I've been researching the head and engine ids for my 76 Lemans. Mostly for interest sake and discussion purposes since its seems GM may have done some unusual things to this engine build.
The engine is a Chevy 305 block #361979 with heads cast with #333882 (see photo) and triangle end marking consistent for a 333882 head (see photo) but on the underside the head is marked 434 with the associated bathtub casting mark (see photo). These heads came with 1.72" intake and 1.5" exhaust valves.
This is a Canadian build Lemans (Oshawa Ontario) as well as the engine (St. Catherines Ontario).
The heads are what confuse me most. The 882 heads usually listed as 350, 400 heads with 76cc combustion chambers with 1.94" and 1.5" valves. Not what I have here as far a valves. Not sure on the combustion chamber size on these heads but the 434 cast (normally a 305 head, smaller 60cc chamber) confuses things even more. Based on tables I'm looking at a 76cc chamber on a 305 won't quite give you the advertised 8.5:1 compression ratio. Anybody know anything about what GM was doing here in Canada with these heads and 305s? The numbers just don't seem to make sense. Is this some kind of 434/882 hybrid Canadian head for 305s?
My internet searching has noted some 882 heads with the smaller valves usually for truck applications but nothing about putting them on 305s.
Interestingly enough I also came across some sources claiming GM Canada built some 361979 4 bolt 305 blocks. It's been a long time since I had the oil pan off but I seem to recall a lot of bolts on the main caps. Didn't think much of it at the time but I think this may be one of these rare 4 bolt Canadian 305 blocks as well. Anybody ever seen one in a 76 or 77 Lemans or anywhere else for that matter?
Absolutely 100% sure those are the original heads on that block. Owned the car since new. I was the first to ever take those heads off after GM bolted them on.
The 1976 Lemans had different engine dependant upon whether it was a Canadian car or not. 50 states & Canada used the Chevy 250 six & Oldsmobile 260 V8. After that, GM Canada used Chevy 305 & 350 V8s while in the U.S. they used Pontiac 350, 400 & 455 power.
1977 was a change in the U.S. They used the Buick 231 V6, Pontiac 301 2-barrel, Pontiac 350 4-barrel, plus the 400 4-barrel on wagons & Can Am models (403 in high altitudes & California). In Canada we used the 250 Chevy six, 305 2-barrel Chevy V8 & the 350 4-barrel Chevy, plus 400 Pontiac in the wagons.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
