Whatever you do to the 327, it will always be 50 hp and 75 ft lbs short of what would happen to the 383. It's just cubic inches, cubic dollars. All those blocks are 4" bore. Get a crank and go.
327s are my favorite small block. There are certain engines where the bore/stroke ratio is perfect, and the 327 is one of those engines. To hear a stout 327 revving between 3500 and 7000 rpm is beautiful music. You did great. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. If your sole intention was to make maximum horsepower, sell the 327 and build a 406. A 406 will stomp a 383 all day, every day.
Thanks for all the offers of trade/sell, but the motor I have is what Dad was building, and it's what I'm going to use. It will always be his project, I'm just building it for him. daddio211, your last sentence really irks me. I'm not a 14 year old kid, and you have no idea of my experience or background. That makes your statement uneducated, unfounded, dangerous and irresponsible. But I wont hold it against you.
Keep the 327 engine ! Maybe your step dad knew what he had with the 327 and somehow just told you wrong...You said HE had the bottom build ...correct ? I have the heads and intake , pm me if that interest you any at all ! I've had a loooooooog day and I'm going to bed.....
No offense here. What I'm hearing from you is that you are afraid that the research you put into learning about 350s has no validity concerning 327s. Wrong. The premise is still the same, only difference is dimensional. A small block is a small block, as opposed to some other makes of engines, Ford, where each engine is a law unto itself. What you learned about 350s can easily applied to your 327, the only difference is part numbers, and I assure you that well designed 327 will move your Stude truck around just fine.
My apologies. I formed that opinion from your text stating your lack of knowledge on the subject. I have no idea what your ability to handle a 500 HP car is. If you're not used to handling such a monster taking it out on a public road IS irresponsible and dangerous. Know your limits. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
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In 1964 a buddy bought a brand new 327/340 horse, 4 speed, 4.56 geared Vette convertible. We were dating a couple of girls in Philadelphia and I remember the 4 of us crowded into his Vette, racing a 360 hp fuelie Vette from redlight to redlight all along the Schuylkill Expressway. The fuelie Vette never did beat us, and I can still hear the sound of those two 327's screaming through the gears. Ah, the old days ! Sorry, I got lost in my memories for a minute. Don
1) If the block is the "right" 327, it could be pretty valuable to a restoration guy - especially if its from a shoebox Chevy or a Corvette. Guys pay out the nose for the right "numbers" 2) 327s are cooler than 383s any day. 3) "Reliable" 500hp street small blocks are imagination only. You will have a race gas only engine and a ton of money in valvetrain parts. You need a blower or a big block if you want that kind of power in a low maintenance pump gas engine. I say get some good heads, 9.5:1 compression, and use the 327. There is truth to what People have said about the geometry with these. I can't cite BSFC numbers from memory, but for a given small block setup, 327s seem to make great power for their size and get unrealistically high MPG while doing it. I can't think of another engine from that period that had better hp/cubic inch actually. Just my 2 cents
So...I take by reading this post from front to back you're no longer bummed. That's a good thing because to have the opportunity to complete a project handed down is a unique and special chance to honor the original goal. Having both a 327 and a 383 I can testify you can't lose on either choice if properly assembled. I could easily swap either in place of the other and be ecstatic so long as the tranny/ratio/final drive numbers are in balance. From my experience the best combination for your project simply boils down to a couple of critical deciding factors... 1. What do you like? Low end torque or high revving power? To me this would be my first decision to make between these two power plants. The power band of the 383 starts first and the 327 will finish last. Low ET vs Top End MPH is another way I have always viewed this. Which do you enjoy the most? To me, each vehicle has their own personality and thus their engine should compliment this rather than fight against it. 2. What tranny/rear end ratio/tire diameter are you planning to run? All of these factor into the "combination" and should be considered early on because this will ultimately dictate your final "experience" when the tires finally deliver the goods when finished. The 383 will provide "instant" & "aggressive" entry lane or passing power as well as solid overdrive performance while cruising (minimal lugging)...alternatively the 327 will scream longer and provide a smoother transition throughout the power band. If your final ratio is conducive to low RPM power then the 383 is the answer...if its more free-wheeling, then the 327 will serve you better. So just make sure your factor final ratio & shift points into your build and the end combination will take advantage of your engine choice. Again...the wrong choice equals fighting the combination. The right choice will deliver a sweet & harmonious match to your build and your preferences. Lastly, I'm no expert. There are many more knowledgable members on this site. My input is based only on my experiences thus far...not theories. But I do rack up a lot more hours on the highway than I do on my keyboard. Peace! Best regards, Troy Sent from my iPad using TJJ app
That is a statement I would completely agree with. In my case, I'm well versed in the 700+ HP class 1 car arena (Primarily 4-Seat Kirby Chassis, with a few custom FU2 chassis thrown in for giggles) as well as 600+ HP custom rock racers that my brothers build. In my view I have the 2nd place trophy for the annual WE Rock series the last year I raced, along with all the supporting trophies from throughout the year. I feel comfortable with 500HP, and again, 500 wasn't a goal but an expectation I held incorrectly.
