Tips for making my 327 SBC look traditional/be reliable

th350 and not sure yet on gears. want to get it to run 70 down the highway at about 2200 with my 31 inch bias tires.

 

Try something like this.... and it has an L79 cam in it from GM

 

if my math is right, a 3.00 gear will get me in the 2270prm at 70 mph with the other stuff i have.

 

X's 2 on that cam selection. Shift kit (street-strip version) the trans. Its firm.

 

will it work on the highway at 2200 rpm cruising?

 

Looks like that Qjet is sitting on an adapter, pull it off and take a look at the mounting surface on the manifold.

 

There's always fuel injection if you are really feeling brave:



This '63 327 was originally going to run polished Corvette 7 fin valve covers. Once they went on, the polished injector was lost. Went with the early p***enger car covers instead. It really makes this look more traditional. Keep the road draft tube (hide a PCV in it if you want) and use an intake oil fill. Anything oil related in valve covers screams 1970's IMHO.

This has a comp cams 270h with Rhodes lifters. The injector has to make 14" vacuum at idle. It does with this set-up. Go with standard hydraulic lifters and you will get the lope you desire with a decent modern cam profile. The Rhodes lifters change the duration and lift slightly at idle as they bleed down.

 

That is freakin' beautiful!!!

 

I'd stick with the GM '151' L79 cam. I'm running one with a TH350 2200 stall and a 3.73 gear. Great combination that sounds good and runs great.

 

That's a '64-'65 300 hp intake intended for a Carter AFB with a Q jet adapted to it. The carb looks to be early '70s vintage---the I.D. number is stamped vertically on the driver side of the main body, and will read something like 7041262,

 

I have one and detailed it with:

1960s Cal Custom valve covers
Finned Cal Custom oil pan
1957 cast iron distributor
Detailed early ram's horns
Weiand 4x2 intake
Four rebuilt/fresh 97s
Weiand early finned timing cover


Added a nice RV cam as well.

Rat

 

Now that's a nice period "recipie" for a hot rod motor.

GMC Bubba says those early (1957-59) cast iron distributors are very reliable and they look "period" with the oiler tube coming out of the housing below the breaker plate. Electronic is easy to add and hide.

The early intake with the oil fill is a must, because it's right out there in front. Your intake with a small AFB or even a Rochester 4Jet, should look good and be more "daily" friendly than a multi carb or other exotic fuel delivery system, and much less expensive. An early Corvette flat louvered air cleaner would look nice, but there are lots of options to help with the "look". Intakes, carbs, and air cleaners can also be changed later as your knowledge and hot rodding experience improve and your tastes change.

I ran a 327 with powerpack heads and a Rochester 4Jet with a powerglide trans for years in a 3600lb Chevelle on 26 in tires and with 3.08 gears and it was very reliable and economical. I think 70 mph put it around 2500-2700, which probably had the power valve open in the carb and ate more fuel. Your 2200rpm goal should make for a more economical choice, with the 31 in tires and a 300 rear and your truck shouldn't go over 2000lbs so it should move nicely. If you need more quick acceleration, just move the rear ratio to 336 or 355. You will sacrifice fuel economy and your rpms will move up to 2600-3000 around 70-75 freeway speeds. I do believe a 327 will have more than enough torque to move the little truck with a TH350, small 4BBL and 300 gears.

The L79 cam will work fine with the TH350 and 300 gears. It starts to come alive around 2800-3000rpm and runs out well close to 6000rpm or maybe a little more. Starting in low under full acceleration, you can get to that power curve pretty quickly. Cruising at 2200rpm just mash the throttle and you're right at the power curve when the TH350 kicks down. Just add the bigger heads for more compression and flow, a bigger carb and headers, and you've just bolted on close to another 100HP without changing the short block. I'm sure Grampa remembers some more tricks, too.

Save those pics of rat *******'s, Rochie's, Alfin 32's, and 1931av8's super cool set-ups, for future reference, and find some more here on the HAMB.

 

Overspray funny you mention that b/c I love the cast iron dist too and have added elec ign to it all under the cap so its invisible.

The only concession are a pair of 305HO heads for a decent increase in CR/flow and TQ. The 4x2 should be find when dialled in as she'll be using the two inner carbs as a progressive primary setup and the outers as "dumpers" from 60% open to WOT.

Once set up. it should be ok on the old benzene and be pretty efficient as a progressive setup.

