Upgrading A Small-Block Chevrolet Engine - Weekend Update

[Media Rep]

I walked into my pal John Barkley's garage one day a few months ago and found him hovering wrench in hand over a small-block Chevy short-block-not an uncommon occurrence as Barkley is a lifelong drag racer and SBC aficionado. At that point I assumed he was assembling another one of his race motors, but when I asked what he was up to, he explained that he was freshening up an early pre-smog engine, a vintage '64 327 in fact-and he seemed pretty excited about it too. Not being a real engine guy (to me a rebuild usually consists of degreasing and repainting) I asked if he was building another race motor. "Nope, I'm just freshening up this old 327 I yanked out of my '57. These older pre-smog motors are getting pretty rare, and because of the smog laws some states have on the books, it's a perfect engine for a street rod or classic pickup as its casting numbers are unique to that era. This one has about 20,000 miles on a complete rebuild so the bottom end is in great shape. But being such an early engine it has a pretty stout compression ratio (10.0:1) and the early valvetrain required leaded fuel to help lube the valve stems and guides-that's two strikes against running it on the lead-free fuel we're stuck with these days. So I thought I'd just update the top end-in the previous rebuild the block was bored .040-over and the new slugs sit about .040 or .050 below deck height. That reduced compression a bit and the new RHS Vortec-style heads I chose have a larger chamber (64 cc versus 60 cc) than the stock ones so that drops the compression into a more lead-free fuel-friendly range."


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[64L79C10]

I'm with you on this one, a classic needs a classic engine as well. New crate motors are OK but give me an old first gen anytime. An L-79 cam should perk that thing up a little if you can keep the CR up.

[ProMetalShop]

It seems the older I get ( which happens often) I like using the old ones even though there not the big cubes I struggled for not even five years ago. I have a 65 396 that needs a freshen up and another 66 396 that just sits in storage. I just came across a few sets of camel hump heads for my small block just to have that 60's era. I have a few older small blocks like a 68 327 and a 69 302 dz which is just a block. Some how they just seem to wonder in my shop and I just can't turn them away. Nothing like vintage cubes

[64L79C10]

Nice to hear back from you Steve and you and me are on the same page when it comes to vintage SBC's apparently. I recently sold a complete original bore 283 engine to a guy who just lost his job but he wanted it because of the "old factor". He did not want to afford it but his position boiled down to....I might be able to get another job but I might not be able to find (and afford) another original stock 283. I had second thoughts about it as I watched him drive off with it. I quickly recovered when I looked at the 4 bolt 400 setting under my bench that needs to be rebuild.

When I worked I used to travel the Danville area occasionally and I love the country.

[ProMetalShop]

Hey if ya happen to pass threw give a shout, and pay us a visit.... I just bought two 4 bolt main blocks (just to have more space to store dust) What part of the south ya residing in ... Danville has some nice winters with lots of snow, which by about the end of January I am ready for spring.
Any way I am still rounding up parts to finish up my small block now just which one should I put it in. My 70 C10 which has a decent running 307, or my 40 Chevy that still needs a pile of tin work and have to build a chassis yet. I am itching to work on the C10 so I ave a cool shop truck when the weather is clear.