Found a 327 from '68 for a few bucks. Been completely rebuilt and turnkey.
Has anyone here put a 327 in the third gen? Just wondering if it will work out. I wanted to put it in my 87 z28 t5.

Need to know if it will bolt directly to t-5
and if power steering can stay. Not worried about anything else.
Thanks!

 

And PLEEEAAASEEE dont fill this thread on why you think I should build a 350. Thanks!

 

do the heads on it have accessory holes and hardened valve seats?

 

It's just about the same as putting any other smallblock in it.

I would run the casting numbers and suffix codes to make sure it's not a 307 or something.

 

If it's truly a 327 I think that would be an awesome and unique swap. I always thought that would be a good motor for a thirdgen. They are good strong motors and can put up some decent numbers with the right parts. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

It wouldn't be all that unique plenty of people have done it, and there is no externally visable difference between a 327, 350, 305, 400, 262, 283, ect ect ect with a couple of exceptions here and there ('57 model 265's IIRC don't have an oil filter, some early blocks don't have side motor mounts).

 

I didn't say there was any difference externally, but I definitely haven't seen too many thirdgens rollin around with a 327. I think it's a good idea.

 

How can you tell then. I'm not saying that there is something wrong with putting a 327 in, just that if your doing it to "be different", your going the wrong route.It's just another smallblock chevy, they're a dime a dozen everyone's got a smallblock, yeah not all of them are 327's, but on the outside its just a smallblock, it bolts up the same.

the only problem I can see is that you would need a new flywheel (87 has 1 pc rear main, 68 has 2 pc.)

The question you may want to ask is Will the T5 take the added power.

 

Normally because dropping in a 350 is the same price so most people don't bother to put a smaller engine into their cars. You could drop in a 283 if you wanted to be different and people would still just see a SBC under the hood. Anywhere a 305 or 350 fits, every other SBC will also fit. The only difference will be if your engine uses a one or two piece rear main seal. You just need to use the proper flexplate/flywheel for the engine. The dipstick will also be on the other side where it belongs.

If the heads don't have accessory bolt holes, you're going to have a harder time hooking up accessories such as alternator and power steering pump.

350 has a longer stroke than a 327 meaning more torque. You'll feel it in the butt dyno.

 

Need more details about the "few bucks", "completely rebuilt", and "turnkey" parts to make a reasonable assessment.
Yes, it has been done.

It can be made to.

As stated, if you have the right flywheel, which will be an '83-85 f-body V8 unit. Power steering can stay if the heads have the accessory bolt holes.

The real question isn't if it can be done, but whether it is a reasonable deal. Need the details asked above in order to make that assessment.

 

The '89 RS in my sig has a mild 327 in it with a TH350, It's just got old truck heads on it and a mild cam but it runs great.


The previous owner never took it to the track but i'd venture to guess it would probably run mid 13's..


I'm giving him back the engine/trans as soon as i get it out though...

 

Few bucks as in a pack of smokes. haha. It was a good friend of mines. He had it in a 57 chevy I believe but he found a numbers matching engine for it so he swapped it out. It is a 327. Has the double hump fuelie heads. No holes drilled. I thought the PS pump went into the block though. Has all the other accessories on it already. Thats sort of what I meant by turnkey ( comes with accessories carb ignition and whatnot.) but I haven't seen it yet so don't know how its all setup.

And rebuilt as in, all the main components inside were replaced and all the seals and whatnot.

 

Buy him some nicotine gum instead and then sell that 327 to someone else, use the money towards an '86 & later 350 and a stronger tranny. As much fun as "327" may sound, you're going downhill with the heads, 2 pc seal, S****y old V-belt system.

Not trying to be one of those people preaching about the 350 Vs 327 thing.. but unless your current engine is trashed and/ or you're getting a tranny with it that bolts up it just does not seem worth even pulling the engine to me.

 

I know the t5 isn't all that great handling power but 327's aren't torque monsters. I will be changing the trans in the future and in the mean time don't plan on beating on it. I like to drive like a grandpa but like to know I have the potential to soil my depends if I need to.

 

Was looking at the gm goodwrench 350 and weighing my options of old engine thats cheap with possible headaches getting it to work properly, or new engine thats new and will be a bit smoother swapping but alot more than free. haha.

 

The accessorys from the newer block can be bolted to the older one, as long as the heads have boltholes for them. and as long as he replaces the rear seal now when the engines out, he should be fine for several years. the heads might be a pretty good casting as long as they have hardened seats.

 

He already said they don't.

