What have you done to your square lately??

[TotalyHucked]

You might could get away with a good hone job if there's no ridge up top or any deep scoring

 

[DoubleDingo]

Kind of a sour day around the house of Chuck.

I dug into the motor, pulled a header, the intake and then the head off.

Now, I’ll forefront this with the debate I had with the seller a few years ago. The block checks out as a mid 70s 0010 block, per the stamped pad on the front of the engine. I had argued that it was a 350, but he swore up and down that it was a “327 350 horse”. He had bought it as one for another project and dropped it into the truck to sell it. I thought there would be no way someone would spend the time and energy to de-stroke a 350.

As it turns out, he was right. About the 327 anyway. I measured the stroke, and there we are at 3.25”. It explains why it sounds great, but is a turd on torque. The heads are old 1.94 camelhump 461s. So someone thought to take a perfectly good four bolt main 350 (I saw the main caps myself) and must’ve put a large journal 327 crank in it.

It was clearly rebuilt at some recent time, but one bore doesn’t look great.

You must be registered for see images attach

It’s hard to see but there’s a reasonable amount of scuffing on the down side.

It was then that I took off the work clothes and turned out the lights in the garage for a stress break. I’m thankful that I didn’t order up a pile of parts, but I am now sitting here on a set of Brodix heads for an engine that is dubious at best to put them on.

Is it possible to build a fast 327? Absolutely. Will I be able to do that without spending more money than I would on a good 350? No.

I need a nap.

The 327 is a fine engine. They even came in the c50s or c60s, but as a low gear low speed truck.

In your case, it's a street truck, where high revs don't matter unless you're expecting modern fuel economy, and then you'll be disappointed and want to LS it.

 

[DoubleDingo]

There's a whole facet of old guys that swear a 327 is the best small block there ever was, had to be one of them that did that. I wouldn't sweat it too much myself. I'd either keep whatcha got and just do a basic ring/bearing rebuild or find a 350 on FB/Craigslist to do a rebuild on. Idk about up there but good running 350s out of these trucks or GMT400s are a dime a dozen down here

Because LS

 

[DoubleDingo]

I didn’t check, just the numbers said mid 70s 350. The pistons say .030.

Had a 76 k10 350, that engine was great. Machine yours, and do the associated work, or get a crate engine from GM, or go fad with LS.

 

[ChuckN]

Had a 76 k10 350, that engine was great. Machine yours, and do the associated work, or get a crate engine from GM, or go fad with LS.

Heavy Metal Custom Shop down the way has a 6.0 Lq9 with warranty out of an Escalade for 1750. It may be that an LS is the cheaper way to go in the long run.

 

[ChuckN]

The 327 is a fine engine. They even came in the c50s or c60s, but as a low gear low speed truck.

In your case, it's a street truck, where high revs don't matter unless you're expecting modern fuel economy, and then you'll be disappointed and want to LS it.

I just want to have enough steerable torque AND some revs.

It just kind of heartbreaking since this means I’m gonna be parked a long time.

Part of the benefit of buying this particular truck was that the engine was rebuilt so I didn’t plan to have that expense, yet here I am.

Don’t take this as being super depressed, I’m just thinking my way through this and it’ll be a little bit till I decide what to do.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Because LS

As god intended

 

[DoubleDingo]

I just want to have enough steerable torque AND some revs.

It just kind of heartbreaking since this means I’m gonna be parked a long time.

Part of the benefit of buying this particular truck was that the engine was rebuilt so I didn’t plan to have that expense, yet here I am.

Don’t take this as being super depressed, I’m just thinking my way through this and it’ll be a little bit till I decide what to do.

Mic the bores, if they're round and within spec, dingleball hone it, or stone hone it, install corresponding lower end parts to bring it back to 350 and run it.

Obviously the PO was fine with it being a higher revving engine. His plans don't jive with your plans.

You have three options, rework, buy fresh, fad

 

[DoubleDingo]

As god intended

Nope

 

[TotalyHucked]

Heavy Metal Custom Shop down the way has a 6.0 Lq9 with warranty out of an Escalade for 1750. It may be that an LS is the cheaper way to go in the long run.

It may end up being a wash but doing the LS WELL is not cheap, regardless of what so many on the interwebz preach. Just purely talking about getting the 5.3/4L65 installed and running in my truck, it was probably $5-5500 all in with all the little doo-dads/cam kit/gaskets/headers/exhaust system/driveshaft/tune/etc. Including the engine/trans in that price btw

 

[TotalyHucked]

Mic the bores, if they're round and within spec, dingleball hone it, or stone hone it, install corresponding lower end parts to bring it back to 350 and run it.

Obviously the PO was fine with it being a higher revving engine. His plans don't jive with your plans.

You have three options, rework, buy fresh, fad

Honestly, this would probably be my first plan of attack. In theory, that would keep downtime and cost as low as possible.

Also I think the LS has been around long enough now it doesn't qualify as a fad lol. I wonder if some old timer in the late 60s was still holding onto his flathead stuff and calling small block Chevys a fad with everybody swapping them in everything

 

[DoubleDingo]

Heavy Metal Custom Shop down the way has a 6.0 Lq9 with warranty out of an Escalade for 1750. It may be that an LS is the cheaper way to go in the long run.

BOO

 

[Radiohead]

Could be worse. Could be a low compression big block.

Just saying. Lol

 

[Ricko1966]

Just build a 383 out of what you got. Sell the 327 reciprocating assembly.

 

[Ricko1966]

If you are going to go to the work for a different engine family swap go lt1 or lt4. But in reality
You can do a fresh 383 build with pieces you mostly have. For less money than you will have in a swap with a used engine. My .02 I wasn't even looking for deals and this was 2 minutes if searching

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach