Overpowered, overpriced new cars

[deerefan]

My Uncles was gray, with white interior. He did a restoration on it in the mid 80's, stayed gray, but went with black interior. It had the highest output motor 375HP, buckets, console with tach ect.

When I was a year old, my parent got a '63 Impala SS327 4spd, in 1964. For the size of car, it went pretty good...

The only reason dad shied away from the 375hp model was the solid lift cam. He did not want the hassle of periodic valve adjustments. There was quite a difference performance wise between the 350 & 375 hp cars, maybe a little more hp in the 375 than the factory claimed. I have a 327 in my 70 chevelle. Revs quick but not enough cubes to really make that heavy car move. Only making around 300hp or so.

 

[RobertN]

A neighbor had a '37 Ford pickup with a SBC in the mid 70'2. It had a balanced 283 with a 327 crank as it was explained to me as a early teenager back then. Basically made a 302? The motor had a short stroke and would rev up instantly! Sure made that light weight '37 pickup move quick!

One of those little tricks like boring a 318 Mopar 20 over and putting a standard bore 340 master kit in it...

The only reason dad shied away from the 375hp model was the solid lift cam. He did not want the hassle of periodic valve adjustments. There was quite a difference performance wise between the 350 & 375 hp cars, maybe a little more hp in the 375 than the factory claimed. I have a 327 in my 70 chevelle. Revs quick but not enough cubes to really make that heavy car move. Only making around 300hp or so.

 

[deerefan]

A neighbor had a '37 Ford pickup with a SBC in the mid 70'2. It had a balanced 283 with a 327 crank as it was explained to me as a early teenager back then. Basically made a 302? The motor had a short stroke and would rev up instantly! Sure made that light weight '37 pickup move quick!

One of those little tricks like boring a 318 Mopar 20 over and putting a standard bore 340 master kit in it...

Ultimately, I would like to replace the 327 with a mild 454 or 427 BB, say 450-500 hp but streetable. The 327 would do very well in a lighter body, like a 66 Nova, T-bucket or one of my favorites a '32 Ford coupe. The 327 has a lot of sentimental value to me as it was the first engine dad and I built together. It is .060 over, about 9.5:1 compression, stock iron heads (1.94/1.50 valves) milled .015, aluminum intake, small cam (.423I/.442E), 600cfm carb and headers. Like I said, maybe 300hp. Unfortunately, the car is being stored in my dirt floor tractor barn and the mice have chewed some wiring in it. I am planning a shop now and will tear into it again when my shop is complete. I have owned the car for about 16 years now and it is really time to do something with it. As for the motor, I will probably upgrade the came to about .480 lift and upgrade the heads to a better cc and 2.02/1.60 valves. Try for the 350hp mark. I will see if I have some pics to post.

 

[deerefan]

A neighbor had a '37 Ford pickup with a SBC in the mid 70'2. It had a balanced 283 with a 327 crank as it was explained to me as a early teenager back then. Basically made a 302? The motor had a short stroke and would rev up instantly! Sure made that light weight '37 pickup move quick!

One of those little tricks like boring a 318 Mopar 20 over and putting a standard bore 340 master kit in it...

Funny you say that...I have a 283 also but I do not believe I can combine the 2 due to some journal differences. I can't remeber if my 327 is large or small journal. But yes, the destroked 327 is quite quick on the revs. They used this combo I believe in Trans Am racing in the 60s.

 

[Dennisfly]

Chevy 283 had a 3 7/8" bore and 3" stroke. The 327 had a 4" bore and 3 1/4" stroke. So, the 4" bore with the 3" crank was the "302" not counting any overbore.

 

[deerefan]

Chevy 283 had a 3 7/8" bore and 3" stroke. The 327 had a 4" bore and 3 1/4" stroke. So, the 4" bore with the 3" crank was the "302" not counting any overbore.

Thats how I remember it. Being my 327 is .060 over, no 302 for me!!

 

[jonyyuma]

Thats how I remember it. Being my 327 is .060 over, no 302 for me!!

Well it is amaZing that those Mouse Chevy engines could put out so much power and not have special steel parts? Like the forged cranks, special head bolts and don't forget the small rod bolts...No Morosso parts used and they were still fun to build and run hard.Now add some of these parts and port the heads and OMG the supper mouse motor was born...Sorry don't speak much Ford?

 

[RobertN]

I was only 13 back then... I remember it was SBC, it was destroked, balanced, and would spin up real fast. Maybe it was a 327 destroked...? Sure made that '37 pickup get with it...

I dunno, I have always been a Mopar guy.

Chevy 283 had a 3 7/8" bore and 3" stroke. The 327 had a 4" bore and 3 1/4" stroke. So, the 4" bore with the 3" crank was the "302" not counting any overbore.

 

[RobertN]

That would be fun. Mild 427 with a modern fuel injection would really be sweet...

