Need some opinions on my 327 build

I picked up a 63 impala ss with a 327 and power glide. The engine is a smokey sludgey leaky pig but the rest of the car is really nice. It has a 63 327 in it. It is going to be a weekend driver.

Here is my plan

Go through the bottom end as needed. New cam bearings 30 over if needed new pistons bearings etc..

Edlebrock c26 manifold with 2 500 edelbrocks and progressive linkage
Dart Iron Eagle 180 heads w 64 cc chambers shooting for around 10 to 1
Voodoo cam 60102 or 60103 haven't decided yet
2.5 rams horns
roller tipped stamped rockers under script vette valve covers
mallory mechanical distributor

For now I am sticking with the powerglide. It works good. If it blows I will put something else in it.

What do you think this will be like in a heavy car like the impala?
Can I run a mild (2000) stall in this set up with the powerglide?
What would that be like on the street?
I am just looking for some general opinions on this set up.

Thanks for the advice

 

If it smokes, I would do a compression test and verify ring condition beforehand.
If you bump the compression with a head change and the rings are bad , the smoke will be much much worse.

 

Use Roades lifters too. Then you don't need a stall converter. I used them on my 66 ChevyII with a 327 and lumpy cam and glide. It was my wifes work car.

 

Hopping up a sick power plant is like taking a shower and then putting on dirty underwear, except in your case everyone will know. Also 100 CFMs of carburetor is an awful lot unless the engine is built to take it.

In the same vein, I'd rethink the powerglide as well.

Bob

 

...... is like taking a shower and then putting on dirty underwear, except in your case everyone will know.

Bob[/QUOTE]

I hate it when that happens, but sometimes you do what you gotta do.

 

Buy a crate 350 from your friendly Chevrolet dealer. Sell the 327 to a 'matching numbers' freek. Aluminum PG is a good stout piece, your example should have the 1.76 gear set, converter should be OK, Glides don't need or want stall as much as 3sp trans.

 

It is the original motor to the car so I wouldn't sell it, I guess I could stick it in the shed, but I always just thought 327's were cool. Besides with the old block I can still run a road draft.

 

Sorry, I edited my original post, I am going to go through the bottom end as well. bore if needed, then new bearings and pistons etc...

Yes new top end on worn out bottom end= no more mosquitoes

 

I used to be big on the 283 & 327 engines, but the later blocks have better crank ventilation. I have some nice 307 & 350 builds under my belt. You can always freshen up the 327 later, I'm sitting on a few myself.

Bob

 

I hate it when that happens, but sometimes you do what you gotta do.[/QUOTE]

Especially when it comes to taking a pair of the ol' lady's frillies out of the hamper... hate to have a car accident on that day.

Bob

 

What's the rear gear ratio? I think 2-4s are a little ambitous and progressive doesn't help drivability that much. The rams horns are a deduct with those heads. IF the heads are actually 64, for a .03 in over bore with 2 valve relief flat top pistons, the block decked .010, and .03 thick (Cometic ) head gaskets, your CR should be 9.88/ 9.9 to 1. Also I'd add an MSD box to that distributor. I'm building a similar 327 right now.

 

I know I would make more power with a 350 and a dual plane intake with a 750 holley, but that is boring. I guess I could hide a 350 block, but I really want to run no vent valve covers and the dual quad set up for looks. My idea in my head is to make it look like someone stuck a dual quad vette motor in it...

 

Especially when it comes to taking a pair of the ol' lady's frillies out of the hamper... hate to have a car accident on that day.

Bob[/QUOTE]

That's just wrong & on many different levels. Lmao.

 

I red your original post after edit. I don't know much about the voodoo cam specs so I can't be much help on stall.

I can help you a bit woith your top end though. If you are running much of a cam shaft loose the roller rockers and get roller fulcrum rockers, you will be glad you didn. You vette covers won't be tall enough but you can put a spacer in there and painted the same as the head it takes a close scrutiny to tell.

Won't comment on your carb choice, any more than to say I prefer different carbs personally. The carbs you have chosen will probably be fine, at least they will be new.

 

With the x frame I could run shorty headers, but I think full length are a no go. Later on as money permits I would prob run either a 700r4 or a 200 with 373's. But that won't be until the pg goes or I can pool some more funds.

 

specs on the bigger of the two cams are

• Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 268/276
• Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 227/233
• Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .489/.504
• LSA/ICL: 110/106

 

I run a Crane Fireball 2 in my street driven 350. I think it is 480 lift, 302 duration. Its supposed to be an RV type cam, more torque, mid range-ish. With an edelbrock torker on it, I would say it is more of a mid to high range cam

I am very happy with it.

 

Being an old school 283/327 lover, I would stick with it.....sure a 350 will give you more of everything, but so will a 383, or 454....
I am NOT an expert, but if you want good old school performance, put an L79 Corvette style cam in it...loose the dual quads, get to ~10-1 compression...have good spark, use the RamHorns in 2 1/2 " and run a good exhaust...
You will be very pleased with it...and as far as the two speed powerglide...go for it !!
Of course JMHO....
Keep us in the loop !!
Cheers....

 

Ok, Ive built a few sbc engines in my day.

