Oil guage for 327/350

[Jim M.]

I own a 65 327/350 vette and when I bought it I was led to beleive it was the original motor for the car.
Lately I have found things that belong on a 300 hp car. Can someone please let me know if the guage should be a 60 lb or 80 lb for a 350 hp.

Thanks

[Rich G.]

Re: Oil guage for 327/350

Jim

My 66 L79 has a 60 lb gauge. I think the 80lb was for the big block.

Rich Giannotti

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil guage for 327/350

Rich and Jim-----

For 1965, the 80# gauge was used for solid lifter small blocks (L-76 and L-84) and big blocks (L-78). It was not used for the L-79.

[Loren L.]

#23561 - 4th from the end - as a 350

HP, has an 80 lb gauge stamped July 27, 1965.

[Wayne M.]

# 04835 had an 80 lb gauge (in 1968)...

when I bought what was my first car ever (factory 3.08 axle - no radio). I still have the dealer warranty shop orders and there's nothing indicating gauge replacement. Is there a chance it had to do with the introduction of power steering (March '65 Chevrolet Service News) on the L79 (and going to the smaller oilpan ?) Just a hunch. I should dig out my dash photos of # 12555 (L79 w/4.11's) to check; just wasn't interested in these details back in the '60s and early '70s.

[Joe L.]

Re: # 04835 had an 80 lb gauge (in 1968)...

Wayne and Loren-----

I believe that the main purpose for the 80# oil gauge on small blocks was because of the high pressure oil pump used on solid lifter small blocks for most 63-65 applications. As far as I know, this pump was never used on L-79 applications, although the "6 quart" oil pan, normally used with solid lifter small blocks, may have been used on some 1965 L-79s.

Of course, there would be no real loss if an 80# oil gauge was used for an L-79 application. So, perhaps if the supply of 60# gauge units ran short, they would substitute the 80# units. I doubt that they would have used the 60# units for solid lifter applications, though.

The substitution would have to have happened at the instrument panel subassembly plant, though, since I think that the clusters were delivered to St. Louis with gauges already installed.