot of those miles were going back to Northern California to see the whole SF Bay Area and some necessary photo shoots/concerts/vacations, as well as, just several good old fashion road trips with my girlfriend/wife as the years rolled on to the final day of the El Camino ownership in 1976.

Jnaki

The 327 was stock, nothing was done to the motor, except for new air cleaners during our desert motorcycle racing days, and one final water pump issue at 12ok in So Cal. So, needless to say, the 327 was a great, reliable motor with plenty of power and a great feeling that it will start with every turn of the key while getting us where we wanted to go on our road trips.

Vnak photo


Previous post:

When I saw this Orange 1965 El Camino in a local big box store parking lot, memories started pumping. This mild custom, orange one had some special additions that were obvious, and a couple of nice fairly hidden items not normally seen on 65 El Caminos.

The Orange 1965 had a few changes to the stock configuration. The S&S wheels, the 4 speed stick in front of the seats, a custom steering wheel…all added up to a nice daily driver. 4 speeds were available, but not for El Caminos in 65, only Chevelle sedans. Back in late 1964, I tried special ordering a 4 speed, but to no avail.

Something caught my eye as I was quickly shooting photos. On the outside front fender, a 350 emblem resides over the normal 327 or 283 emblem. So, there must be some mods inside of the motor compartment. Or not…

The two V8 varieties in 1965 were the 283 and 327. There was no 350 as an option in the El Camino line. But, the attached emblem was nicely done on the stock flags. Could the original motor now be replaced by a 350 C.I. version? There was a 350 HP option in the Chevelle line but, that was not available to the El Camino until 1966. By 1969, the El Camino used a 350 CI motor.


The 1965 El Camino was a good handling, comfortable, mid size car/truck (125k worth of California/Nevada/Baja miles gave us a great experience, even without a/c, as it told us so…) We had our air vents, wind wings turned inward, and wire back seat rests for that custom cooling on hot drives…

There is no comparison of the El Camino to the newer GMC big truck. For us, today, it would be a pleasure to drive the 65 El Camino and not that huge road hog of a truck on daily drives. Even for us old peeps, the 4 speed would be lots of fun.

 

Mine, again. Different valve covers, intake and carb, though.

Gary

 

Yeh, I was busy putting up a SS backsplash today Marty, I swear, people could build a house faster than my little projects take.

No fresh shots but anyhoo..........




This is the L79 327 engine for our 67 Nova, I built it the way Chevrolet should have for the 67 L79 Novas.
Note the 325 hp callout on the air cleaner decal, the 66's were rated at 350 hp but the 67 engines were identical internally.
I won't bore y'all with trivia but those interested can Google it.

 

My 327. Forty over (me too) flat tops, 194 camel humps, 268H cam, 3x2s on an old Offenhauser (5 heli-coils and a brass plug that has been drilled and tapped for one of the thermostat housing bolts). Now has home made tri-Ys.

 

Here's my baby. The prettiest little engine I have ever seen! Go little mouse go!

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

My 65 327/275- in my 56 ( see avatar) , flattop pistons (030 over), "151" cam, winters intake, 1.94 heads afb 625, hedman headers- still need to break it in , had it since 1980

 

Just picked this up today.
CE over the counter block with a 2680 small journal steel crank and 3866954 L79 11.0 pistons.
I did pull the pan to get the numbers. Came with a set of 993 heads. Been looking for a while for one. Next is find a '55 Chevy 2 door sedan to install it in.

 

L79 327" went into my '65 Malibu...

 

Bob, that's a great looking engine. Did the air cleaner and valve covers come from factory chrome or did you have them done?

 

Thank-you...when the L79 was a factory option, they did come that way from GM. I purchased aftermarket
for the correct look.

 

I am going to have to rebuild the 327 in my Vette. I have lost compression in a few cylinders.

if anyone has a set of forged .30 over pistons to donate I would appreciate it. I want to build white street engine not a race engine.

 

Another one I did years ago in my '62 Chevy II...

 

I'm either six months late or six months early!

 

I read earlier in this thread that your Vette motor had been sleeping for about 35 years before you got it running again. I think that it kept going for over two years more is a true testament to how great these motors really are. Build it right and your great grand kids will be banging gears in it!

 

1964 327, 2.02 double hump heads, and dual quads for my 34 ford.

 

Placeholder

 

I have a question what are the pros and cons of a large journal vs small journal 327.

I was curious and I know that there are a lot more of you with more experience in this than I have.

THANKS

 

I think it’s all about bearing speed and frictional losses, must be better cuz the hot setup in max effort race engines is using the very small Honda con-rod. But, I may be all wrong!

 

Rebuilt a couple years ago. Runs real smooth, all stock.

 

Over twenty years ago this one ran a 11.97 1/4 mile in a 3200 pound Chevelle, sold this engine it to a hamber in Georga a few years ago so it should be in his 55 Chevy gasser by now.

 

Getting closer!

 

bump

 

There were some cool air cleaners on early 327s.

 

Here's mine.

Pat

 

L-79 specs