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327...?

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snotrocket71

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so the little 305 has crapped out a little earlier than planned and am now in search of a motor to replace it on a small budget. i've been turned away by friends and family from buying a motor i cant hear run (every engine i've come across is like $350 or more for stock stuff). so one of my good friends has a clean .030 over 350 block, a large journal 327 crank, rods with pistons attached, a set of iron heads and some other little odds and ends that all need to be assembled (he dissassembled it over the summer and never put it back together). i can get it all for a decent price and assemble it myself but after reading some info on the 327 i was beginning to think that a 327 wont put down the torque to get my truck rolling. my combo is: blown 305, sm465 and 2.73 gears... i was really starting to like the idea of a 400 small block, they seem to put down killer torque but finding a rebuildable core is a challenge in my neck of the woods. basically i have no idea what to do, i'm pretty well lost and my budgets kicking the crap out of me. i have no problem trying my hand at putting together an engine but i dont want to srew myself by being a cheap bastid... any and all info and ideas would be greatly appreciated. thanks -Josh
 
everythings gonna be a turd with 2.73's

A 3.75" stroke crankshaft is always an option too for more displacement, if your budget is that tight might jut have to find a cheap running parts truck, then scrap the rest, that might be a good option to get axles with better gearing also.

Why was the 327 disassembled? Was it a virgin block that was just bored .030 over or is it a used .030 over block? BTW the LG 327's and 350's with a 2 peice rear seal used the same block.
 
Yeah, get a SCAT stroker crank for $250, a new set of pistons to use the stock 5.7" rods, have it balanced, and make a mild 383. What's your budget?
 
A 327 will move your truck just fine, it's the gearing that's killing you.
 
For a short swim and a drive you could come buy the 400sb and pair of Vortec heads I have stashed in the garage. Heads need rebuild, I got them for free and would just pass them on to you. 400sb came from a running truck that was just too rusty to save, been sitting in my basement bolted to an engine stand for a few years now. Could use a freshening up with new seals and sheetmetal or a complete rebuild if you want to start fresh. Got it for $350ish worth of Camaro parts I traded for it, I'd sell it for $200 just to move it. I had pipe dreams of putting it in my K5 but with the TBI, I figure if my engine craps out I'll either replace it with a direct replacement crate or do a 5.3 or 6.0 swap. PM me if you're interested.
 
A 327 isnt as torquey as a 350,due to its shorter stroke,but they aint a slug either..but with 2.73's any engine will struggle to move a full sized truck,especially of it has larger tires than stock on it..my G-10 van has the same gears,and the 307 I put in it feels like a briggs & stratton insread of a V8!--it'll go 75 in second gear before the thing is winding out at 5K,and you need second gear to climb any steep grades at highway speeds!...the 307 & 327 have the same stroke,I think its 3.25 ".while a 305 & 350 share a longer 3.48" stroke..I've had 305's that had more balls than my 307--its a '73,the "worst" year for them--115 HP and an EGR valve,most older 307's had 200 HP & 300 ft/lbs torque...I think the camelhumper 250 six I yanked out of the van made more HP & torque!..:doah:...

They had 327's in many forms though--some were 375 HP versions,but they liked to be wound up high,they pulled strong after 3K,but were sluggish under that rpm..longer stroke engines pull a lot better at lower rpms...putting a 350 crank in one will made a big improvement...

I sold a 400 SB for 150 bucks I had from my 74 GMC,it was from a 78 K-10 Suburban--always ran good too...wish I hung onto it now,but I needed cash bad at the time to keep my trucks insured & registered...they are getting harder to come by around here for sure...
 
the block was torn down by friend because he swapped a pretty hairy 355 in its place and he wanted to try rebuilding a motor on his own but he never got around to it... i know the gears are really holding back any performance potential but i cant see a gear change coming in the near future besides, its daily driven and even though its a pig around town, i like the fact i'm not screaming down the highway in fourth gear (or third or what ever you like to call it)... like i said, the 400's appealing because i wont be revving the balls of it to get moving and im huge fan of low rpm torque:D, especially when its in a small block.
i just ran the numbers on the pistons he has, theyre pretty bada$$ speed pro forged, ZL2166NF 030 pistons which makes ~10.35-1 compression with a 64cc head, which is what the motor comes with. it also had a hydraulic cam with .555 int/ex lift, he doesnt remember the specs other than the lift. if i assembled the motor how it was when first rebuilt i really think i'd be asking for some trouble with such a compression and high lift cam.
regardless i think i've come to the conclusion that no matter what i get it'll require a good amount of work to be put into it so i might as well prepare for a semi-rebuild.
 
Im getting a 408 SBC built right now 400 40 over, and im pretty excited. Guys completely tearing it down, at the machine shop now, rebuilding heads, all new parts and seals, and a little bit of a cam. $900 for all, so im pretty stoked.

Im sure if you needed an engine to get you by you could just ask around, I have alot of friends with used 350s, 305s, that said I could have them for like $100. They work fine, but are just stock, and just to get by, but i felt like going all fresh and some power :woot:
 
thats definetly a sweet deal for $900, most of my friends have 350's just laying around but thats the thing, they've been laying around for too long so regardless they need a thorough rebuild. maybe i'm being too picky especially since i can still chug around in my truck (seafoam and bars stop leak definelty came through in the clutch at holding off a total engine failure, although now it feels like i have a smooth idling 4 cylinder as an engine). i should just go balls out and find a big block, that oughta give it a little more pep in its step:D
 
fyi your killing most any stock gas motor with the gears that high for low rpm on highway. if you swaped a good set of axles with 3.42 or 3.73 you would have a whole new truck .

play with this to see the diffrences in rpm to tire and gear ratio size. http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

and sbc like 2000-2500 for good cummfy power band cruisin.
 
sweetk30 said:
fyi your killing most any stock gas motor with the gears that high for low rpm on highway. if you swaped a good set of axles with 3.42 or 3.73 you would have a whole new truck .

play with this to see the diffrences in rpm to tire and gear ratio size. http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

and sbc like 2000-2500 for good cummfy power band cruisin.
Click to expand...

