Hi, I have a 1968 327 and am putting it back together. However the heads I was given were supposedly the 327 heads but I’m not quite sure. If anyone could tell me what they are or if they are actually the 327 heads that would be appreciated. Cheers
casting number end in 520 or 896?? https://www.v8volvo.se/mekartips/identifiering/chevrolet/toppar/toppidentifiering.html
Depends on casting number, but those heads were used on 327s in some applications...usually around 250 hp. Like the ones on my 62 Vette.
My 327 came with these. It's got 462 double humps now. The one I'm putting together now is getting 291 double humps with a '68 date code. Gary
yeah those are early power pak heads. They will work, but wont flow very well. Also are you sure thats a 68 block? Most 68 blocks (I currently have 3 68 327's, 2 in vehicles and one block) still have the pad for the older draft tube/breather setup but its not machined and I am also not seeing a hint of the raised casting for the distributor. Might just be the angle of the pictures causing that.
I did search up the block casting numbers on the small block identification number websites and it did say it was a 68 327, but I’ll take photos later after work of it and post it up.
Might be early '68, seems the ones I've seen with the pcv boss not machined were early 69 327 before switching over to 350.
I just posted this photo up replying to someone else but this is the numbers I looked up and it said it would be a 68 327.
The 010 block was used from 69-79 Your pictures show the date code, from a bad angle, or just hard to read, but it really looks like the last digit is 4, which means it's a 1974 350. Most of these were installed in pickup trucks.
if its a 4 bolt main, its not a 327. No 327 was 4 bolt main from the factory. Someone could have shoved a large journal 327 crank it it. You could look at the rear end flange of the crank to see what one it is.
All 3 of my 68 blocks have the unmachined boss and they range in casting dates over the whole model year.
Oh okay, we had the ***umption it was a 327 as the guy we bought it off said it was one and came out of his car. But by the sounds of everyone explaining to me, it’s a 350 correct?
Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for responding back to us and giving us more info on this motor and helping us out big time. We greatly appreciate it
The block is a 350 block, it could have a 3, 3.25, or 3.48" stroke crank in it, so who knows? It's 50 years old... all we can tell for sure is that it started life as a 1974 350 (that's the only engine Chevy made with that block that year). If there are letters and numbers stamped on the front of the block where the yellow ellipse is, we can tell you more about where it came from. If the block deck was machined, those numbers will not be there. Anyways, stories about engines aren't worth much, you have to know what you're looking at...
Unless it’s been swapped, no. Most 4 bolts by that point were truck engines and most were cast cranks. Stuff like your LT1 or higher performance stuff got steel cranks but that kind of died around 72/73. It’s pretty rare to find large journal factory steel cranks. They are worth picking up if you find them and they are usable and have not been heavily turned.
All the 1962 - 1967 327 cranks were Small Journal .... 1968 and 1969 were the only two years for Large Journal 327 cranks.... 1968 was the only year for a Large Journal steel crank. But factories being factories [more like accountants being accountants] there could be exceptions to this with inventory overruns etc. Some 327 blocks were available in both small and large journal for the same casting numbers.
you have to watch the casting date and then the front pad where the suffix code would be stamped. There could be a later CE block (warranty block) that could be a later casting date with a small journal, not common and something I have not come across with all the small blocks I have messed with. The casting date is a bigger one to look at. When model year change was happening, there could be a overlap of stuff going out the door of the old way vs the new change for a few weeks as inventory moves. I don't think the engine plants closed down like the main ***embly lines for re tooling a new model year. So somewhere in July/August of 1967 could be some overlap as new car production would begin in August/Sept usually. I have dealt a lot with 68 small blocks as I have 2 restored stock(ish) 68 Chevys (C10 and a Camaro) so over the years I had to figure out all the oddballness that was Chevy in 1968. 68 is a oddball year for small blocks on the whole for a lot of things. Same could be said for the actual cars as well.
But is this block, cast with provisions for a road draft tube and baffle bolt, still a small journal or were they bored to the large journal size? Gary
The Jalopy Journal
