Chevy 427 engine
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 75
Likes: 8
From: San Jose California
Chevy 427 engine
I watched this Jay Leno video about a 1968 Camaro. He said the Chevy didn't want to put the 427 engine into the Camaro because that would cut into the Corvette sales but only a handful of people who new "someone" where able to cop themselves a 427 Copo in their order sheet. I don't know anything about the 427 engine but it sounds like Jay Leno said the 427 was an engine for Chevy trucks, having said would it be expensive for me to buy one of the said old trucks with a 427 engine and just put the engine in a C4 or a C3?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,754
Likes: 89
From: arvada co
I am not an expert on this but I do recall there being a ‘truck’ block (cast in the flywheel area maybe) known to be ‘heavy duty’. It may have been for industrial trucks – bigger than a pickup. Back in the 60’s I don’t think chevy put a 427 in a pickup, they were all 396’s. By 1970 the hot truck & El Camino would have either a 396 or a 454, by I think 1972 they moved to a 402 BB even for chevells.
The ‘truck’ block would likely be heavier than the standard or ‘Hi-perf’ blocks used in cars & light trucks.
The BB chevy was developed for racing and I think may have been adapted into industrial trucks.
If you can get a 427 cheap out of a truck, go for it!
The C2 forum will have some real experts on this subject.
The ‘truck’ block would likely be heavier than the standard or ‘Hi-perf’ blocks used in cars & light trucks.
The BB chevy was developed for racing and I think may have been adapted into industrial trucks.
If you can get a 427 cheap out of a truck, go for it!
The C2 forum will have some real experts on this subject.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,323
Likes: 6,506
From: Melbourne, FL
In theory, you could do this. In practice, it'd be hugely expensive. And it probably wouldn't really be fast or anything either unless you dumped a ton of money into it.
Chevy continued making big block engines at least into the mid 00s. They put 454s into 2500 and bigger trucks. They're torque monster but weigh a huge amount.
Chevy continued making big block engines at least into the mid 00s. They put 454s into 2500 and bigger trucks. They're torque monster but weigh a huge amount.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 4,648
Likes: 1,059
From: N.E. Ohio OH
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
You would want the 2nd gen BB engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...g-Block_engine
With the appropriate springs, etc, a 396,402,427 or 454 would bolt into a C2 or a C3 as the frame is basically the same from 1963 to the end of the C3' in 1982.
The problem with the BB engines are they are heavy. You can get them down to within 20 lbs or so of a SB Chevy, but you need to run aluminum heads, manifolds and bracketry.
The 454 in my other pickup I am restoring is a brute, both in pulling/hauling cargo and pulling/hauling money out of the wallet for gas. Even running an MSD 6A (which picked up a couple mpg's) it still only gets 13/14'ish with 3.73 gears and running premium fuel. Running 87 octane causes the mileage to fall off.
With that said, the torque that a BB engine produces in phonemanal.
I have seen a couple 454 4-speed C3's come up for sale at an actual reasonable price. You would be further off ahead to start with one of these as the suspension would already be set up for a BB, along with the radiator, brackets, etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...g-Block_engine
With the appropriate springs, etc, a 396,402,427 or 454 would bolt into a C2 or a C3 as the frame is basically the same from 1963 to the end of the C3' in 1982.
The problem with the BB engines are they are heavy. You can get them down to within 20 lbs or so of a SB Chevy, but you need to run aluminum heads, manifolds and bracketry.
The 454 in my other pickup I am restoring is a brute, both in pulling/hauling cargo and pulling/hauling money out of the wallet for gas. Even running an MSD 6A (which picked up a couple mpg's) it still only gets 13/14'ish with 3.73 gears and running premium fuel. Running 87 octane causes the mileage to fall off.
With that said, the torque that a BB engine produces in phonemanal.
I have seen a couple 454 4-speed C3's come up for sale at an actual reasonable price. You would be further off ahead to start with one of these as the suspension would already be set up for a BB, along with the radiator, brackets, etc.
Last edited by drcook; Mar 3, 2017 at 03:21 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
There were anumber of dealerships (like Yenko and others) that did the 427 converions anything from mild to a 10 sec car
They were the same blocks used in Vettes
The truck meaning big commerical were tall deck blocks little different
You can get a lot of stroke but the pistons are big and heavy intake oddball etc they made a 366 also that looked the part.