 

I would highly recommend that 327. I bought an 87 IROC a few months back and knew the engine had been replaced but did not know to what. After running the series number it is a 67 327, the engine is VERY strong. I was going to do to this car the same i have done to my 60's series camaro's and restore to original engine included. But after running this car for the last month i am going to keep it and rebuild the engine and tranny. Good luck

 

I have a Gen II based roller 327 with TPI in my '83 Z/28, and I LOVE it. Everyone always goes for either a 350 or strokes up to a 383, but they miss the potential of the quick spin-up of a 327 mated to the responsiveness and torque potential of the TPI. Mine spins up like crazy, and even with a relatively low 3.23 rear end with limited slip I still can't drive it on wet days without the rear end breaking loose constantly. Even on dry roads if I nail it it tries to swap ends on me. Of course the 64cc heads milled to 63cc's, LT4 Hot cam, balanced bottom end, and Megasquirt-I fully programmable ECM don't hurt, either :-P

Hot Rod did a 327 TPI build, the article is online. They used an early TPI lower intake, modded the block to roller cam, and used a cam similiar to the ZZ4 cam and made 400 hp. And since it will bolt directly into the Third Gen, why not look it up?

With a tall rear gear and proper building, a 327 could easily stomp a 383 in the 1/4 mile, even tho the 383 would make more power...a 327 makes it's power much faster than a 383, which is enough to get to the finish line first

 

Not if they were built similarly. Simply will not happen. No way, no how.

A 327 doesn't "make its power much faster than a 383". Whatever power the 327 makes will take more time, assuming it's pushing the same weight down the track.

And, if it somehow makes the same power, it will be at much higher RPMs, meaning you're going to have to have much higher stall/gears to get the engine into its power band. Now we're not talking "built similarly" anymore.

The laws of physics don't back up your claim. There are some laws you simply cannot break.

 

And you forget that a 327, being a shorter stroke, spins up much faster than the long stroke of a 383. Longer stroke = larger rotational mass = slower spinup...I think -you- need to recheck your physics.

A 327 will reach its power potential before a 383 will, which means with the correct matching of rear gears to utilize that power it will reach the finish line first. The 383 may make more raw power, but it takes longer to do so, which in the 1/4 mile is death.

 

No, you need to understand physics.

An engine is "spun up" by those little explosions taking place within the cylinders. The force those explosions exert is determined by the amount fuel and air that is being ignited. A 383 will have 15% more fuel and air to produce energy to drive the piston downward. In addition, the 383 will have 15% more of a lever arm for those explosions to twist against the resistance provided by the vehicle being moved.

It's the resistance of the vehicle being moved that determines how quickly an engine "spins up". The rest of the effects are in the mud.

As I already said, a 327 will take longer to get to its peak power.

There ain't no way on God's green earth that a 327, built the same as a 383, pushing the same weight down the track, through the same torque multiplication (aka, "gears" and torque converter), will out run the 383.

 

Rotational mass, look it up.

The whole POINT of understroking is to increase spin up. A long stroking, large rotational mass 383 will not make power as fast as a short stroking, small rotational mass 327. Newton's laws of motion are pretty clear on this...or were you asleep that day in school?

You also completely missed I noticed in both my original post and the replies that it would NOT be the same gearing in a 327 and a 383...I made that point pretty clear. You should always properly match your rear gear ratio to your engine's characteristics, which is why I stated using a taller gear in the 327 to maximize it's spinup potential and peak horsepower.

and btw...more ci does not always mean faster...my 1.6L MR2 is proof of that

 

Oh wow, I think I need to go make a bag of popcorn.. This could get interesting.. Or just dumb.

Seriously Chimaera, you're gonna lose this argument. This topic has been covered over & over. Come back when you have some solid proof in the form of back to back dyno numbers and/or dragstrip times.


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...t-fiction.html
Oh & have you seen this thread? Its a sticky at the top of the engine swap section.. Take some time to read through it. Then like I said, come back with SOLID proof. Not just your butt dyno saying "Ohhhh, my 327 is bad ***."

 

In other words I'm in the presence of the same gorilla minded morons usually infesting engine shops and forums...no grasp of science or physics, just "biggur = betur" BS

This is why I laugh everytime my 302 in my Mustang utterly embarrasses a Camaro, or my 327 in my 83 stomps an LS1

 

come on... this is Christmas Eve not April Fool's.

 

GM drivers never will admit that the 302 stands on its own against the 350, with less ci...

And yes my 327 does spin up faster than a 5.7L can, and most certainly faster than a 383, no matter what you idiots believe. That's why I BUILT the damn thing instead of a longer stroke.

 

You build your 302 or 327, the rest of the world will build their 350 or 383 and kick your butt.

302's only "hang" with 350's when the 302 car is allowed to weigh less than the 350 car.

"Rotational mass" differences between a 302/327/350/383 are in the mud when it comes to overall power.

Now, since the OP originally said, "Need to know if it will bolt directly to t-5
and if power steering can stay. Not worried about anything else.", let's keep further discussion to that.

Got it?

 

i say do it!!! if its a rebuilt turnkey engine then it should be a str8 forward swap

 

Im rocking a 333ci(.040 overbored)

Before the tpi junk was installed my motor was a street monster......

i love the fact im not like every numb skull with a thirdgen swapping in a 350. I like being different.

Next for my car.....ls1 ecu/wiring upgrade and mini-ram setup

 

I'm sure the feeling is mutual.