saturnkk

I am about to take my 68' in for a rebuild. I like the idea of keeping the orginal 327 (4-speed) motor but I am thiniking about "upgrading it" from the 327 300hp to the 327 350hp (L79).

First, did the 350hp have an aluminum intake manifold? If so, I assume it was natural aluminum color.

Second, what other engine parts aside from the Cam were different? Was the exhaust manifold different? The carb? The air cleaner? etc...

Finally, what recommendations do those who are in the know have for this rebuild? My goal is to have a good reliable driver that has some spunk to it...

Thanks!!

68L79

No aluminum intake....cast iron.
I think the carb was different but still a quadrajet with different rods, etc, the exhaust? I don't think so but 2 1/2 inch pipes...the air cleaner is chrome as well as the valve covers and the heads are double camel hump with big valves and the pistons are domed vs flat....11: to 1 compression...mine has 11:15 to 1. I do run premium gas with no problems but would probably be a real hand full with av gas with 100 plus octane. Mine was balanced by an old nascar race building engine shop....Banjo Matthews...it spins quickly.

loup68

I have had my 68 coupe for 42 years, in July. Mine was an L-79. First of all, I think that the cast iron intake manifold was the same for the 300 HP and the 350 HP motor. I am sure that the distributor and it's advance springs were different.
I am guessing that the vacuum advance can would have to be different, and the Q-jet carb was different, also. The main visual difference was the 68 L-79 only, chrome plated valve covers with a "0" stamped in them.
The exhaust manifolds were the same, however, the 68 N-11 exhaust, if ordered, would have 2 1/2" openings, instead of the base 2" exhaust. The tach. would have a 6,000 RPM red line. Hope that this helps you, Lou.

7T1vette

4-bolt mains???

avalonjohn

nope

saturnkk

Thanks guys this helps a lot!

Anyone know where to buy valve covers that look OEM?

530planeman

They are plain Jane looking chrome a set just sold on e bay around $200 .I looked to see if they were still on e bay but item was taken off .from what I have seen there is a sideways O center stamped on the lip between bolt hold down holes

68L79

Lou....I have had my 68 corvette 41 years this past july..I bought it in July of 73...going on 42. Do you remember "Mammy's Kitchen"? My mothers uncle owned it along with 2nd' ave pier and a few other places down there.

loup68

68L79, Mammy's Kitchen is still here. I moved here MB from Parma (Cleveland), Ohio six and a half years ago, after they shut down my Automotive Parts plant that I worked at, in maintenance, for 34 years. We made some Vette parts, including all Corvette radiator supports from 1960-1982. Lou.

LS4 PILOT

Wow .....I remember eating there ...I think maybe the late 60's on vacation with family.

LS4 PILOT

Heads and cam biggest items.... Your carb and distributor need to be reset . Open air cleaner and chrome valve covers

68L79

Yes...he was Uncle Chris to us. He was very sucessful there and Mammy's Kitchen was "the place" to eat in the 50s and 60s....he always fixed us steaks when we went there every year I remember them being very very thick....one year we stayed at his house for the week as his apt's he let us stay at were all booked.

I remember him saying ....yeah...yeah...yeah...just about everything he agreed with after you said something. My grandmother sure did not like his wife and I agree...she was very very cold and did not like us to get any favors.

I still have relatives there who own eating places there...one is a pancake house on the same road as MK but toward the old air force base on the left....Jimmy A is the owner there and Father S owns a place there somewhere.

Lou....I would bet that MK is still owned by family...but they would not know me now...been way to long since any visit, etc...but some were younger than I was and might remember me if we saw each other.

I think domed pistons would have to be very important also.

68L79

True story....!!

Two guys here in NC ordered new chevelles in 1965...one was a 327-300 and one a L79 327-350hp....the 327-300 came in first and the friend who ordered it did not receive his inheritance in time so they agreed to switch cars when both arrived and the friend took the 327-300 until his L79 chevelle arrived.

Long story short....that 327-300 was taken to the drag strip and for two years it beat every mustang, gto, 442, all 327 vettes that came up against it...he told the friend who ordered it...tough...you are not getting this car I am keeping it...the friend ended up with a shelby mustang.

I know I tried out a 69 vette a friend owned...350/300 hp that I think would have given my 68 a real fit...maybe even beat it...it was very very fast...that was before I bought my 68 and while in college.

You just never know about an engine as to how it runs. My corvette mechanic built a 327 and it turned 10,000 rpm every week at the drag strip in a corvette...everyone came to his place and begged him to build them one just like it...his response...I might build 10 of those engines and not one would do what that 10,000 rpm 327 would do.

jersey68l36

[QUOTE=68L79;1587848718]True story....!!

Long story short....that 327-300 was taken to the drag strip and for two years it beat every mustang, gto, 442, all 327 vettes that came up against it...

Back then, we use to call them "freaks". Things fell in-place with that mtr meaning that by chance, the bearing clearances were right on, the head casing flowed good right out the box, the deck heights were more or less all the same, in other words in other words, the mtr was close to being "blue-printed" right from the factory by chance.

68L79

[QUOTE=jersey68l36;1587849537]Yes...every time I see the Stamey boys (usually at home depot) we get a good laugh out of the past with that chevelle....it was a piece of A and H dragstrip history here for sure back in the 60's.

It was just one of those really sweet factory motors put together just perfect as you say.

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But I have to add here......95% of the cars I know that have a L79 engine are very impressive though.