The specifications on the pistons that I have cite 9.6:1 to 10.9:1 compression at the head volumes I'm considering (64 to 76). However, having said that, the specifications were based on a 383 and I don't know how that affects the numbers, but I have asked the KB technician. As most of my favorite vehicles are 4 Wheeling, I have always been a torque guy. I'm not against a hi-reving motor assuming it has the power to make it fun. I have a 700R4 from Bow-Tie Overdrives that is of an unknown ratio/pattern. I have yet to call them to see if they can tell me about it. The torque converter is a C26HD from The Converter Shop, and around 2500 stall if I remember correctly.
KB guy should be able to give you a good answer. If you are using cast iron heads stick with the bigger chamber. Aluminum heads I could go either way. The smaller chamber would work, but your quench/squish will have to be just right, and you need to make sure the chamber design is a newer style shape, and you will probably have to run less than optimal ignition timing on the street when running pump gas. A nice way to do that is hide a MSD box with a retard knob so you can easily dial the timing back.
A trick I do with small journal 327's is finding a used up forged steel 350 crank that has 30 or so undersized rods or mains. I have the mains ground to small journal std, I off set grind the rods for say + 30 or 40 stroke. I use new SJ Scat cap screw rods & forged KB 350 pistons. The extra stroke moves the piston up 15 to 20 thou and gets it at or close to deck. This makes it into a 365 CI or so SJ stroker. They run great & are cheap to build.
I too have had good luck with the 327 for 35 years. I built one with a lot of horsepower (two fours, tunnel ram 12.5:1, etc) and several street versions. Put it together where it has good streetable power, is reliable, cranks easily when hot, and sounds like a hot rod at idle and you will enjoy it. Cam, dual plane alum intake, 650 Holley dbl pumper, camel hump heads etc., Hi reving and enjoyable. Even the notorious Camaro 302 was just a destroked 327 small journal. Most people don't know the horsepower of their engine regardless of the size. I would have estimated the tunnel rammed 327 at 500 hp - on the dyno - a little over 400. Go for it!
My 2 cents.. First off..did you ever determine if this is large or small journal ? And do you have a crank forging # yet ? A large journal block could be made into a 383 fairly easily.... BUT I would not build a 383 ! IMO.. If you are going to use the long (3.750 ) stroke crank , build a 400 + inch engine. The 327 is the best combination chevy EVER built. Good torque, good horsepower, and they do just plain run sweet ! My belief is that is has to do with the rod ratio... We can talk engine recipies for specific tasks all day here. Perhaps another thread ?? Final thoughts for Ndeep.. just for your peace of mind,, ID the block (lg or small journal) and stroke ( to get final cid ) and run it !! If you really want an awesome smallblock combo, build a 377 ! 400 block/350 crank with 6" rods.. Same rod ratio as our beloved 327 with 50 more cubes and 1/4" more stroke ( the best combo chevy NEVER built.. ) The above is my personal opinion..based on building, breaking and improving race / performance engines since 1969. Dave Lewis
DHeep...I admire your patience and willingness to take some abuse and answer some questions. You seem like a high class fellow to me. Exactly what the HAMB needs.
Yep! They were all .030" over 331 ci motors... He was also known to blow the doors off a few hemi powered cars... Say it ain't so!!!....
I have always wondered ....if the 327 was so great... why did GM stopped making them. And to the OP.....it could have turned out worse...it could have ended up being a 307.
Hey ,,,,, don't pick on the 307 they need love too. heads and a cam thrown at them helps too. I have one for a pet project. I wondered that too. chevy engineering department must have said Hey, were almost out of 283 cranks , but we have a shit load of blocks. can we put 327 crank in there? Holy cow that's a great idea! Crappy heads and soft ams for every one. Enter 307 until blocks gone. Couple years later. Well were almost out of the 3.25 cranks but we have a shit load of 327 blocks. What happensif we stroke that one. I don't know but those crappy 307 heads would work a lot better on that.
Thank you sir. This whole project is an emotional roller coaster. I would rather be working on with with my step-dad, but I'm excited to build it for him, so to speak. I have taken some photos of the motor assembly and will be starting a new thread for anyone interested in helping me learn. Thank you! --Phillip
Why is a 383 going to run hot ? Why is a 383 "tempermental" and unreliable ? A decent 350 doesn't run hot. A decent 400 doesn't run hot. Either one can be very reliable and mild mannered.
Maybe my statement went too far, but any block bored out 0.060 is going to generate heat. Refresh my memory, isn't that a standard bore for the 383? Yes, blocks are bored out more, and frequently. Still, less wall thickness generates more heat, which translates to more cooling issues. You can not generate 500 horse without heat, sorry. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
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