The L78 Camaros were fairly quick for their day.
They even did Yenko Novas and Corvairs. Back then you could get whatever you wanted now youre stuck with a trim group not a lot of choices.
They were the same blocks used in Vettes
The truck meaning big commerical were tall deck blocks little different
You can get a lot of stroke but the pistons are big and heavy intake oddball etc they made a 366 also that looked the part.
The L78 Camaros were fairly quick for their day.
They even did Yenko Novas and Corvairs. Back then you could get whatever you wanted now youre stuck with a trim group not a lot of choices.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,057
Likes: 9,393
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
up until 69 GM had a rule not allowing a 400+ CI motor into mid size cars. That is why they stuck with the baby BB 396 in Chevelles and Camaros. in 69 the rule was dropped and in 70 the 396 magically was a 402 and the 454 was on the RPO sheet. I wont get into the COPO program but 99.9% of the program was for police cars, taxis, and other fleet cars and trucks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
Crusin is correct. The 427, and other big blocks for "big" trucks used tall blocks... the pistons had 4 sets of rings instead of 3 sets in car engines. There was also a 3 something big block that was a regular big block for the dump drucks, ect. Not real sure about this but thinking that's what they now use for the 5 something big blocks crate engines.( 502)?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 85
From: socal
I watched this Jay Leno video about a 1968 Camaro. He said the Chevy didn't want to put the 427 engine into the Camaro because that would cut into the Corvette sales but only a handful of people who new "someone" where able to cop themselves a 427 Copo in their order sheet. I don't know anything about the 427 engine but it sounds like Jay Leno said the 427 was an engine for Chevy trucks, having said would it be expensive for me to buy one of the said old trucks with a 427 engine and just put the engine in a C4 or a C3?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxvAkUupnKw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxvAkUupnKw
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 4,648
Likes: 1,059
From: N.E. Ohio OH
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Here are the specs, you can see how they evolved
396 bore of 4.094 in stroke of 3.760 in
427 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 3.760 in
in essence a 427 is a bored out 396
454 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 4.000 in
a 454 is a stroked 427
I had a 396 in a '69 Chevelle SS 396. The 383 Super Commando 1969 Roadrunner I had was quite a bit quicker than the 396.
I have an older friend, actually the guy that painted the stripes on my car had the 1st 13:1 compression 427. It would carry the front wheels on a Bel Air quite a ways down the track. They missed a major national sponsorship due to a broken tail shaft on a transmission down in Florida.
The 427's can be made into screaming machines. The under rated L88 427's were actually tested out to 560 hp. not bad for a naturally aspirated motor
http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gall...P+Convertible/
I think to get an earlier C3 manual shift BB car and reproduce the L88 would be a fun machine to take out on a Saturday night.
The other car I kinda lust over is a '68 Bel Air or Impala 427 4-speed
https://classics.autotrader.com/arti...-impala-ss-427
396 bore of 4.094 in stroke of 3.760 in
427 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 3.760 in
in essence a 427 is a bored out 396
454 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 4.000 in
a 454 is a stroked 427
I had a 396 in a '69 Chevelle SS 396. The 383 Super Commando 1969 Roadrunner I had was quite a bit quicker than the 396.
I have an older friend, actually the guy that painted the stripes on my car had the 1st 13:1 compression 427. It would carry the front wheels on a Bel Air quite a ways down the track. They missed a major national sponsorship due to a broken tail shaft on a transmission down in Florida.
The 427's can be made into screaming machines. The under rated L88 427's were actually tested out to 560 hp. not bad for a naturally aspirated motor
http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gall...P+Convertible/
I think to get an earlier C3 manual shift BB car and reproduce the L88 would be a fun machine to take out on a Saturday night.
The other car I kinda lust over is a '68 Bel Air or Impala 427 4-speed
https://classics.autotrader.com/arti...-impala-ss-427
Last edited by drcook; Mar 3, 2017 at 08:30 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,057
Likes: 9,393
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Crusin is correct. The 427, and other big blocks for "big" trucks used tall blocks... the pistons had 4 sets of rings instead of 3 sets in car engines. There was also a 3 something big block that was a regular big block for the dump drucks, ect. Not real sure about this but thinking that's what they now use for the 5 something big blocks crate engines.( 502)?
