Thread: Building a new motor

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Originally Posted by sefrayser

Dam! Now what to do. Maybe its time to stat looking at a long block. I just can't see putting a couple grand into the 327 for it to make any kind of power. By the time its said and done, I could probably buy a crate motor for around 3K or less. Im sure by the time I do all the machine work and parts I will have at least that in the 327.

You are probably right; but think of all the mental exercise you'd miss out on.

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It really depends on what you want to do and how much of the experience you want to participate in. There's a great movie called “The World’s Fastest Indian”. It’s based on a true story and Anthony Hopkins plays New Zealander Burt Munro. The movie depicts how Munro spent years working on his Indian motorcycle. It shows him casting his own pistons and filing them to fit. In 1967, he goes to the Bonneville Salt Flats, and against all odds sets a new world's record that has not been broken to this day.

That’s the way I am about things in general and especially about small block Chevy engines. I have ordered and installed complete pan to carb crate motors for friends (or children of friends) and had great success. They’re spanking clean, come with everything installed and even timed. Fill them up with oil, connect all the wires and linkages and they fire up and run just like they’re supposed to. But I’ve built a lot more of them starting with an old tired engine that is many times well beyond what GM ever imagined. I’ve gotten filthy, grimy, dirty pulling them out of old cars while mixing a bit of blood with the grime. I’ve scrubbed knuckles for an hour Saturday night so I wouldn’t smell like an oil refinery in church the next morning – hardly able to contain myself long enough to shake hands at the door and say, “Great job pastor.” Cause I know I have one on the stand waiting for me to dissect and determine if we can resurrect it from the dead. I’ve broken head bolts, manifold bolts and used an Ez out on every possible combination of water pump and front cover bolts. And yet – it’s a fun time and I look forward to carting the block, heads and crank down to the machine shop and pulling up a stool in the back and chatting a machinist about, “...what we’re going to do…”

The hardest part is waiting for the machinist to call and give me the news on the magnaflux and I have to say, I’ve been really fortunate with SBC blocks and only had a few that came out of the tank and became scrap. For the most part, mine have been good and after a .030 over and squaring up the surfaces (I almost always have then cut down to 9.010), and making sure the crank bore is true the real fun starts. I drag ‘em home, scrub ‘em up, paint them inside with Glyptol and paint them Chevy Orange (yes – that’s the only correct color in my book) and start the assembly. I’m still enough old school that I mic everything (yeah I know they did that at the shop) but I still find it useful and have on rare occasion found a crank a bit off that would have really stunk the place up if not redone. This is also the stage where I love to have the teenage kids come alongside. Over the years it’s been mostly young men but I’ve had a couple ladies that have learned how to use precision instruments and tools and help assemble an engine – and of course we have to have some “old time rock & roll” playing (really loud if I'm alone) as well.

The huge difference is that when these go back into the car or truck, I get a giddy feeling and sometimes teary eyed when I see the face of the owner when that engine fires off – knowing we saved one from the scrap pile and had a heck of a good time doing it.

It doesn’t always go perfect and then we both learn - about life in general as thing don’t always go perfect. Sometimes we take things apart and go again. And as to cost – probably less to go with the crate motor in terms of dollars, but no comparison to the enjoyment and relationship building that takes place when it’s hands on from the crank out.

I’m going to officially retire from my day job in February of 2018 and can hardly wait to build a few more – I’ve never sought them out, just hang around at a cruise in or some swap meets and next thing you know, there’s a couple stands in my garage with shiny orange engines on them.

Bit of a ramble here guys but God knows that next to Joanie and my kids the Chevy small block has a special; place in my heart.

Glenn

I just realized that the L31 heads won't work with your 3-2 intake manifold.

Here's a nice set of pistons though, with the proper compression height....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sealed-Power...jKK3Nw&vxp=mtr

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