on a budget...a very small budget. Here's what I got, a mid 60's small journal 275 HP 327. Edelbrock performer, and holley 600 vac. sec. carb, headers and that's about it. It runs okay as it is, but smokes on occassion, I suspect it's just valve guides / seals, but I'm not sure, I've just been driving / enjoying it for now. The car currently has 3.36 gears, a turbo 350 and 245-60-15 tires. There is a possibility that the car may get a 700r4 this winter, if the tranny turns out to be a good one (the right year). If that's the case, I'll be putting in 3.55 gears. Here's what I'm thinking (budget, remember ??) new rods and mains, a ball hone and fresh rings, and have the heads redone if they need it...I'm sure they probably do, but if the guides aren't loose, and the valves aren't shot, they'll just get cleaned and new seals. I want to change the cam, and I'm thinking about the comp cams 268 H or the 270 H. They seem to be a good compromise between the idle that I want, and a realistic RPM range for the type of driving I will be doing. I haven't done much more than tune up and diagnostic stuff before, I have removed and reinstalled heads, replaced timing chain sets, and "helped" with a rebuild once or twice, but I've not done much "internal" mechanic work before, on my own. Sooo....I'm looking for tips and advice, the way my budget works, I can buy a few parts here and there like the cam kit, gasket set, timing chain set etc....the stuff I know I'll need, and I don't need to disassemble and measure before I order. Anybody have tips, advice on cam selection?, oil pumps ? that sort of stuff ? If you are going to advise me to spend $2000 on machine work, please PM me, I will send you my address so you can send me donations...it's just not in the budget right now Oh yeah...it's in this...
Chris you need to talk to my pal Bruce-- Engine Pro 5X he is a professional engine builder and can give you advice. Send him a PM.
I PM'd the sausage king, I'm also open and interested in other peoples experience with small journal smallblack chevys. I'm sure that their are tried and true combinations fit for my car and driving style. I want to road trip the car at a relatively comfortable RPM, and do a few 1/8 mile blasts at the local carshows with airport drags....gee, I want it all at a low low price...
I think you have your build figured out. Make sure that all is within spec and you should be quite happy. I have a SJ 327, not a cheap build and is one good time. I spent the money on machine work and have been quite happy with it. If that is the car you are putting it in i would save up a little and get it machined. If you have someone help with the cam bearings and cam install the rest wont be bad to do. My engine only needed head work but buy the time i had them off i figured why not make it right. you will be happy with it no matter what you do.
It seems like a lot of these 327s are finding there way into my shop for rebuilds. I have a good format for these and it's real dependable. I'll get the details to you. Thanks >>>>.
I use to run one. It was a blast to drive. I ran a Crane Fireball II cam, 10 to 1 pistons, your intake, and a Holley 600 carb. I used a 2200 stall. The car was very drivable and could still burn a little rubber every now and then!
I've found most important on these type builds to be really critical on details and specs. You can squeeze a lot out of an engine by paying attention to details. I've seen cars run really fast and still get good mileage with cheap or very little in parts. If you're going to run it on pump gas with about a 268 or 270 cam, I would set it up with flat top pistons and 64cc chambers for about 10:1 compression. Run a tight quench for less chance of detonation. For what it costs to rebuild heads, you can buy an entry level set of aftermarket heads that are light years ahead of factory 327 heads. Your Eddy performer and Holley 600 will work well with this. I might even step it down to a 500 if I had one laying around. You're essentially looking to build as much torque as a short stroke motor will allow, as long as you're staying under 5000 rpm. If you are going to buy gears to go with the 700, I'd seriously consider 3.73s or 3.90s. You'll still cruise at a reasonable rpm and be out of the hole like a rocket. Devin
Thanks fellas, as for the 700r4 swap and the gears, I already own the 3.55's, if I happen to run across some steeper gears at the right price, AND the tranny is what I need, that'll happen. As for the aftermarket heads, I can't do it...the double humps just look too right under the hood. I know that even some vortec heads would run better... So is the melling high volume oil pump what I want ?? How about a cam with a nice lope to it that runs in the 1800 to 5500 RPM range ?? With the 270 H would I be better off to move up to a performer RPM, or even airgap manifold ?? I know that most of these questions depend on the trans. and rear gears, but I'm just looking at the options, so I can buy some parts now. I can spend $150 to 200 a month on parts,( family man budget, and this is just the part time , on the side job money) so I need to spread out my costs, and hopefully be done by March or April
These 327s aren't rocket science !! They ran pretty good when new from the factory. I like to see the cylinder clearance on spec with a good power-hone finish. So that leaves your Ball Hone method out. The double hump heads are good as and will most likely need some guide attention. Rings, bearings, valve springs,camshaft, timing chain, and a oil pump. A good moly ring set per re-ring kit with mains will do the job. I like to use the Comp cams CS XE262H-10 along with the Z-28 springs in the 327s with an automatic trans. Double roller chain with cam advanced 4* along with a regular Melling pump. I like the standard pump as the H-V will be a bit high on pressure. Crankshaft will need to pass clearance specs as well. Attention to detail on the machine work will net a great result and it doesn't really cost any more. I hope this helps. Like I said not rocket science and no need to reinvent the wheel !!! >>>>.
