230 inline...or give her some muscle?

So I'm in a rather peculiar situation. I have a 64 Belair, 4 door, 230 inline, stock rear with a th350 between the flywheel and rearend.

In the garage sits a 327 SB, std journal block with heads and exhaust manifolds, 100k miles.

I would entertain the idea of rebuilding the 327 bored .30 over, new pistons, mild cam, headers, built for cruising.

I have also thought long and hard about rebuilding the old 230, 88k (original) miles, upgrading to a mild cam, dual carbs, rebuilt head, headers, built for cruising.

I guess I haven't thought too hard about comparing the two, and ultimately deciding what I want from the car.

I'm here to take suggestions. Money isn't an issue, but then again I don't have too deep of pockets. I can save up, as I won't be doing any major work till spring 2012. What do you guys know about the possibilities from a 230 as apposed to a 327. Like I said, I don't want too much power, more or less a "cool" factor that's through the roof. I already get alot of people looking under the hood, admiring the old 230.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

You want 'er to say "VRRRROOOOM", or "BWWWWAAAAP"?

 

Decide what you want from the car. If you want a hot rod, sell the Bel Air. I see a lot of these old 4-drs that are generally unmolested except for an engine swap, with bright, shinny valve covers, mag wheels, dual exhausts, etc., and then get *****y when they can't get what they 'invested' into the car. Sometimes a nice old car is better left as a nice old car. Rebuild the 230, maybe pop a 2-bbl on it and let it be.

 

......... Or, you could yank out the six and put it up for sale for a good coin... Then you'll have enough for a 327 rebuild with extra change for beer an' pizza.. You do like beer an' pizza, correct???

 

Keep the six ... it'll be different from the SBC norm, and will definitely have the cool factor when it's hopped up a little bit.

 

I guess I'm more into getting on down the road than being cool. A rebuild on the 327 will make twice the power for half the money. Sounds better too.

 

Any 230 I ever had was a gas hogging slug. If you want to provide and pay for something other people like to look at, I guess that is up to you. Cool, to me, in that car, would be the 327, clean & painted, in a spotless engine room. A 327 is not just another small block. It is a cl***ic.

By the way, power in the avatar truck is a 270 GMC inline 6. I do like 6's too. They just have to be big enough.

 

I ran a 250 in my 48 chevy for two years and got real bored with it as I drive a lot, the six didn't like the 700R4 with a converter lock up on the highway, installed a stock 350 and I'm happy and the car is happy cruising, even get better mileage and the car feels more like a hot rod this way. Just my opinion. Good luck

 

I was thinking the same, but the SS Impala's came with a 327 in '64, so I don't think that'd be too much "different". Ballpark figure, which would be cheaper to build? The 230 with a mild cam, headers, dual offy, and head work, or the 327, mild cam, headers, four barrel, with a little head work? With what little research I've done, I'd ***ume the 230.

 

No matter what you do to the 230 you are still trying to pull a tank with a lawnmower engine. If you really want a six, and it sounds like you do, at least start with a 292. Do the same mods as you suggest for the 230 and you will have something worthwhile. A 292 will mean side draft carbs like the early Corvettes had or a bubble in the hood. You want cool, that would be cool.

As much as I like 6's, I would still vote for the 327. I had one of those in a '57 Corvette years ago. A FUN car.

 

i say go with the 230... but stoke it to a 250 with a 250 crank and 307 flat top pistons.. and the other mods you want.. its already in the car just have to yank it and refresh it. im going with a 250 in my 54... guess im kinda bias... john

 

Beer an' pizza.. ^^

 

To me, a '64 full size Chevy needs a V8. I could see an early Nova with a hopped up 230, but it would weigh half a ton less than your BelAir. I'm all for hopped up sixes, but they make more sense in a Chevy ten years older than yours. Kinda like fender skirts......on a '53 Chevy? Sure. On my '64 GTO? NEVER!!!!

 

Having experienced both a 230 (old) and 292 (current) in my 63 Biscayne sedan, I gotta say the extra torque from the bigger motor is really nice. It also sounds *****in' with Porters and will return 20 MPG if I keep it around 65 on the highway with a stock 3 speed. FWIW, I've got an Offy intake with a 500CFM Edelbrock and it fits under my hood without any modifications. It's tight, sure, but bubbles and scoops need not apply here. PM me if you'd like more info about the swap. All that said, you might wanna check out inliners.org or look through Leo Santucci's Power Manual before you make a final decision.

 

Ask Ike Iaconno.

 

I thought that was a 302 GMC.....

 

I got a 230 in my 64 2-door Belair and just came back from Fleet Farm. I keep thinking to check and make sure when I push down the pedal all the way that the carb actually opens all the way! I drive it floored almost all the time. Even with that, it is not a hot rod and I'm ok with that.

 

I had a 64 4 door with a 230 and a 'glide trans.It seemed adequate for what it was. I thought about doing what you're thinking about doing-but was concerned I would then want to upgrade brakes,steering and suspension to match up better with the V8. At the end of the day,I cleaned up ,tuned up the old six and just had fun with it the way it was.

 

That looks...beautiful. I think I might need to change my draws. Is that a single carb, single exhaust?

 

Yes

 

My 1st car was a '63 Bel Air, 230 powerglide. It ****ed for a kid wanting to scratch off once in a while. I put a 350 2bbl. in it and had a blast. (in 1972-1974.)