Ok, im facing the fact that what is left of the original engine is not going back in the car. However, i am going to at least keep the block so that if i ever sell the car i can say-hey, that piece of metal over there was once the original engine that came with the car from the factory.

Ok, so now down to the voting-i have a few options in order of least expensive to most expensive.

1. buy a used 327, recondition it, and use the parts from the original engine-not the internals, but the heads, intake, carb etc.

This will allow me to keep a stock look with some updated rods, and a roller camshaft for pretty cheap.

2. Buy a 350, recondition it, and use the 2.02/1.6 original heads on the motor and all other external parts.

3. Buy a 350, use 64cc aluminum heads on it, but still use stock manifolds etc.

4. Build a 383 with aluminum heads, low rise aluminum intake to clear hood, and stock rams horns. Update as money allows

4. Build a 383 and model it after one of the edelbrock crate engines, install 65 style big block hood to clear intake and new carb. Possibly install tremec tko 600, cut pipes to make them work with shorty headers. However, this will cost about 8,500-9,500 if i do all the work myself. I will only do option 4 if i get money from the shop that destoryed the engine.
Obviously this is the path to go if funds are unlimited, but currently they are not.

Thanks for your opinions!

 

I would buy a 383 crate engine or a Fastburn 385 and be done with it... The Fastburn can make just as much HP for less money. Dave

 

- Pat

 

and probably the more dependable and least expensive in the long term, save your other parts incase you decide to find a date correct block down the road

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$

Have you looked into the possibility of sleeving this engine. Not for use now but to put on the shelf in case you ever want to go back to NCRS. You could bring it back to original bore this way. JAT

Steve

 

I was lucky and found a fresh 383 short block on ebay for $1300 I added a set of aluminum fast burn heads ( ebay again $600 new) and a 350 hp aluminum intake and a Barry Grant 650. I found a short air filter that fit the 350 hp air cleaner. I've had several BB's. This car is as fast (by feel as anyway) as anything I've ever had in a midyear. Plus it's right there like a 327 when I tap the throttle. I'm very happy with my choice. And I don't have a ton of money involved.

 

The problem with a GM or Edelbrock crate engine is that they cost a lot and then you still need to add a waterpump, flywheel, clutch, valve covers, carb, etc etc etc
Therefore, i'm not really interested in the crate engine path. It's just too expensive, unless of course i get money from the shop

 

Here is a pic of the ZZ4 in my dad's car it works very well. George just dropped one into his coupe recently too. The Fastburn is a very capable 430 horse motor with a little modifications..



Here is the pic of the 385 Fastburn that I modified for my pop's 55 Chevy..

 

Sleeving is much maligned as a good way to bring an engine back.
Any competent engine shop can machine and fit for a thin wall sleeve.
These sleeves are usually made of spun iron, so are very pure & homogeneous and have excellent wear characteristics, unlike a huge casting like an engine block that can have different chemistry/hardness all through.
Talking to an engine reconditioner a while ago he was of the opinion that a well executed dry sleeved motor would easily go the distance and would probably outlast plainbored motor wearwise.
Rolls Royce and other class engine manufacturers used sleeved motors (wet sleeve) and may well still do so.
David Vizard in his book "How to build MaxPerformance Chevy Small Blocks" says "If you find a cylinder bore has a large score.....if it fits your requirements.... investigate the cost of linering" He also volunteers the info that he has a block with 2 liners that has survived many dyno pulls at around 600HP !!!
Also remember that you will be able to go back to standard bore !!
My 2c

 

As i understand it, if i sleeve all 8 cylinders then the engine will not be strong anymore.

I dont know what i am talking about concerning this matter, so any input is appreciate. The above is just from a small amount of material i read.

Me likely the second engine. Those are my favorite valve covers.

Will a 327 intake fit on a 350??

 

Option 1-

400hp for $1500-

a. Get Factory Roller Cam 350/Core from Boneyard- $200

b. Send your Double Humps for professional pocket port -$300
Stock Double Humps flow 200cfm... look for 210 to 220 depending on
quality of porting.

c. Set compression at 9:3 to 9:7 to 1

d. Install TPIS ZZ9 cam, ZZ383 cam, or ZZ4 cam..

e. Windage tray, Port matched Maifold, Barry Grant or C&S modded
Carb..