The Dart heads are great on a 327, the dual quad intake, will look cool, but only complicate your setup. A single 4 barrel would be plenty.
The rams horns are going to choke your engine. These are good heads, they need to breathe. They do make headers for a 63 impala with a sbc.
Why would you go backwards with a mechanical distributor? Even a stock 70s HEI is tons better than that...
10-1 is close to the limit for pump gas. You will have to buy premium fuel.
The powerglide, will be ok with a 2000 stall. Thats only a little over stock.

Your best bet is to run it and look for a 700r4 to swap. That will wake your car right up down low AND give you OD for highway use.

Lastly, your cam selection. This would work well with the 10-1 ratio, single 4 barrel, dart heads, headers and stall convertor- if thats the route you wanna take.
Take out any one of those, and your combo will suffer greatly. IMO its a bit too much cam for a 327 driver in a big heavy car. Its got the choppy idle you want, but the power range will be in the mid range- not the lower end where you need it to get a 63 impala moving. If you has a 4 spd or a 3000 stall, that cam would be a better choice.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

That's were I am at. My other car is fast. Stroked big block, big gears, big exhaust etc...

This one is a cruiser, gl*** packs, hub caps and a big interior.

Maybe I do need to rethink the dual quads. Any one ever run them on a 327?

 

Are you going dual quad for looks or power?

If looks, I'd put a pair of 390's on it instead of 500's.

If power, you'll make more, especially where you need it, with the right single carb/intake setup. It's been proven on the dyno, over and over. What do you see on the quickest cars at the strip? Single carb or dual?
2 500 CFM carbs does not equal 1000 cfm of actual flow, and just because you could flow a lot of CFM, it doesn't mean you need it. While you may have POTENTIAL to flow 1000cfm, your engine will only pull what it need to run at peak efficiency. Over-carbing that little engine is going to murder flow velocity and torque. It's way too much for a street going 327. That engine would be happier with a 600-650 Holley, vacuum secondaries, and a cam more focused on low and mid range power.

Not a lot of inches (meaning, not a lot of torque) to move a big car, and only 2 gears, so I wouldn't expect to win too many stoplight races, but it should be a good cruiser.

For reference, I'm running a pump gas 11:1 350, bigger cam than what you listed, RPM Air Gap intake, and cleaned up Performer RPM heads, with a 670 Holley VS. This setup in my 55 Chevy with a th350, 2400 stall, and 3.55 posi rear will go door to door with a C6 vette, so it works, and it works pretty well.

 

X2 on the rocker suggestion. And I would add if your on a tight budget / really don't want to run v/c spacers just get a new set of stamped style rockers and skip the roller tip. I really don't think they will do anything for you. They are just going to add unwanted weight to you valve trian. When the big 3 went roller they Just rollerized the fulcrum and didn't even bother w/the tip. Im sure they did alot of Cost/benefit ****ysis and it makes sense. There is so much more friction on the fulcrum as a posed to the tip on the stem.

 

The dual quads are deff for looks. I think that two chrome louvered air cleaners would look cool with the vette valve covers. Not looking to win many street races. I'll just go home and get the other car for that.

Ok so let's say same motor as before with a single 650 on it vs the dual quads.

 

Should run well in my opinion. I'd use a good dual plane intake, as well.

 

From what I have seen headers point the exhaust straight at the frame and screws up ground clearance something awful. I am not convinced that shorty headers are any better than the 2.5 ram horns.

So am I down to running a step smaller in the cam and a single carb? I know that is prob smarter, but also kind of boring...

 

This is the truth in your case. you might see a couple of HP for a good set of shorties, but not worth the h***le if you have clearance issues.

 

I think Mr Sinister has good advice; remember the 327 is a short stroke engine and it takes gear to move a heavy car. The point is if you gear it you can use the mid and top end power, so the 60103 cam with your heads and one of the newer dual plane intakes could really work well. As far as using 93 octane goes, why not 20 cents more on $4 gas isn't that big a deal.

 

Ok, so my new less exciting plan is

Rebuilt 327 short block,
Dart 180 Iron Eagle heads
dual plain intake with oil filler neck (need to find one of these any ideas?)
600 edeobrock carb
vette valve covers w spacers
Roller rockers
Lunati 60102

• Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 262/268
• Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 219/227
• Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .468/.489
• LSA/ICL: 112/108

2.5 rams horns
powerglide w stock converter for now. who knows in the future.


I guess I may have just a bit too form over function on my first thoughts...

 

Boring is good !
Boring is dependable
Boring is not temperamental
Boring always starts
Boring gets good mileage
Boring is forgiving
Boring doesn't load up.

Unless you are a hot shot tuning ace, can tell what's going on inside an engine just by laying your hands on it, enjoy tuning for todays weather , I'd stay close to boring if I was you.

First thing to do is to realistically define your goals and wants for the car. Then choose wisely the componets to get there with all of the obstacles in mind ( such as you ground clearance issues)

Doing things for looks is just a **** job, more trouble than its worth.

 

I ran that same cam in a '64 El Camino with a 327 and TH350. I ran a stock converter but I would have upgraded if I had the money at the time, a 2000-2200 stall would be nice with it.