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engine size 350 or 327?

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8K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  BogiesAnnex1 
#1 ·
i just bought a engine from a guy who claim it was off a 69 impala 305. the block number comes back as 307, 327 or 350. the front pad suffix code says FB which means 327. and the casting number for the cylinders says 307 or 350. could somebody help me find what engine this is?
block number: 3956618 M5
front pad: V0131FB
cylinder: 3986339





 
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#2 · (Edited)
3956618 '68-'69 302, 327, 350
FB '69 327 with Powerglide, 235 hp, 2 bbl carb
339 '68-'79 307, 350....1.72"/1.50" valve sizes....76cc chambers. These heads will be fine for transporting grandma back and forth to Bingo, but won't work well in a performance setting.
With the large chambers, I would estimate your combination as it sits is about 8.0:1 static compression ratio, so don't make the mistake of sliding a hot rod cam into the motor to try and make horsepower. It won't work. You'll end up with an even worse weak-suck operation than you have now. Looking on the bright side, slide a Crane H-248-2 cam into the motor and you will have a nice little daily driver motor that will run on cat piss regular gas and produce excellent low rpm torque for those brisk stoplight getaways.
 
#3 ·
X2 with Tech.

.........or or buy a set of 6-6.25 rods and grab a set of smaller chamber heads, get the crank shot peened and the rotating assembly balanced and you have high a revving mouse. :D

In case you weren't aware, you can put in the longer rods with NO machining with the 327 crank - rod to stroke ratio is outstanding with the 3.25 stroke crank!

Comes down to what you're after.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The important number in all this is the block casting number from the bellhousing flange, it is 3956618. Yikes, this is a heavy duty, 4 inch bore block used for high performance 302, 327, and 350 engines. Of the stamps on the front the important one is the V0131FB, this tells you the engine was assembled at Flint on January 31st, the FB says it is used to assemble a moderate output 327 of 235 horses with a two speed powerglide in 1969. It is not unusual to find heavy duty blocks in this era used to build grocery getters. Chevy was most dillegent in not using a stardard block for high performance or heavy duty use. But they often used HP/HD blocks in lower power or lower duty applications. A reason why Chevy small blocks seemed so bullet proof back in the late 50's, 60's into the early 70's as many, if not most, were built for uses well under their ultimate strength limit.

The heads are 3986339's which are an open chamber 74 cc head used on 307's and 350's of moderate power. These would be appropriate for this engine's assembly code but are the wrong year, this tells you at least the heads have been replaced.

This will be a 2 bolt main block as that's the way 327's came. A 302 or 350 built on this block could be 2 or 4 bolt mains. That aside; this is a good block to build on if it hasn't been previously molested. Unfortunatly, between all the over stamped ID's and the later heads, this engine's probably came through a major rebuilder's shop at some point in its life.

Bogie
 
#10 ·
Have you ever tried to work on a Holley ? Or are you looking for "WOW" factor ? 1st choice if you MUST have a square bore carb is an Edelbroch/AFB 600. Will last forever with no problems. definitely a Dual plane manifold. The best thing is what GM put on them, a Q-Jet. Those heads are small valve 2 barrel heads, better for Low End Torque, not high end horsepower.
 
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