Are the stock 305 connecting rods stout enough for use in a 327 pushing 9.5-10.5:1 compression? I'm trying to reuse as much as I can from the 305 to make this build half-way affordable since all I have for the 327 is the block and crank.

 

That depends vastly on how much power you're going to make and how many RPMs you're going to turn.

If you're talking about the rods from your 86, I'd bet money on no. They weren't that strong in 86 and 20+ years of use is only going to weaken them further. You'll need new rod bolts at the very least and even then I wouldn't spin them passed 6K.

 

if its a small journal 327 they wont fit

 

My '86 305 had X rods.

I'd certainly say new rod bolts are in order, but being 20 years older doesn't make them weaker.

But, as stated, if the 327 is small journal (and 6 years worth were small journal, and only 2 years were large journal, when it was being phased out), the 305 rods won't work, anyway.

A 327 is rarely an "affordable" build, especially when you start with an incomplete shortblock.

 

"A 327 is rarely an "affordable" build, especially when you start with an incomplete shortblock."

Tell me about it. But, the 305 has got to go, and there are sentimental reasons for not going with a 350 (Dad ran a 365hp 327 in the 60s.)

The block is a large journal from '68, and I have no intention of running it over 6000rpm for long periods (may aim to blip 7000 but no more.) My ultimate goal is to use repurposed Vortec heads and keep the compression somewhere between 9.5 and 10.5:1. I;m aiming to get close to 400hp (but not too much more) as I want my stock 700r4 to last a little while longer.

 

Stock rods aren't gonna last long at 7000. I know you're trying to minimize expenses, but rods really aren't a good place to cheap out, especially if you want to rev that high.