Looking for some advise. I have a 84 z28 HO with a 700r4. Trans has been rebuilt with better clutches, .500 boost and corvette servo along with white springs.
Exhaust is hedman shorties with hedman y pipe to a SLP catback from a 4th(already been modified to fit), no cats.
Engine that came with the car was
305 -14093627
14101081-heads
Engine is bone stock except a holly 650cmf carb. Did smoke Alittle at higher rpm. I've torn the engine apart and there is a Alittle bit of a ring ridge.

I also have a stock 327 with no history known. It is a low HP model I can at least tell that. Engine sat in a bag covered in oil assembled. Sat for at least 10-15 years. Does spin free by hand. Only thing missing is a balancer.

My idea is clean the ring ridge on the 305 and swap a LT4 Hotcam in with a new intake(rpm performer I think). Only concern is it may still smoke with new rings installed. Bearings look to be in great shape but I would just get a full rebuild kit minus new rods and Pistons.

But on the other hand maybe having the 327 looked over and maybe bored out would be a better option. Only looking for 300-350HP for my car, not a drag machine. Would love to run high 13's.

Btw the rear is an open 3.73 from factory. Thinking I'll add a powertrax locker along with a s10 stall to help out.

 

Sell the 327. Buy a running 96-99 350 with vortec heads. Put the lt4 hotcam in it.

 

expected a 350 answer, lol

 

Get the 327 checked out and put vortecs or some other nice aftermarket heads on it. Nice lil street engine.

 

yep. from experience.

There are people out there that will pay good prices for used 327 stuff and old fuelie/double hump heads.

 

327 is good for "nostalgia" or in their original cars but realistically by time the block is bored and you purchase pistons you could go with a 350 in good shape for similar cost and have higher power potential down the road. You could even sell the 327 to recoup some of the cost but the 350 wouldn't cost much more than the boring and pistons.

 

this is the proper answer.. even the stock vortec engine makes more power than anything GM put in a third gen Camaro and it will cost a lot less to do it... adding the HOT cam kit pushes it out to around 400hp with stock driveability and great gas mileage..

 

This is true.. And a lot of folks restoring old cars want these 327s for originality. 327s powered everything from fuel-injected corvettes, Impala SS, and everything in between. I had one out of a 68 caprice I was gona build at one time but it was worth more to someone for a restoration project so I let it go.

 

Thinking everyone is right, how would you recommend selling the 327, Craiglist or eBay? I have the block and head numbers. Better question is finding a vortec 350.

 

327 is a great engine. I love them, I cut me teeth on the old small journal 327s.

If you do want to sell it, list it on your local craiglist first. It's free. Take a lot of good detailed pics. Show the casting number, suffix code, date stamp, etc.

Vortec 350s are all over the place. I like looking on craigslist and finding wrecked/totaled 96-00 trucks/suv/vans with pretty low miles and getting the engine from that.
Common price around here is $600-900 with under 130K miles

 

That's not an '84 engine. That's an '87-'94/'95 block & heads. Must have been swapped in.

How do you know it's a low HP model?

The heads won't be able to handle the LT4 Hot Cam lift without modification, either cut the tops of the valve guides and install better springs, or use beehive springs (I'd lean toward the former). Your cost just went up. The block may or may not be machined for roller cam/lifters, depending upon what it actually came out of.

The 327 should only be considered if it doesn't need to be rebuilt. Your 305 heads are probably better than what's on it (assuming it has 327 heads on it - not clear from what you said). The LT4 Hot Cam won't work in it without retrofit roller lifters (very pricey).

If the 327 has to be rebuilt, as others are saying, sell it and use the proceeds to get a 350 builder.

 

My one problem with the 327 is it will without question need to be punched out, nasty ring ridge. I can have that done for only $300 and of course just get a master rebuild kit and be done with it. I wouldn't mind using my 081 heads for now with new valve springs. Better than the factory heads by a long shot.

 

327 3795896 heads, 1.72 intake 1.5 exhaust valves. Dish Pistons, casting number is 3789817. I haven't measured the camshaft but by everything else it is a low output.

 

It all depends on what you want the car for. If your goal is to upgrade it later for more power the yes, the correct option is to sell and get a 350.

If you want a fun revy little engine that's fun to drive around town I would keep the 327.

It's all in what your goals are.

 

Basically the car will be driven once and awhile(less than 3k miles a year). Will once and awhile to a show or meet and maybe after its finished down the track to see what it runs. Would love to get it into the low 13s, make it comparable to today's car. Of course she needs suspension/brake upgrades to go along. I could maybe make it with just rebuilding the 305 with the hot cam and new springs.

 

I won't tell you not to do it, just the previous observation that you could sell it to a resto guy and buy a 350, rebuild it, and be 20+ cubes to the better. Generally, though, the 327 is a decent engine, and certainly better than the 305. Casting/machining quality could be suspect, though.

Oh, better check the starter mount bolt holes, you might be missing one you need.

Yeah, the 081s are the better heads.

I wouldn't plan on using the camshaft regardless. A cam/lifter set from Summit would be cheap, and likely a better cam.

 

Use the 081 heads on the 327 if you decide to go that route,a trusty Summit 1103 cam set, edelbrock intake, limited-slip differential, s10 torque converter. You should have a very nice and peppy street car. Probably stock L98 territory

 

Stock l98 territory, mid to low 14's? Seems a bit slow for the 327 doesn't it? Still would be light years ahead of a original 84 z28, lol

 

I may be a bit conservative but those "350 horsepower 327 engines "back in the 60s.. they probably were more like 250 HP engines at most by todays standards.

 

I was thinking more of summit 1104 cam kit, I'll have the s10 converter and already have 3.73

 

Decided to get the car back on the road to just get the 305 back together. I already had started with my P&P job on the 081 heads and the engine ran before pulled. Any thoughts on a nice cam for it? I know if I go to high(above .480) I'll need new springs if not more. I wouldn't mind the lt1 cam but it does not have a fuel pump lobe.

Could always switch to a electric pump but I'd rather not.