Golden Ticket or Fools Gold? How to Tell if You Have a 327 or a 350 Small Block Chevy (Part 2)
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Published 2022-12-02
The back of the crankshaft will tell you for sure what the displacement is because they are balanced off that. The different displacements are achieved by increasing the stroke of the engine (302, 327, and 350) and have different shapes in order to counter the weight differences to keep everything in balance.
Second thing you look for is the number of Main Bearing Bolts, and this can only be seen by taking the oil pan off. Personally, I always open them up to find this out just to see if anything has been done to them, because when you get one of these engines without it being in a car or truck, you really don't know anything about it until you get in there and find out for sure just what you are working with. You can't go off a VIN tag on the dash, if there's no Vehicle. Also, since parts are so easy to swap around on the Small Block Chevy, you don't know what people have done to them in the past to keep their vehicles running.
So I always deep dive into these "mystery blocks" so I can find out for sure what it is I'm starting with, and modify it to fit my needs from there.
Channels mentioned in this video
@landoncustomclassics (thanks for finding this little gem Cousin Mike)
@alva1370 (great video on the differences on these small block cranks man, thanks for that)
All Comments (21)
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I know a guy that in the 90's rebuild a lot of sbc 350 to 327.
I never got a answer to why he like 327 so much.
I never seen the point in losing ci -
this or those 327's 4 bolt are found in early 70's school buses and a few 2 ton trucks. I know this because I have pulled these and rebuilt them
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I don't know if you mention. if you put a327 crank in a 350 you need change the pistons. The wristpins are in different locations.
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Thanks brother. Much appreciated. Keep the content coming. Hope you have an incredible weekend. Much love and RESPECT
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Thanks for taking time to make this video. This is Great info. 8-4-2023
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1984 El Camino with a 67 Chevelle 327. Just got the AFR 195 eliminator ported heads. Shooting for 480-500hp but being a 327 around 380-390 torque. 700r4 shift kit good for 600hp going to a 3.73 carbon fiber rear. Won't be the fastest but will put a smile on my face.
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Living the dream, a 4bolt 327 sounds like something I would try. Thank you.
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Personally , I consider the 350 to be the fool's gold and not the other way around.
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You are right about anything fitting, even a 3.1” stroke 262 crank will fit.
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I enjoyed the last video a bunch.
I'm lucky not to have a basket case I guess lol
Love the shop, wood stove is classy. -
Good info, thanks.
I was looking for some clarity because I took a chance on a swap, truck for truck. The truck I got is a 76 1/2 ton with a 3970010. It still has the vin stamp on the front deck. It also had the build sheet. This thing is all original.
4 bolt 010 w/4 bolt mains, th350hd, Hd breaking system, 12 bolt rear-end and 8 leaf leaf-springs.
The original owner died. The truck spent fifteen years field curing. His grandson put buckets of money into it getting it running but couldn't keep it running. Most of the money he spent was on the pretty things. When I got it I didn't see a fuel filter so I put a combo filter/particulate separator on it w/glass bowl. Rebuilt the new but clogged 4bbl and drove it about a hundred miles and it flat crapped out.
I went to check the fuel filter and it was packed solid with rust. Drained the tank and filtered off over a gallon of rust out. My new poly tank just showed up.
Time to get the beast back on the road. This thing runs and sounds pretty. -
New subscriber , My friend Pete from D.I.Y auto school sent me here .
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I have de-stroked 350 before...they are awesome...but they did make smaller cubic inch large journal 4 bolt main in school bus....
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These Ed Cole small block Chevies are one of the best designs ever.
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Good stuff to know.
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Pre 68 327s were all small journal engines. 68-69 engines were large journal engines. That block is the best to build and the hardest to find.
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I think you may have a destroked 350 4 bolt main but I'm just guessing based off the information you provided either way it's a damn good find way to go my brother 🙂
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The harmonic balancer on 283 327 were only like a 1/2 thick
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That's a crazy bright headlamp! Might be doing a 350 crank swap!
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396010 and many others were used for all. Difference being sometimes are large journal/small journal, small bore /large bore. With my experience even when you think it's a 4 bolt by casting number 010 sometimes its definitely not.