Rat

 

Yup, I've been eyeballin' those 305 heads for the next SBC project. Keep us all posted on the 4X2 set-up. I know I'd be interested in how it works and the whole recipie for the engine. Our "benzine" or gasoline, is a far cry from what it used to be in the 50's and 60's. It's pathetic compared to the power and burn we used to have. Were paying 12 times the price for 1/3 the power. It adds up to some rethinking when I try duplicate the performance I used to expect when doing that easy "bolt on " horsepower we used to do 40+ years ago on small blocks. Wow!! It's been that long.

Us Grampas must keep this hobby going thru our kids and grandkids, like Davey.

Thank you Mr Ryan Cochran! This is the place to do it.

 

WOW! I love this site! I can't thank you guys enough for all the cool photos and advice. This place has been my saving grace in many of my choices so far, and I'm sure it will continue to serve as such!

BTW: My dad and I were talking cam options, he suggested the 268H Comp Cams grind. Anyone have any luck, good or bad, with these?

 

Here is a custom 4x2 log intake, not another one around. Old school..I had it custom built. The intake is available with or without Strombergs.
Duane.

 

I have one of these intakes on a '65 327 I picked up several years ago. The info I found out about it is that it was a dealer service replacement manifold for a square bore carter carb, probably a 500cfm. Also the rear carb stud on the drivers side was hollow for a vacuum source as it is in the intake runner. Hope this helps.

 

Cam: what about the camshaft from a GMPP 350/290HP?
Specs:
Part number: 03896962 Hydraulic Flat Tappet
Lift: .450" I, .460" E
Duration @0.50": 222º
Centerline: 114

327-350HP, L79 Cam
Specs:
Part number: 3863151 Hyd.
Lift: .447" I, .447" E
Duration @0.50": 221º
Centerline: 114

My nephew has a GMPP 350/290HP engine in his 1961 Bel Air. It runs good and the idle sounds awesome!! -

Quadra-Jet pictured: that is not a Chevy Q-Jet. All Chevy Q-Jets fuel inlets face the p***enger-side of the car. B-O-P Q-Jet fuel inlets point straight-ahead like the one pictured.

 

I have run the 268H on a number of SBC's since the early 80's. The first was a daily driver OT Camaro. Good power for the majority of normal RPM's. Decent vacuum. Sounds a little lopey when used in the 350's I had them in. Currently running one in my OT '71 C-10 truck with a 350 and 4 speed. I use it for all around use. Healthy acceleration without being too over the top for daily use. I think that you will be happy with it. For a bit more kick, go to the 270h. Pretty popular with the muscle car guys.

There may be some discussion about "sound quality" produced by certain cams on traditional cars. The idea being that old grinds have a distinctive sound that is not present with modern grinds such as the Comp series. I think that a lot of that celebrated "sound quality" came from early solid lifter applications. Current solids have a slight amount of oil cushion built in and don't sound quite like they used to. That is the reason that old, original GM NOS solids can fetch over a grand on eBay. These are for guys looking for authenticity and not afraid to pay stupid money. Not sure that I can hear any real difference between an L-79 and a 270h in any case...

 

Hey Davey,

Don't be afraid to use a points dist.,,,they work just fine and YES,,they are very reliable. Easy to set up too,,it doesn't take a professor to do it.
And yes,,you are right,,this is a great site !

Tommy

 

Davey...

1931av8 speaks with straight tongue. My '55 F 100 got a 350 when I put it together, in 1972. ('69 'Vette engine was a gift from a customer, had 12K miles on it when it flattened the cam. I installed a crate motor, customer 'tipped' me with the engine core for hurrying and getting done by the Thanksgiving trip he made to visit family)

After a teardown and rings/bearings/ valve grind, I used a 268* hydraulic cam, and a Carter 600 Thermoquad. Powerglide trans, 3.30 Dana rear...Truck would light 2.35R X 15 rears at will. Excellent torque, good 'round lope' at idle, could sit in drive at stoplights, standard stall converter.

I have a different setup now, another 'gift' engine from another customer. (2nd gen. 350 w/ swirlport heads, Edelbrock intake, 650 Holley, Echlin dual point dist., and Comp 290* cam; 350 Turbo-Hydro, 3.00 rear 9-inch.)
But I may go back to the 268* cam. Great lower end torque, good mileage, better accel from 2,000 RPM and it's a truck. And I'm old. LOL