Ultimately, I would like to replace the 327 with a mild 454 or 427 BB, say 450-500 hp but streetable.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've rebuilt a number of Ford 289/302 Mustang Motors...

Did one for my brother 30 years ago and it is still going strong 150,000 miles later.

Didn't have much money, so I carefully honed the cylinders in the garage... did send the heads out to be machined... installed a $65 rebuild kit with gaskets, seals, rings and bearings...

Right now, I have a sick 327... actually it has been sick for almost 2 years... I was out driving and heard something let go... a valve rocker backed-off and the push rod jumped out and got mangled... put a new one in $3 but the problem is the rocker stud... so I just parked it.

It's a little disappointing because the 62 Corvette was sold as having a rebuilt engine with hardened valve seats etc... with less than 2,000 miles.

The car is parked because once you start working on a car... it takes up more room...

 

[RobertN]

What amazed me is a couple 3 or 4 years back one of the hot rod magazines did a build up comparison. They built a 350 Chevy and a 360 Mopar, all with similar spec parts; full master kit, intake, carb ect for a strong street motor.

they were very surprised, to find the Mopar made more HP, more TQ than the Chevy. And, to their(and my) surprise, when they added up the reciepts the Mopar was cheaper.

That was a big surprise to me, even as a Mopar fan. Always thought they were more expensive... They did not add chrome or anything; Chevy SBC would take the cake there.

Would have been interesting if they would have added a 351 FoMoCo to to build/test...

Well it is amaZing that those Mouse Chevy engines could put out so much power and not have special steel parts? Like the forged cranks, special head bolts and don't forget the small rod bolts...No Morosso parts used and they were still fun to build and run hard.Now add some of these parts and port the heads and OMG the supper mouse motor was born...Sorry don't speak much Ford?

 

[deerefan]

What amazed me is a couple 3 or 4 years back one of the hot rod magazines did a build up comparison. They built a 350 Chevy and a 360 Mopar, all with similar spec parts; full master kit, intake, carb ect for a strong street motor.

they were very surprised, to find the Mopar made more HP, more TQ than the Chevy. And, to their(and my) surprise, when they added up the reciepts the Mopar was cheaper.

That was a big surprise to me, even as a Mopar fan. Always thought they were more expensive... They did not add chrome or anything; Chevy SBC would take the cake there.

Would have been interesting if they would have added a 351 FoMoCo to to build/test...

I liked the 340 mopar. Guy in high school had a early 70s Demon and it was quick. My favorite Ford motor was the 289.

 

[ultrarunner]

I liked the 340 mopar. Guy in high school had a early 70s Demon and it was quick. My favorite Ford motor was the 289.

Had a Cuda with a 340 and four speed on the lot for 14 months... it was immaculate... just bad timing with the energy crisis and all.

Sounded good too!

 

[Alan L.]

If money was no object I'd gladly pay $60K for the Mustang GT. I wouldn't drive it 100 much less 200 but it sure would be fun to drive. Not sure about the ford motor but my BIL's ~2004 vette is pretty high perfomance and he claims 30 mpg on the highway.

 

[Bird]

I liked the 340 mopar. Guy in high school had a early 70s Demon and it was quick. My favorite Ford motor was the 289.

My favorite Mopar was our 1968 Plymount Road Runner.

As for the Ford 289 . . . I liked the 1963, 64, and 65 Fords the city had with the 289 that I bought a new 1966; quite possibly the worst lemon Ford ever built. Before it had 24k miles on it, it had a valve job, new plugs, wires, distributor, carburetor, etc. and neither the Ford dealer nor an independent garage could make it run right. I was sure glad when I traded it in on the Road Runner.:laughing:

 

[JDgreen227]

My favorite Mopar was our 1968 Plymount Road Runner.

As for the Ford 289 . . . I liked the 1963, 64, and 65 Fords the city had with the 289 that I bought a new 1966; quite possibly the worst lemon Ford ever built. Before it had 24k miles on it, it had a valve job, new plugs, wires, distributor, carburetor, etc. and neither the Ford dealer nor an independent garage could make it run right. I was sure glad when I traded it in on the Road Runner.:laughing:

Bird, try as I may, I just cannot picture you driving a muscle car...sorry...:laughing:

 

[Bird]

Bird, try as I may, I just cannot picture you driving a muscle car...sorry...:laughing:

That's because you didn't meet me until I was an old retiree.:laughing:

 

[JDgreen227]

That's because you didn't meet me until I was an old retiree.:laughing:

Yeah, you probably can't imagine me driving a bright Grabber Blue Mach One either....:laughing:

 

[Gizmo2]

I still think this is one of the best commercials I've seen, old but good.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a5p4KxvujQ"]Ford Mustang Shelby GT "Police Chase" Commercial - YouTube[/ame]

 

[bradm64]

I still think this is one of the best commercials I've seen, old but good.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT "Police Chase" Commercial - YouTube

LOL! Great commercial.