You can lead a horse to water BUT you can't make him drink.
 
Actually,with a big enough engine ,even high gearing wont hinder performance--the old Caddy's had high ratio gears like 2.56's oftent --that did not
stop the 500 cid engine from roasting the tires in all three gears when you booted it!....some large land yachts managed to get some impressive MPG numbers using the huge displacement engines with a high ratio rear end...my Buicks both had 401 nailheads and a 3.08 ratio axle and they could burn rubber all the way up to 60 mph and chirp third gear,and those tanks weighed 3 ton easy...

Like they say.theres no replacement for displacement.....hard to beat a big block,but a reasonably strong small block can be built that will rival many big blocks,and you save some weight and room in the engine bay with one...there are a ton of parts in a small block that will interchange,and some you cant,I learned a lot of that the hard way working at junkyards,where we put the "they are all the same" motto to the test--we found some things like rocker arms had different ratios on certain engines,etc..a good book like "How To Hotrod Your Small Block Chevy" is indispensible when building a motor from leftovers or spare parts for that reason...

I'm not sure but a 305 crank might be able to be used in a 350 block,being the same stroke,but it would need rebalancing most likely due to the pistons being different bore size and not weigh the same as 350 ones..this is where the books are handy,they'll tell you what rods are different and what cant be mixed & matched..
I have seen some pretty impressive motors built from "junk" people bought from the junkyard and bolted together that were proven perfotmers on and off the roads around here....
 
Don't be affraid of the 327. I have a SJ 327 in my truck. It has TBI heads on it tho with TBI injection. I'm running a 327/465/208 combo with 3.73's. I can break my 38's loose in the back no problem. As far as driving around town, I have no problems at all.

Heres a vid of my truck playing around. Everything was 4 low 1st gear (second actual)

 
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I know i'm a tough customer and i apologize if it comes as rude and arrogant to some, but this is the set up i have to deal with for now, i cant really help that. this is my daily driver, i wont have good funds for it until my main projects done (not for a while due to current employment situation)... the big block bit was a joke, if it were up to me it would be a reality but then again if everything were up to me, everything i drive would run on hopes and dreams... the two good things i will say about the gearing i have is this: i can drive all day at around 2K on the highway where alot of my driving is AND i can use the granny gear as a first gear from a dead stop which definetly helps get things going.
My logic was based on what diesel4me said about the big blocks and crap gears. the more low speed torque you put down the less gearing you really need to get moving the same rate than say a motor with a higher torque band and better gearing than the car with crappier gears (i think that makes sense, dont know if i quite explained what im thinking too well)...
This thread kinda cemented a few things: given my set up a 10.35-1 327 aint exactly ideal for my needs and uses. my gears blow and if i didnt know it before i definetly know it now. and that there is no replacement for displacement.
(in my best Nixon voice...) I AM NOT A HORSE!!!!!!!! I'm just a broke kid in a tight spot trying to make the best of what i have to work with using what little knowledge i have to make something that works with what i have...
again, i apologize if i come off arrogant and stuborn to some, in no way do i intentionally mean to step on peoples toes or anything to the like.
 
Orange85, if you dont mind, what are the specs on your motor?

SweetK30, That gear ration calculators pretty awesome, much better than the one i use on randys ring and pinion site.
 
we just tryin to lead you down the correct path 1 time.

and buy a good running non project motor . faster and cheeper in the end.
 
i dont know about where the op lives, but in my area you can get a set of 3.73 1/2 tons for $200. that might be a nice upgrade for later.

that 327 will be far ahead of the 305 you have now.
 
snotrocket71 said:
thats definetly a sweet deal for $900, most of my friends have 350's just laying around but thats the thing, they've been laying around for too long so regardless they need a thorough rebuild. maybe i'm being too picky especially since i can still chug around in my truck (seafoam and bars stop leak definelty came through in the clutch at holding off a total engine failure, although now it feels like i have a smooth idling 4 cylinder as an engine). i should just go balls out and find a big block, that oughta give it a little more pep in its step:D
Click to expand...

Yah man Im stoked, I love having awesome connections, it helps, but yah I have a 305 in mine at the moment, I feel your pain, its knocking and has no power, and with 3.73s and 32" tires I can get 10 mpg on a good day downhill with the wind to my back, but normally 9. Now dont you think with that kind of gas consumption i should at least have enough power to squeek the tires on pavement? Well I cant haha, so its gotta go.
 
Deuling said:
Yah man Im stoked, I love having awesome connections, it helps, but yah I have a 305 in mine at the moment, I feel your pain, its knocking and has no power, and with 3.73s and 32" tires I can get 10 mpg on a good day downhill with the wind to my back, but normally 9. Now dont you think with that kind of gas consumption i should at least have enough power to squeek the tires on pavement? Well I cant haha, so its gotta go.
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i hear ya, a 305 has its place in the world but that place definetly isnt powering anything more than a compact car in my book.
 
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