The early 348 and 409 W blocks are completely different then the later mark IV blocks
Last edited by Nowhere Man; Mar 3, 2017 at 09:20 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,008
Likes: 1,487
From: Ashland, OH
Here are the specs, you can see how they evolved
396 bore of 4.094 in stroke of 3.760 in
427 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 3.760 in
in essence a 427 is a bored out 396
454 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 4.000 in
a 454 is a stroked 427
I had a 396 in a '69 Chevelle SS 396. The 383 Super Commando 1969 Roadrunner I had was quite a bit quicker than the 396.
I have an older friend, actually the guy that painted the stripes on my car had the 1st 13:1 compression 427. It would carry the front wheels on a Bel Air quite a ways down the track. They missed a major national sponsorship due to a broken tail shaft on a transmission down in Florida.
The 427's can be made into screaming machines. The under rated L88 427's were actually tested out to 560 hp. not bad for a naturally aspirated motor
http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gall...P+Convertible/
I think to get an earlier C3 manual shift BB car and reproduce the L88 would be a fun machine to take out on a Saturday night.
The other car I kinda lust over is a '68 Bel Air or Impala 427 4-speed
https://classics.autotrader.com/arti...-impala-ss-427
396 bore of 4.094 in stroke of 3.760 in
427 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 3.760 in
in essence a 427 is a bored out 396
454 bore of 4.250 in stroke of 4.000 in
a 454 is a stroked 427
I had a 396 in a '69 Chevelle SS 396. The 383 Super Commando 1969 Roadrunner I had was quite a bit quicker than the 396.
I have an older friend, actually the guy that painted the stripes on my car had the 1st 13:1 compression 427. It would carry the front wheels on a Bel Air quite a ways down the track. They missed a major national sponsorship due to a broken tail shaft on a transmission down in Florida.
The 427's can be made into screaming machines. The under rated L88 427's were actually tested out to 560 hp. not bad for a naturally aspirated motor
http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gall...P+Convertible/
I think to get an earlier C3 manual shift BB car and reproduce the L88 would be a fun machine to take out on a Saturday night.
The other car I kinda lust over is a '68 Bel Air or Impala 427 4-speed
https://classics.autotrader.com/arti...-impala-ss-427
Racer
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 292
Likes: 39
From: San Anselmo California
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Man nice! love the 1st gens awesome body lines dash etc!!
When I was very young I worked in a deisel repari place, there were large trucks those tall decks came in owner stashed them
One was a school bus with a tall deck that had a blower on it from way back never would have guessed
Some trash trucks had a Ford gasser BB that was way over 500ci cant remember exactly. Loud loud loud lotsa torque. Good ol days!
on the Impalas
On los angeles CL there is a 1967 2 dr Bicsayne (post?) you could get for maybe 1500 that is super rare. Think its in inland empire
Right now cash eludes me but if its around in a few mos, Im grabbin it.
radio delete was a rela 427 4 spd car ultimate factory sleeper Id love to have it turn it into a plan jane DD. Only one like it i have ever seen
Go snap that thing up its super rare. Someone ordered a factory race car.
When I was very young I worked in a deisel repari place, there were large trucks those tall decks came in owner stashed them
One was a school bus with a tall deck that had a blower on it from way back never would have guessed
Some trash trucks had a Ford gasser BB that was way over 500ci cant remember exactly. Loud loud loud lotsa torque. Good ol days!
on the Impalas
On los angeles CL there is a 1967 2 dr Bicsayne (post?) you could get for maybe 1500 that is super rare. Think its in inland empire
Right now cash eludes me but if its around in a few mos, Im grabbin it.
radio delete was a rela 427 4 spd car ultimate factory sleeper Id love to have it turn it into a plan jane DD. Only one like it i have ever seen
Go snap that thing up its super rare. Someone ordered a factory race car.
Last edited by cv67; Mar 4, 2017 at 10:37 AM.