327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

[ster1]

Hello folks, I have an engine question for you. I have a 1965 Owens that I am going to pull the engine and trans out of. I'm going to sell the trans on eBay or whatever and chainsaw the boat because it's a rotted pig. My question is, is that 327 swappable with 350s? Is there a year range where it's not? Reason I'm asking is, the point of this exercise would be to take my time, rebuild that 327 and find another basket case (not wood this time) that has a blown motor and drop that. 327 in, and off we go. There's a lot of blown 350s out there and I'm wondering if I can drop my old 327 in. I'm looking at merc drives, btw. Is there a series of Marc's that will or won't be ok? I think merc 2s were used on them in the mid 60s, but will bravo 2s work with that 327? I know not an engine question but thought I'd toss that in. Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[John_S]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

In general, a boat is better off with a 350 for the low end torque. Save the higher reving 327 for the street.

 

[kawakx125]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

everything should bolt right up exactly the same, only thing i can think you might need some carb adjustments or a different carb

 

[Bondo]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

everything should bolt right up exactly the same, only thing i can think you might need some carb adjustments or a different carb

Ayuh,.... Just to clarify this statement,...

It'd be a plug, 'n play, only replacin' a 350, Up to 1979...

Anything newer would mean adapting to over come fitment issues, due to changes by Chevy...

The 327 is a De-stroked 350....

As stated by John,.... That's goin' the wrong way for a decent Boat motor...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

The 327 is a De-stroked 350....

Since the 327 was around long before the 350, the 350 is therefore a stroked 327. Even the 283 was used as a marine power plant as is the 305. Yes -- there is no replacement for displacement but if a 327 is what you have and want to use it, go for it.

 

[etracer68]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Its true that the 350 is a stroked 327, but I far as I remember, the 327 also uses a 6 inch rod, and the 350 uses a 5.7 rod. The 6 inch rod makes for easyer rotating leverage.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Its true that the 350 is a stroked 327, but I far as I remember, the 327 also uses a 6 inch rod, and the 350 uses a 5.7 rod. The 6 inch rod makes for easyer rotating leverage.

Nope,.... 5.7" is the standard Chevy rod....

The 400 cid uses a 5.565 rod...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

As long as we are on this V8 discussion, anybody know why Chevy waited until 1955 model year to introduce a V8 while Ford had the flat head in 1932??

 

[etracer68]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Ok Bond-o, your right, and I was wrong, did I just say that.

Small Block V-8s
The 327 and 350 small blocks use rods measuring 5.7 inches c-c with a 2.1 inch crankshaft pin and a 0.927 wrist pin, and weigh in at 630 grams. The larger 400 small block's rods are identical but for their 5.565-inch c-c length. Small block 283 rods measure 5.7 inches c-c, 2.00 inches on the crankshaft end and 0.927 inches on the wrist pin and weigh 655 grams. The newest generation LS1 small block 350 uses powdered metal connecting rods weighing 650 grams with a c-c length of 6.1 inches and a wrist pin diameter of 0.927 inches.

 

[etracer68]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Silvertip,I found this,
A full decade after Britain's 1904 Rolls-Royce Legalimit, Cadillac produced the first American V8 engine, the 1914 L-Head. It was a complicated hand-built unit with cast iron paired closed-head cylinders bolted to an aluminum crankcase, and it used a flat-plane crankshaft. Peerless followed, introducing a V8 licensed from amusement park manufacturer, Herschell-Spillman, the next year. Chevrolet produced a crude overhead valve V8 in 1917, in which the valve gear was completely exposed. It only lasted through 1918 and Chevrolet would not produce another V8 until the introduction of the small block in 1955.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

As long as we are on this V8 discussion, anybody know why Chevy waited until 1955 model year to introduce a V8 while Ford had the flat head in 1932??

Ayuh,.... No idea, but I'd love to hear what you've got on it....

 

[Bondo]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Ok Bond-o, your right, and I was wrong, did I just say that.

Small Block V-8s
The 327 and 350 small blocks use rods measuring 5.7 inches c-c with a 2.1 inch crankshaft pin and a 0.927 wrist pin, and weigh in at 630 grams. The larger 400 small block's rods are identical but for their 5.565-inch c-c length. Small block 283 rods measure 5.7 inches c-c, 2.00 inches on the crankshaft end and 0.927 inches on the wrist pin and weigh 655 grams. The newest generation LS1 small block 350 uses powdered metal connecting rods weighing 650 grams with a c-c length of 6.1 inches and a wrist pin diameter of 0.927 inches.

Ayuh,.... To break it down even more,....

The 327 used smaller crank journals, up til '68 I believe, when the 2.10 journals were introduced...

The 350 is the same block as the Large journal 327s,...

 

[etracer68]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

This is my pastime when Im not riding my HD FatBoy or out boating. I have been racing for over 20 years, and find that the bike or boat are alot more less stressful. I hate wasting a weekend siting in the lanes waiting for the track to get there crap together, while I sit and think about being out on the lake. I hate to sell it, I have had the car since 1971, and it seems to be part of the family, and putting it back on the street would cost a ton of money. I have had only small blocks from 434 to 355, its a 358 in the car now, and runs 10.6s@ 129 mph on alky. Its a good bracket car.

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

As already stated you have a small journal 327. I would check the date codes and casting numbers on the block and heads and advertise it based on those. Someone restoring something that needs those date codes will pay more than its worth to you as a power plant. I unloaded some of my old 327 stuff that way. They also have steel cranks, most are not taped and threaded on the balance'r bolt.

Check ebay/craigslist there is generally some there advertised this way.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Just in case the 1932 Ford Flathead V8 whizzed by everyone, I periodically try to egg on the Ford guys with Chevy had a V8 before Ford and it usually ends up the same. With the internet however, that discussion is getting harder to sucker anyone in but Chevy did indeed have an overhead valve V8 (288 cubic iniches I might add) and it was available from 1917 through 1919. Exposed rocker arms were not so "crude" in those days but it turns out the engine simply wasn't needed. The stovebolt six cylinder of 216 and 235 cubic inches served well until even those were modernized. So the point in my asking "why" was really "bait". Darned internet -- spoiled what could have been a fun debate. Another Chevy trivia question is what was the highest production HP for the 283. The typical answer is 283 since it was the first engine to produce one HP per cubic inch. Fact is the 283 was rated as high as 315 HP. So let's get back to boats -- eh????

 

[etracer68]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Just when it was getting to be fun, Silvertip, throws a wrench in the gears. I have to agree though, Maybe we could start a tread in the Dockside Chat, for us gear heads.

 

[John_S]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

Just when it was getting to be fun, Silvertip, throws a wrench in the gears. I have to agree though, Maybe we could start a tread in the Dockside Chat, for us gear heads.

and nobody mentioned the "other" SBC 4" bore, the high reving 302 found in a few late 60's cameros.

But, in a boat, if replacing a SBC, the answer is 350 or 383.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: 327 Chevy interchangeable with 350?

But, in a boat, if replacing a SBC, the answer is 350 or 383.

Um. YES. Don't even waste your time with a 327. Sell it and get a wrecking yard, truck 350. Someone will probably want that 327.