Filled it up with anti freeze and put a pressure tester on to check for leaks. Of course a couple of minor hiccups but overall seems fine. Still waiting for my exhaust system............
Boy the temptation is strong to start it open-manifolds!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Just wondering Carl, who did you get to do the machine work on your 327 ? Just looking for a shop in the future to do mine. Was thinking of Corners Quickly. Any experiance with this machine shop ?
I have no experience with Corners Quickly at all, sorry Ian.
I went to Piston Ring. I have dealt with them for a long time. The only machine work I had done was the boring. This is one of those 283 thick wall blocks that can be bored to 4" because it was the same casting# for 283 or 327. We unloaded the block at the machine shop and set it on the floor. Not sure if you know the guys there but it was John. He's been there a long time. He looked at the casting number and said "Where did you get this block? Those are rare!". I was pretty sure at that point that I'd come to the right place!
Anyway, they bored it and I had my heads done at the GM dealership in Altona as the old valve grinder we have at work is just too worn out to do a nice job. My friend is a tech there and he says they have one guy in the shop who has done heads for many years. I said "Would you get him to do your own heads?" His reply was "I wouldn't let anyone else touch them" so again, I felt it was the right choice.
With all that said, we'll see how good it all is once it's run a while!!!
Just came in from the garage. I think I have every last detail done except for putting on exhaust, prime it and fire up.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
There was a thought of a 301 but I had a very similar 327 to this one 20 years ago in a 66 Nova SS with 3.73 and a close ratio Muncie. I haven't forgotten how much fun that was. This engine is very very similar. That one had a 65 Chevelle L79 intake, otherwise pretty much identical as far as cam, compression etc.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I am a bit unsure on what that would be. The factory rating for this one would be 300 I guess and all that is different is the cam is the 350 horse cam, and a Holley instead of the Carter from the 300 horse. It won't be a screamer but it should be fun since it's likely going to come in under 3000 pounds.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Ah come on Carl, fire that baby with open manifolds, it sounds so coooool. You really get to hear the lope of that L79 cam.
It would be fun but I learned years ago it's nice to have quiet with a new engine startup. Easier to hear if the lifters are all quiet as well as any other sounds that shouldn't be there!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Ah come on Carl, fire that baby with open manifolds, it sounds so coooool. You really get to hear the lope of that L79 cam.
It would be fun but I learned years ago it's nice to have quiet with a new engine startup. Easier to hear if the lifters are all quiet as well as any other sounds that shouldn't be there!
I was the same way when I first fired my L79 cammed 350, but every transplant since of that motor its first fire is with open manifolds, sounds sweet.
It started up very nice, once I had the distributor moved far enough ahead. That took 2 tries to get the timimg up enough. I had primed the carb before I ran the camera.
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Sunday 4th of April 2010 12:15:39 AM
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
More of the same, high RPM, keep checking temp and oil pressure. Temp is very very cool, no issues. Oil pressure is a constant around 35 pounds. Lifter will not quiet down.
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Sunday 4th of April 2010 12:30:48 AM
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
I think it's around the 5:00 minute mark when I have the idle down and it almost stalls. It sounds very much like detonation but I am positive it's a bottom end knock, just not sure if it's a rod or a main. The camera makes it sound bad, really amplifies it. Standing there it is noticeable but not near as obvious as it is on camera for some reason.
Guess I get to pull it out and tear it down. Why does it run great close to 2000 RPM without any bottom end noise and then have a noise at about 400-500 RPM, almost at stall speed? Oil pressure stays up just fine even at low idle.......
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Oh, that's a heartbreaker for sure. I hope it's nothing, but it's best to be sure by pulling it out. Are you sure the lifter isn't maybe a broken valve spring or rocker or something maybe on the top end? A look under the valve covers before you yank it may be a good idea.
The lifter could be something as simple as I didn't adjust it correctly. I will pull a cover to see if I can find it that way.
I have only set the timing by ear, to where it runs best. It just sounds so much like detonation when it does that but I can hardly see it being that. I never thought of moving the timimg back and then turning down the idle to see if it still makes the same noise. Another day I will try that.
It sure fired up nice and all. But, I've learned that cars can be a disappointment sometimes too!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Now that I've listened to the third one, it does sound like a deep knock, but the camera may not be reproducing the sound like you heard it. Like you said, maybe the timing is off. Anyway, maybe you'll have it licked tomorrow!
bummer carl timing could be an issue here.Auto or standard? Sometimes i will pull the fanbelt to isolate any possible noises in that area hope iits something easy you did such a nice job id put my money on sumpin simple timbuk
I think I will leave it till I ask 3 guys I know. I really respect all 3 of them for their mechanical knowledge. They have seen a lot and usually can nail down stuff like this pretty good.
A day off to think about it often is a good idea!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
