Thread: sbc barn find!

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Hi everyone, I was recently given a 327 that had been sitting in a barn for the past few years after it had been pulled. I believe it was originally in an old farm truck, but I'm not too sure. The plan is to tear it down and eventually rebuild it. If anyone can help ID this engine, I'd appreciate it!

3858174
FII04YW

From what I could find it should be a 66 327 185HP from a Chevy truck.

What I see in the pictures is it has the small valve (1.74 intake) "Power Pack" heads. In their day those heads were good for mileage and torque......not so much for performance. Also as they are Pre-69 they don't have the accessory bolt holes on the ends which will make finding the correct brackets for things like the alternator, power steering pump and AC a bit more difficult and pricey.

Anyway, welcome and good luck.


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Definitely a truck engine, hydraulic clutch gives it away. Also be aware that the starter bolts to the bellhousing and not the block as there is no provision on the block for a starter.

Yesterday I removed the bell housing, starter, clutch, and flywheel so that I could powerwash all the grime off of it. It's starting to look a little better!

I do happen to have the alternator and mounting brackets for it as well. The heads have different markings on them (one has a triangle and the other has two rectangles). I'll see if I can pull a head later and get some more info.

I'm curious as to what the casting numbers are on the heads. That has to be one of the last blocks with a provision for a road draft tube.

I think heavy trucks had them longer than cars-especially California stuff

They used them on the Small blocks at least thru at least thru 67 rather than recast the blocks to eliminate the opening. On PCV equipped cars/trucks the road draft tube was eliminated and the adapter with a nipple like his engine has was used with 2 sections of hose and an inline PCV connected to the Carb base (fresh air was pulled thru the oil filler cap). There is also an oil baffle that goes with them inside the lifter valley. The "newer" 68/9 Small Blocks eliminated the part of the casting where the PCV adapter/road draft tube went and the PCV was moved to the valve cover.

The adapters with the nipple for the PCV hose and the extra long bolt for them are still available in reproduction (for about $90 the last time I checked...... thank god for old wrecking yards ).


I went thru all that crap when I did the little 1960 283 I built a couple of years ago



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Update! Here are the codes for the heads: 3795896 (drivers side) and 3774684 (passenger side).

More pics as well!

The 3774684 checks out as 62-64 327 75cc's. The 3795896 checks out as 62-64 327 60cc's or 63-65 283 60cc's. That engine should have been fun to tune.

Welcome to CHR!

Block is a plane Jane - nothing special from a truck.

As to the heads, both are small valve, i.e., 1.72 intake and 1.5 exhaust. The 3774684 is a 75cc chamber (probably the original) and the 3795896 was probably a junk yard replacement at some time as it has a 60cc chamber.

Unless you have some attachment to this one, it’s probably not a keeper. I would definitely not invest a dime in the heads as they are really basic, poor performers that are 50 plus years old.

My 2 cents,
Glenn

Typing at the same time Ken!!

probably small main bearing size-would/could be something for someone needing a date correct block

The number on the bellhousing is 3779388. I also got a few pictures of the oil filter housing, flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, and crank. The crank looks forged to me. Thoughts?

when you remove the bearings look on the back side of them for the size-std, .010, .020????
the complete trans, bellhousing, clutch/flywheel are special --------

Look for date codes on block casting

block is a L-32 with manual transmission, Series 60 truck and a 2bbl carb