Awesome Bruce, those cam specs are perfect, and I'll bet the little extra lift and duration on the exhaust help out the old heads too. Do you happen to have the part # on those Z-28 springs, or will any decent parts man know what I'm after ?? Thanks,
Yep, 469-ex and 462-in lift is easy on parts. I keep all of the parts that I mentioned in stock !!! >>>>.
I think Engine Pro 5X is right on the money. If the guides and valves are both iffy, see if you can still get new valves with .003-over stems (I used to get them from TRW). You then ream the original guides and do your valve seats and you're fresh. There was also a cheap cutter and pilot kit to modify the top of the guides for snap on positive valve seals that worked well for me, I think it was a Perfect Circle kit.
But beyond freshening up, you don't have to do too much. The one still in my '56 I put together in '75. Flat-tops, 462 heads, 350HP-327 cam, Edelbrock C4B, Holley 3310, and headers. The one still in my Chevy II I built in '83 is pretty much the same. Flat-tops, 462 heads, 268H cam, Qjet and intake, had headers but now have rams horns. Obviously there are way better cams, intakes and heads now than then. Every one I've done had some serious cylinder wear. The one in my Chevy II almost didn't clean up at .030. But I've put on a lot of miles and thrashed the sh!t out of both of them and both still run like tops. And I've saved 2 more 327's out of a boat....
Well, not exactly, but if I can't afford the proper rebuild, I probably shouldn't be shooting for 7500 + RPM either....Plus, I want a multi-purpose car, I want to be able to drive it a good distance down the highway, at a comfortable RPM, and still have a little fun at the informal drags, without hurting anything, so I can drive it back home.... I've got an idea, don't you have that really nice blue 55 sedan survivor ?? Put an 8K 327 in that, and loan it to me..... Tman....thanks for nuthin.....
I have an XE274H cam in my 327. With the .487/.490 lift, it still works without mods to camel humps. I ran it that way for a long time until I upgraded heads. That cam, 10:1 flat tops, and an Air Gap should be a nice combo for what you are trying to do. I run a Muncie. The auto might be why Bruce likes that step down 262 grind. Edit: two steps down.
I do have a clutch linkage and a hole in the trans tunnel....is there a junkyard 5 speed that will get me highway manners and survive behind a reasonably healthy 327 ?? Will a T-5 do the job ?
Go with a T5, Non World Class will work NWC. Lots of folks on here running them harder than they deserve. Art actually put one in that Orange 409 33 Chevy you saw up here.
The 5.0 guys beat the crap out of them, but I haven't paid enough attention to know the differences between the different versions available.
I like the S-10 T-5 trannys. If you snag a world-class it's a little stronger but they have electronic speedo drives. Speedo drive can be swapped to a machanical with the right parts to work with the stock 55 speedo. Should be strong enough with your mild 327 and light [kinda] 55 hardtop...maybe 3400-3500 LBS? Plus, they're pretty cheap. I get 'em at U-pull-it for about 75 bux. OOPS..I see T-man types faster than I do..
Oh yeah ABOMB !! Advice About Your Sausage ?? Got the doctors report back !! Doc says "The Good News Is They Won't Have To Cut It OFF !!! Give It A Few Weeks, IT'LL FALL OFF ALL BY ITSELF !!! >>>>.
Since you said you suspect it's guides and seals, I would do that first. If that solves the smoke, I'd call it a day. The 275HP 327 was a pretty good street motor in its day. Myself, I'd fill the hole in the floorboard with a Hurst connected to a 4-speed. I know from experience a 2.52 low Saginaw will hold up for some fun. That and the 3.55 gears would be nice. As for overdrives, do you put enough miles on it to warrant the initial cost? All the above should come in under even a strict budget. If you are really after just a little lump to the idle, the old 350 horse cam would be another relatively cheap modification. I know the modern cams are better, but if you just want the lope, buy the cheap lope. And with your spare change, get a 4.11 pumpkin for that 55 rear. That'll make getting to the Dairy Queen a lot more fun.
That's good news, if I don't have to pay the doctor, I can spend more money on my car..... I do want a lope, but I want it to run like it sounds too....Since I live in the middle of nowhere, I do need the OD, any given weekend I may go 200 or 300 round trip miles for a show, maybe farther. Plus, I'd like to run a little faster than 55 or 60 MPH. I know I probably could, but 3200 rpm at 60 MPH grates on me after I spend all week in a company truck that's running 2200 RPM at 70 MPH. Or maybe I'm just a wuss.....
I agree, if the cylinder wear is not bad, do the heads. Bronze guide liners, PC seals, screw in studs, and I'd go for new stainless valves and roller tip rockers. I bought a used Doug Nash 4+1 with hurst shifter for $1500 on ebay. I'm keeping 3.08 rear gear and with the 1st gear my overall will be like a 2.52 first gear 4 speed with 4.10 rear. I have about $1800 in my lj 327 including new pistons, balancing,head work with valves. JMO
Well, I guess the low budget thing went out the window today, 2 recently spun mains and the bore just out of spec means machine work I really didn't want to spend money on....oh well, that's life. It looks like 10 under on the rods and mains, resized rods, and 30 over on the bore.... Any budget piston recomendations? Since my cam and intake are designed for 1500-5500 RPM, is a (speedpro brand) stock style cast piston fine? Are the coated skirts worth the extra $50? The shop recommended moly rings, any particular brand? Hastings or any other?
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