FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

  Hi guys. was just wounderen if a 4 bolt 350 crank will fit into a 327.  We have a station sedan fitted already with a 186 trimatic, hr  disc front, LSD & hadfield chassis kit but need a few more ponies. Also anyone with any yeehs or naahs about creat motors. Thanks for any replies in advance...........pop.  ;)

350 crank is large journal ( LJ ) and will fit a large journal 327 making a 350 ci engine ( 350 and 327 share the same 4 inch bore ).

There were also small journal ( SJ ) 327's as well, majority of 327's are SJ cranks.

From memory ?? the LJ 327's were only around the 1968 era when ( again, from memory ) Chev went to large journal on all their engines with exception of the 400 block which used unique sized journals.

Prior to '68 all 327's ( and other size engines ) were small journal ( from memory )

Not sure ?? whether a LJ 350 crank can be machined down to fit SJ blocks ??

Years ago you could buy special mains bearings to fit SJ cranks into LJ blocks.

Do you have a small journal 327 or a large journal 327 would be a starting question to see if the 350 crank will fit as is, or will need machining ( if machining a LJ crank down to SJ size is possible )

307's and 327 cranks are the same ( large journal 3.25 stroke ).

Hope that helps, and isn't confusing  :-\...... maybe I should type it out again  ??? ??? ???

I dont think you could ask for any more info than that. :D

Why not a 400 crank ground down so you get 383 Ci if it's a LG 327......FC427.....

   Thanks for the great info FB_MAD, your right fchoon & FC427, thats kind of what I'm thinken, but just don't know about the different blocks & cranks. I'd like to have about 400 to 450hp. Haven't got any bits as of yet, just resourcing so as i don't wast money. Plan is so far is 302, [hard] to 327LJ, stroked, performer heads, roller rockers, bout 1/2 to 3/4 cam depending on performance & sound  ;D and a really good balance, coupled up to a th350, 2 stage shift & about a 2200 stall converter, depending on cam. A lot of people say start  with the heads, flow etc. than build your block [ bottom end ] to suit, but i recken you've got to have the right block to start with. Thanks again guys for the input. If any, would like to here any more suggestions

Pop,
From memory all this information regarding swapping different cranks, blocks and heads is in a book called "how to hot rod small block chevs". I think there is also a combo using a 307 crank to give 302 cubes.

Regards brett

307 has the same stroke as 327 and 350 ,,307 bore is smaller ...small journal  283 crank in a 327 will give 302 Ci what the factory did for the Comaro  302 Ci engines...  327 crank in a 283 should give 292 Ci it's been a long time so this is  from memory  ....FC427.....

FC427,
You are right i think mate. it was something like that. been a long time since ive done a few chevs. regards brett

FC427,
almost all correct, the DZ 302 Camaro block is a large journal and the crank is unique for the 302 Camaro, being a large journal with a 3:00 stroke. All DZ cranks are steel cranks. They have a raised casting #1178 on the crank between the first Main journal and the first pair of big end journals. 

A small journal 327 has the 4:00' bore and the 283 crank will drop straight in which will give 302 ci. A better solution is to use the 327 block and a 265 crank, as all 265 cranks are steel. This combination was sought after by those running limited production sprintcars, preference to the DZ if you could get them, or if your wallet didn't extend that far then you made do with a small journal setup.

Make sure that you use  either chev X rods or after market rods as the standard rods can and do fail. New conrod bolts are mandatory.

As has been mentioned by FB MAD there were aftermarket bearings that you could buy to enable the use of a small journal crank in a large journal block.

Keith

Damn

No wonder I am having trouble putting that 350 crank into a 132.5.  If I had one of those small journal 327 cranks it would probably fit.  Must go out in the shed again to see if it fits.

Albert

Excuse me!  >:( That's a big block FE series 132.5 if you don't mind!  and you of all people should know better!  >:( 

Never, ever forget how scared the Shelby test drivers were when Carroll put the FE series motor in the Cobras!  :P

Kathi

LOL........ yeah I get the point, too much info.... :-[ :-[ :-[

it's embarrassing, but I've already forgotten... :-[ :-[ :-[

tell me again; just how scared were they?

Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack!  ::)  Is that old timers kicking in or just the ignorant bliss of a late model owner?  :-*

When Shelby installed the big block FE series in the Cobra their driver at the time (Ken Miles) came back from it's first test drive white as a ghost and deemed the car virtually undrivable due to the power output.  Major modifications had to be made to the chassis and a complete new suspension setup was built! 

Also, Tom McCahill, in "Mechanix Illustrated", famously described the vehicle as "hairier that a Borneo gorilla in a racoon suit"  (Maybe that's why there's usually a fox tail hanging from my aerial? In honour of the racoon!)  ;D And no frickin comments are required about gorillas thanks!  ::)  :D

Keith - no offence meant.  :-\ You should know John's logic by now..... the more information the merrier, bigger is always best and let's chop it up!  :D :D

Kathi, thanks for refreshing my failing memory  :)

If Shelby used the same 'big block FE series 132.5' that I'm NOT familiar with [and dont forget that last 0.5; they need every last little bit...] it's no wonder it was 'deemed undriveable due to the power output'....

(probably got rear-ended by a lady with a pram while attempting 0-20mph times...)

cheers, jack (ignorantly blissful EXTRA big block FC 138 owner  ;D)

mmmmmmm As you point out Jack, maybe then my little 132.5 may not be powerful enough to pass that old biddy on the way to the post office to send Xmas pressies  ??? ???  oh well I guess I just have to keep it for myself then!  :P

 :-[  geez, the old timers really has set in....  I completely forgot it is the lead-up to Christmas!   :-[

Kindly disregard  any and all denigrating remarks pertaining to FEs, big block 132s  (oops! 132.5), ladies with prams, old biddies, fox tails, 0 - 20mph times measured in hours, etc, etc   :-* :-* :-*

and apologies to pop for running away with his thread...