Thread: 327 Bare Block Weight

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I have a bare block that need to be put on an engine stand, can 2 guys do this without a hernia ? Ilooked on the web for the weight but couldn't find much besides torque spec, etc.
Thanks
Mike

I got a 350 SBC long block on a pickup bed and after building brought it home from the machine shop and mounted it on an engine stand using 2"x6" boards under a plywood sheet leaning on the back of the pickup bed. If the 2"x6" are long enough you get a gradual slope that you can gradually "walk" the engine up on the sheet metal pan. Of course it comes "down" a lot easier but you can walk it up with alternating firm nudges if the pan is on the bottom. When I got it home in the garage the engine stand was maneuvered to match the level of the pickup bed and the block was bolted onto the stand and the pickup driven away. After bolting on the heads we put it back on the truck and took it to a shop with a small crane to mount the engine in the frame but we had to get it into the truck to take it that second shop, Forget "lifting", just use "sliding" on a gradual ramp. I did have help from my adult son so it is a two man job. As I recall I steadied the block while mounting it with a comealong hooked to a garage beam but most of the moving was done by shifting/sliding the engine on the semi-round pan. I think the idea depends on having the pan on the bottom of the engine. I have had a hernia but it was repaired about a year before that and actually "walking" the block was pretty easy with no actual lifting.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Bare block--- two guys----no problem!!!

Two guys or one reasonably strong guy can manage a small block (bare).... my engine builder can carry a big block but I wouldn't be able to do that myself... My wife and I managed to get a big block into the basement (getting it out might be another story )

-Chris

with the head of the engine stand bolted on it will be around 200# and can easily be done by two guys--have it upside down so you can pick it up by the cylinder bores

Thanks for the replies, the motor is on a 4 wheel dolly, I removed it from my 1965 Chris Craft after a seizure - don't ask why. I'll get two buddies to help.

Originally Posted by maswindell

Thanks for the replies, the motor is on a 4 wheel dolly, I removed it from my 1965 Chris Craft after a seizure - don't ask why. I'll get two buddies to help.

you want to make sure it not a reverse rotation engine if your going to use it in a car alot of them old chris craft were

In my early days of doing not too brilliant things, I occasionally boosted a bare block up to the motor stand by myself. While I can still lift the weight I have become much wiser in my old age.

Yup - that's the thing - we get too quick old and too late smart (or something like that). While I can lift a small block by myself - why would I when there's either; 1) son or son-in-law to help or, 2) portable crane...

When I am foolish enough to think, "I can do this quicker by myself..." my back reminds me that I'm not 19 anymore!

In the old days, a bare 327 block weighed 147 lbs.

In the old days, I weighed 174 pounds - my how things have changed...

Glenn, the reason that I remember the 147 lbs number is because I took a block to a shop in Dallas to be bored. The fellow came out to my car and stuck one hand down a cylinder bore and lifted it out of the trunk with one hand.....impressed me enough to look up the weight.....also impressed me enough to not argue with him.

mike in tucson

small blocks are not to bad .i try not to move them around by my self having some bad disc s in the old back . big blocks are abit more weight . i machine up bbc for some farmer guys they just pick them right up off the floor like there small block chevys . i yell at them but they still have good backs .but very few can pick up a big M or a world pro block

When I did mine. I did the lifting and the wife did the guideing.