I have a dirt track race car that ran in 1962 with a brand new 327 motor... What I'm trying to find out is, what was available at that time for intakes and 4 barrell carburetors? We'd like to make it as correct to the original as possible, but the photos available don't show the top of the engine. I now have a 64 and a 67 327" motor... are there any noticable differences if i use one of these instead of an actual 62... aside from the numbers on the block? Also, was it possible to attach a 3speed transmission from a pre55 chevy to the sbc, to retain the closed driveline? We're unsure if it had a ford or chevy trans but, the frame still has linkage that looks like it would have hooked to a column shift type trans, the rear mount doesnt seem to lend itsself to a normal ford flathead type 3 speed though.... I have almost zero knowledge of small block chevy motors so any help is appreciated. *** we only have the body, frame and rollcage... so trying to figure out a lot! *** Thanks Zach
Hmm, I have a Chevy PU truck 3 speed that has the wide modern pattern nose and torque tube rear.....uses column shift, has shift levers out the left side. I also got an offset champ size Halibrand, wide 5, buick drums. floating hubs. Spool, 7:1. i'd say it would be correct to run 2nd and 3rd. No 1st and rev. I'd bet stock iron intake w/ WCFB. Or roch 4G Frank
Blocks all look the same and should be no problem hooking a manual tranny to it with the right parts.Intakes & carbs depend on what you want. Stock 4 barrel intake with Carter carb. SBC is the easiest to do just about anything to with the least amount of $.
In 62 they had several different intakes. The 250 hp had the 4gc/wcfb bolt patteren.The 300 hp had a AFB bolt patteren and the 340 hp Vette engine used an alloy intake with a AFB patteren. Of course the Vettes also had FI. 62s did not use a Holley bolt patteren.
Easiest way to find out the info you are looking for is to dig out some 1962 Hot Rod or other rod magazine and see what was for sale in the adds and what was being run. Then hunt down the right stuff. Also I'd be trying to hunt down the rule book or sheet as it may be for the class and tracks that the car would have run at in that era. Some of the local circle burners may be able to come up with leads on that or if the track is still in existence it may be in their archives if they have them. I don't think Gas Pumper is all that far off though and as an example, if it was a Heart of Texas speedway car in that era in Waco, Tx it probably ran a two barrel in most classes. If the accessories on it are right no one will be able to tell if it is a 62 or 64 327 block from five feet away so I don't see that as a big deal unless it is a big deal to you. That car probably ran a batch of different engines in it's racing days.
Form what I can recall, most dirt modifieds back that really ran good then ran Hilborn fuel injection, sometimes you would see 3-2's. Its hard to tell if you want OEM induction systems or race type by your wording
Thanks alot for the info everyone, this was a winning car in 1962, so the intake may not have been stock. All we know is that it was a new 327. This car did not run in '63 or later so an aftermarket intake would have had to been available in 62 or earlier. Thanks Zach
Hey, I'm doing up a vintage modified also, how about some resto pictures.... thanks, Guy from North Jersey.
So he's running floater hubs on the front, what Quickchange under the rear??I'd assume floater, but v-8 or champ
Thanks everyone, We aren't working on the car just yet... only collecting parts. The rearend, as far as we can tell was just a normal floater rear, not a quickchange. Zach
My 63 catalogs don't list any aftermarket 4 bbl intakes. I'd bet that he bought a 62 Corvette crate engine. I can't see a race car driver buying a 327-250 engine. They came with the intake but not the carb. I'd assume it was the 327 340 HP engine. Check with the Corvette suppliers for the correct carb/HP arrangements for that year. There was a big midnight auto market for the Corvette aluminum intakes that the aftermarket guys saw and they started making their own but I think it took a year or so. IIRC 62 was the first year for the factory aluminum 4 bbl high rise intake that would have debuted in Sept 1961.
Zach... Last year, some vintage dirt cars were on display at Wegmans on the Carlisle pike in Mechanicsburg. I was talking to the one guy and he said that they used 327/340hp crate engines in their cars in the '60s. These came with "camelback" heads, 097 duntov cam, "square corner" aluminum manifold, AFB carbs, and domed pistons. He was talking more about the short blocks, as this particular car was using a hilborn injection set-up. He said a lot of guys would use the 340hp crate short block "out of the box", and just change induction, cam, add ported heads, etc. Hope this helps.
Thanks guys! You can see in the first picture, it has corvette valve covers... guess that would make sense if they just bought a corvette engine? Not a styling point in my opinion since they cut holes and added breathers right over the script.... Maybe the buldge in the hood is for the high rise intake? I have a photo of the car before it was lettered and the hood is just flat.... So obviously something changed to force the need for that clearance The photo at the top is later in the year 1962 and this is the way we'll restore it. Novadude, thats good info, being from this area.... the 64 motor we just picked up fits the bill pretty close aside from the intake.... thanks Zach
The 327 250/300 HP 62 Corvette engines came with the stamped steel 327 VCs. The aluminum ones were used on the higher HP models. Crate motors back then were taken from the production line before they were mated to the cars. It probably came with the wire shielding but that would have been shit canned for a race car....extra weight.