The traditional 327 -VS– crate?

Would I build a 350? In a heartbeat. Would I buy a crate motor? Not in this lifetime...

 

Crate motors are great for places like commercial garages; they're ready to drop in, and the warranty they come with exceeds anything you could stand behind if you assembled it yourself. Besides, if you charged the hourly labor rate for building an engine, it would probably cost more than the crate unit. For my own cars, I like to put them together in my garage.

 

Larry
How many of them are you going to manufacture just exactly like it? Someone is going to say that I am wrong but those are the kicks. I don't see anything bellybutton about an engine hand assembled by a rodder.

It is not the cubes that make it a belly button it is being mass produced that makes it a belly button.

I personally may go in the other direction with it if it were me. I have owned or built small blocks in just about any configuration imaginable. If I had a good solid large journal block and could lay my hands on a good silid large journal 327 crank I would be running a large bore short stroke small block. But that is just me.

Anyway getting back to it no the cubes won't make it a belly button at all, who can tell the internals by looking at it.

 

What are you going to do with the 55? Drive it, a lot?

If so I'd do the 350 just to make life easier and as trouble free as possible. I'm all for tradition, but if you're going to live with it every day and the SO is going to drive it I'd go for ease and reliability. After all, isn't that what cars are for - to be driven?

If it's a show car and couple times a summer cruiser, it might not be such a big deal.

 

Its a driver and a 327 isn't any less reliable than a 350. What is going to lay down on wither is not the reciprocating assembly is is the peripherals, electrical system, carburetors, water pump and etc.


No offense to you personally but it seems that a lot of people buy into this whole newer is better thing. They are the same engine with a shorter stroke. The length of the stroke won't make it any more or less reliable.

 

If, in the future, you're going to be building a hoodless car and think you might want to put a small block in it, save the 327 and buy a crate to hide under the hood of the 55.

 

Yes it will. R/S ratio goes down, peak piston acceleration goes up, ultimately, the 350 will be slightly more fragile than the 327.

 

x2 what KoolKat-57 said

Here are a couple... http://www.smedingperformance.com/chevy/383+ESeries+360+Horsepower.html

and... http://www.smedingperformance.com/chevy/383+ESeries+440+Horsepower.html

.

 

IF ... oil leaks bother you ... just go ahead and buy a crate engine that has the center bolt valve covers and a one piece rear main seal. Problem over.

327 VS 350 build is like do you want to date MaryAnn or Ginger

I have built both 327's and 350's. It is more cost effective to just buy a crate 350 ... IMHO.

.

 

I would price out rebuilding the 327 stock vs stroking your large journal block and forget about the crate engine.
I would bet you could build 383 ci. cheaper than the 331. Yeah, I know it becomes a long arm engine not suited for higher rpm compared to the 331, but I would guarantee the car would be more fun to drive. Plus the block can always be put back to stock.

 

It's a no brainer...... 327!

 

I went the 327 route personally, but not the camel hump heads. My 327 was bored .040" over and the PO had installed a set of 882 smog heads on it. Hated the smog heads with the small valves and large combustion chambers, so I went looking for a pair of reasonably priced old 2.02 or 1.94 cast iron heads. In the process I ran across a guy who had a brand new pair of aluminum heads with hardened seats, SS 2.02"/1.60" valves, and springs set up for .550 lift. Bought the heads and new ARP head bolts for $500, so I decided I could live without the camel humps on the end of my heads.
So mine is a mix of old and new school.

 

If you're a detail guy... find some camel humps and rebuild the 327.

You'll give up about 25 horsepower over comperable 350...

But all will be right with the gods of hot rodding, so... do it.

Sam

 

I may go visiting with you but if it is a "real" truck motor it is probably a tall deck. My dream motor to use for a blower motor but not a real good streat motor in stock trim. We'll discuss it in private if you want.

As far as turning 3K that is not the engines fault that is a gearing thing. My small block hits is sweet spot right about there. It wouldn't be hard to make your 327 run that way and it would be a lot easier on your 327 than on my 355.

I'm just sayin'.

You're not even beginning to get old my young friend, my oldest grandaughter just finished high school. Maybe tired but not old by a long shot.

Oh and one other thing, I wouldn't run camel humps, far over rated, get yourself some power packs. I'll show you how to make them right.

 

This is the 327 from my 62 Impala all rebuit to L 79 spec I got a crate motor for the car a ZZ4 while I was getting all the right parts . Its ready to go in but damm the ZZ4 runs great. Maybe some day

 

327 are great, my last three have been 327, and I have a BBC pushing 468 inches for one of my current projects.. but my next mill will be a big inch LSX motor... for a traditional hotrod the 327 is great. for something newer the LSX is hard to beat for power..

 

didn't you get the memmo................ the hardened seats? you don't need them

 

Agreed!

-Dave

 

bullshit

 

Nice. Are you running a front mount with the Black Widows?

 

yes they do....

 

without a doubt the 327! you wont loose any horsepower either

 

Yes you will, unless you raise your rpms.
Larry T

 

oh HELL YA
small blocks are for kids

 

Go with the 327. I am going through my 327 now. I could have bought a crate motor for less but I've had this one a long time and really like it, besides a 327 in a Model A just seems right.

 

precisely. For a given set of heads/cam/intake, the 327 will make virtually the same hp a few hundred rpm higher than the 350. The 350 WILL make more torque.

 

327s are the coolest. Not just of the SBCs, but in engines in general.

 

Crate engines are for kit cars.

 

Gee Rambler had a 327 back in the 60's maybe you could built one of those!
Really different, very traditional, and it's a 327!
You know nothing else sounds like a 327!

 

opinions.....buttholes.you know the rest. what ever you want do it!