Stocker L98/ZZ4 heads don't flow..they are dog doo, mid 70's smog heads flow better (not kidding)... alot of people just see the aluminum and never look at the flow numbers... 189cfm for
L98's... so at 210cfm on your Double Humps you're at roughly a
40hp advantage over the ZZ4 crate guys... 2hp for 1 cfm of air/fuel
mixture..60hp if your porter gets you to 220cfm...

If you'd like to see a comparison of L98 heads flow numbers at various
cam lifts vs. other heads you can do so here:

http://users.erols.com/srweiss/tablehdc.htm#Chevy

I have seen the dyno sheets on a motor built w/ ZZ4 shortblock
and cam w/ similar flowing heads that put out 410hp.

Option 2- 500hp long block for $3000...

a. Spend a little time finding a meaty 350 block... bore it .060 over
after having thickness checked..

b. Get an off the shelf 395 sbc stroker kit... at .060 over this
will give you a 401 cubic inch motor... check with Ohio Crank
... their 3.875 inch stroker cranks are what you will be using
pistons are available off the shelf... no need for custom piston
expense. Since you have 401 cubes you will only need to
tune the motor for 1.25hp per cube to hit 500hp...

c. 500hp capable heads/cheap- you need heads with 210 to 227cc
ports that flow 250cfm minimum...

1. Canfield 215cc- $828 per pair/bare Aluminum at Competiton
Products.. Assembled they should be $1000 to $1300..

2. GMPP Large Port Vortec Bowtie Heads 215cc- Designed by
McLaren Racing on contract with GM... $1000 assembled...

3. EQ 235cc Iron Heads- a little more CC's than I like but
will do the deed... Should be under $1000 assembled..


This basic formula allows roughly $1000 for heads and $2000 on
the 3.875 inch stroke shortblock... the hard pieces for 500hp
are there... tuning/cam/carb should bring you to that level.

 

A friend of mind is selling a 383 motor, 5ooHP, complete rebuilt, He's been building race motor for 30 years, If interested PM me. Gary.

 

You will typically get a warrenty if you get a crate motor. I plan to buy my motor locally from Smeding, and if I have any problems will take it 10 miles down the road to them. I choose to spend a little more for the warrenty and the peace of mind..

 

I like option 3

If you build it and don't like the result, I'll buy it from you.

 

Big question. Do you want to keep the original look or not?

If yes (as I did) then get a dated block and build the 327 re-using what parts you got and deciding how much you want to update the internals. I have a totally original exterior with a totally state of the art interior. The conversion to a full roller engine while keeping the external stock looking was a lot of $, too much. I would not have gone so overboard if I did it again. Getting a dated block, the necessary parts and building a decent street engine could be done for $4 to $5K.

If no, then I would go with a crate engine, as stated by others here. You can get a really nice crate engine from GM and install it into your car for less than building a 327.

If I had to do it again I would build a correct looking 327 with only minor internal mods to make it 100K mile durable and run on 91 octane fuel.

 

I think you restored that car for originality in the first place. You kept it as close to factory correct as possible. I would stick with that theme..and build a clone 327 to L-79 specs or better.

 

1st define your end result.

If original appearing doesn't matter....build as many cubes as you can afford, and this probably means aftermarket heads to support the cubes. For me I "started out" wanting a mostly original looking engine compartment, but have wavered as the timeslip kept eating at me to get into the 12's.

 

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Where did you read this?? Remember all top fuel engines are sleeved. I don't think that they lack for horsepower or aren't as strong as they should be. I believe that the sleeves are harder material than the original cast iron block bores but I could be wrong there. Even if they are of the same consistency as the original cast the engine should be able to build back to where you wanted it in the first place. JMT

Steve

 

Regardless, the numbers are gone and to sleeve all 8 cylinders would be ridiculously expensive, at least it runs around $200/ hole around here when you should be able to find a dated 327 block cheaper.

 

- Bruce