History 327 Hemi sbc?????

I hate Facebook. That said, I go there nearly every day for reasons unrelated to the hamb. However, sometimes interesting things show up there. Here's one that popped up today. Wouldn't this have been one of the coolest engines ever produced?

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The Zora Arkus-Duntov 327 HEMI Prototype: The Corvette Engine That Could Have Been

In the 1960s, Zora Arkus-Duntov, the legendary "Father of the Corvette," envisioned pushing the limits of Chevrolet’s small-block V8 engine. One of his most fascinating experiments was the creation of the 327 HEMI prototype engine—a high-revving powerhouse that showcased his innovative spirit and commitment to performance.

-A Revolutionary Design-

The prototype was based on Chevrolet's already impressive 327 cubic inch small-block V8, but with a twist: hemispherical combustion chambers. Inspired by Chrysler's success with their HEMI engines, Duntov sought to combine the HEMI head’s efficiency and power potential with the compact and lightweight Chevy small-block.

The result was a hybrid of sorts, using aluminum hemispherical heads designed by Duntov himself. This setup promised better airflow and higher compression ratios, which could dramatically increase power output while maintaining reliability.

-Impressive Performance on Paper-

The 327 HEMI prototype was never officially rated, but engineers believed it could produce well over 400 horsepower with the right tuning. This would have made it a serious contender in the high-performance world of the mid-1960s, potentially rivaling engines like Chrysler's 426 HEMI and Ford’s 427 SOHC.

-Why It Didn’t Make Production-

Despite its potential, the 327 HEMI was never mass-produced. The primary reason was cost. The complex hemispherical head design was more expensive to manufacture compared to traditional small-block heads, and Chevrolet wasn’t ready to invest in such an ambitious project at the time. Additionally, General Motors’ corporate policy in the mid-1960s limited engine displacement and horsepower for regular production vehicles, which further constrained the engine’s development.

-A Legacy of Innovation-

Though it never made it to the production line, the 327 HEMI prototype was a testament to Duntov’s unrelenting pursuit of performance. His willingness to push boundaries and experiment with unconventional ideas laid the groundwork for the Corvette’s evolution into a world-class sports car.

-A Rare Piece of History-

Today, the 327 HEMI prototype is a fascinating footnote in Chevrolet and Corvette history. It’s a reminder of a time when engineers like Duntov were given the freedom to dream big and explore the limits of what was possible in American performance engineering.

#ZoraArkusDuntov #327HEMI #CorvetteHistory #ChevySmallBlock #AutomotiveInnovation

The Zora Arkus-Duntov 327 HEMI prototype may have been a "what if," but its story embodies the bold creativity that defined the golden age of American muscle and performance. It’s a piece of automotive history that will always fuel the imagination of car enthusiasts.

 

It's not like Mr. Duntov wasn't capable of designing and building hemi heads. Look at what the ARDUN heads did for the Ford flathead.

 

The twin plug hemi SBC was built and tested in 327 and 377 cu. in. variations.

 

Just about every major manufacturer played with the idea, Mopar is just the one that took the design and ran with it the most. Still do today....

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Just like MaMopar, the bean counters had to get involved...

 

lower right engine? this must be after more development work. Dec 67

 

Imagine finding one of those. It would be priceless and yet to think somebody out there (Maybe GM) might actually have one.

 

The one thing that held back good flow on all SBC engines were the heads. Not a bad design, but certainly lots of room for improvement. The SBC aftermarket aluminum heads all have big flow numbers, and seem to have eliminated any need to go to a hemi head now. Of course too late for the factory, but certainly a big help to us building SBC engines today.

 

Isn't there one of these engines in a silver '69 Camaro? I think it was at Garrets Museum down south.

 

I think I read something like that were the heads came out of Smokey Yuniks shop after he passed and were in fact used on a Camero . Something like that

 

With its Hemi-Crossram, Check Out the Rarest 1969 Camaro Ever (motortrend.com)

 

OT but may be the canted valve 302.

 

That's the car I remember but the heads look different,

 

@DDDenny is correct, canted valve, nothing more than that. To call that head a hemi makes about as much sense as calling the Gen III Hemi a hemi.

 

No, that one has the spark plugs near the bottom...the engine we're talking about has two plugs near the center of the chamber

 

Jim, I think Denny was talking about what 1biggun was refering to.