Destruction of a BBC, WITH PICTURES!!!

Shit Happens!!!!!!

 

Holy*****!

 

In 1969 I had a '67 Camaro with a 435 hp 427, 4.88 rear, 2.20 Muncie for a street car. It was a 327/2bl/ 3spd on the column when I bought it so it was PLAIN JANE looking on the outside. My wife had a ball with Mustangs being driven by pimply faced kids who thought thier 271hp/289C.I. Pony's were the hot setup.
Between the two of us we managed to put some serious abuse on that car.
One Sunday on the way to church (I told you it was our transportation) I'm driving along 35 MPH when the engine shuttered and lost power. I shut it off coasted to the side of the road to check things out. Pulled the dipstick, the oil (and water) were about 2" above the full mark.
Teardown found the Crane retainer had split just like ElPolackko's and the valve had dropped down into the cylinder to be greeted by the piston happily on it's way to TDC. The head broke off the valve and the next revolution jammed the valve head into the combustion chamber and poked a hole in it. Final tally: ruined cylinder head, had to sleeve the block, replaced one rod and piston/ring****y.
I can only imagine what the destruction would have been at 6,000rpm or if the piston had been cast.
THAT'S RACING!!! or in this case minding my own business, going to church.

Frank

 

Just took another look at the pictures and that cyinder wall does look a little thin. Is it possible that is a 396 block that has been bored out to 427? We did that a lot during the time frame of the late 60's. They make great engines, the only problem is that some had thinner cylinder walls than others. It had something to do with the 396 being bored to 402 at the factory and trying to save weight so they enlarged the water jacket cores thus making the walls thinner. If you've cross referenced the engine VIN number on the front of the right bank head surface and it checks out to 427 then this wouldn't apply. We used to check this by punching out the center freeze plup and checking the space between the inner cylinder walls. If you've got a known thick wall casting for reference the difference is really apparent. Some of the thin cast blocks wouldn't take a 4.250 bore without being prone to cracking. Only sonic testing would tell. Thought I'd mention this as long as you've got it torn down it might be worth checking.

Frank