Advice on engine replacement

[Peter S.]

My 62 has a later 327 crate engine. A friend has offered a 62 327-300 Impala SS motor from a car he purchased new. The engine has 100k miles on it, but was running when it was put away. It needs to be rebuilt certainly, but is the passenger car engine pretty similar to the Corvette version?

I'll find out if it has the original exaust manifolds, heads, intake manifold, fuel pump, fan, etc. etc. but would I be starting with a good "original" motor that would be appropriate in the vette? Or is it significantly different?

Thanks!

-Peter

[Joe L.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

My 62 has a later 327 crate engine. A friend has offered a 62 327-300 Impala SS motor from a car he purchased new. The engine has 100k miles on it, but was running when it was put away. It needs to be rebuilt certainly, but is the passenger car engine pretty similar to the Corvette version?

I'll find out if it has the original exaust manifolds, heads, intake manifold, fuel pump, fan, etc. etc. but would I be starting with a good "original" motor that would be appropriate in the vette? Or is it significantly different?

Thanks!

-Peter

Peter------


The 1962 passenger car L-75 engine is practically identical to the Corvette L-75. It should have the same GM #3782870 block, the same GM #3782461X heads, the same GM #3799349 intake manifold, and even the same exhaust manifolds. Internal parts are all the same.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Peter,

If it's a Flint built motor and your car is L-75 300hp, it's dead nuts the same. If the SS is automatic the exhaust manifolds will be 2" and the manual transmission cars need 2 1/2".

Some Impala's were built with Tonowanda cast engines. If you post dates etc. we can help identify.

[Peter S.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Ok, I finally got this motor from the 62 Impala SS in house, and wondered if anyone would comment on the suitability of it to my '62.

It is a 3782870 block. It has a code B82 on the back, and on the rear it says H-13 and the number 926 over 870. The stamp pad has J233668 and F04IIRB.

The heads definitely say 3782461 but not sure about the "X" -- is that referring to the number itself or the end of the head casting? The heads are stamped C 2 13 and 3202 13

The manifold is 3799349 2-2-61.

The water pump is 3792608.

The exaust manifolds are 901942 902942
------------------------9797842 9797901
------------------------------2 ----LX 2

BTW it was missing the fuel pump and carb.

I assume the distributor is wrong because it's not a tech drive.

Any thoughts on using vs. keep on looking?

[Joe L.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Ok, I finally got this motor from the 62 Impala SS in house, and wondered if anyone would comment on the suitability of it to my '62.

It is a 3782870 block. It has a code B82 on the back, and on the rear it says H-13 and the number 926 over 870. The stamp pad has J233668 and F04IIRB.

The heads definitely say 3782461 but not sure about the "X" -- is that referring to the number itself or the end of the head casting? The heads are stamped C 2 13 and 3202 13

The manifold is 3799349 2-2-61.

The water pump is 3792608.

The exaust manifolds are 901942 902942
------------------------9797842 9797901
------------------------------2 ----LX 2

BTW it was missing the fuel pump and carb.

I assume the distributor is wrong because it's not a tech drive.

Any thoughts on using vs. keep on looking?

Peter-----


I'm not sure that you've gotten all the dates read correctly but it is often somewhat difficult to accurately discern these numbers. In any event, the engine is a 300 HP 327 originally installed in a 1962 or 63 full size passenger car with manual transmission built at Janesville, WI. I suspect it's the original engine installed in this Impala but, if so, all the dates you've mentioned don't seem to "line up" correctly.

This engine, if it's still internally configured as-original, is virtually identical to the 300 HP engine originally installed in 1962 Corvettes. So, from that perspective, it's very suitable for use in your car assuming you are interested in the 300 HP engine. Notwithstanding dates, all the components you mentioned would be correct for the 1962 Corvette 300 HP application. You will need to change the distributor to a Corvette tach drive distributor.

[Larry B.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

The Impala motor is basiclly the same,but the dates and stampings on the front padneed to match the car if thats what you want to be real.Even the car serial number goes on that stamp pad.The date on the block should be close.For instance you can't have a car made in Jan and a block cast in May.

[Peter S.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Thank you very much for the analysis. If anyone knows where I might find a proper AFB carb for a January 62 327-300 let me know.

[Steven S.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Hi Peter. I've got the exact same situation, except I bought a '62 327/250hp for my '62 NOM Vette. I've heard that the oil pan may or not fit. I'm still researching this. I think visually the Vette and passenger car pans are different. The Vette is a 3-step pan and the passenger car pan is a 2-step. Low HP (250-300hp) pans hold 4 qts, and the 340-360 hp pans hold 5? Not including filter. Location of drain plug also different. I'm trying to get away with using the passenger car pan. The original ones (if you can find one) are very expensive but there are repro ones which are cheaper. I've learned you'll also need a shim (approx .125" thick) behind the harmonic balancer to bring the pulleys into alignment. This is to compensate for the front motor mount being behind the water pump. The Vette suppliers carry these and they're only around $7 or so. I'd be interested to hear anyone's take on the oil pan issue. Thanks.

[Larry B.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Your oil pan should fit as the Vette pan has a longer sump but shorter won't hit.Don't shim the balancer out as most don't even have a bolt holding them as crank isn't tapped.Better way is to look between the hub on the water pump housing you probally have at least your .125 inch then take the back cover of the pump.Put the pump in a press hub down and press on the shaft in the center of the impeller .You have to press on the shaft or you ruin the seal inside .Press your .125 and you are there. Check your your pulley clears to .If you push the hub back everthing else will line up .If you move the bottom out then the generator has to move out to.

[Joe M.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

A later 327 crate engine?

What year?

A 512 or an 870? cast date?

stamped alpha numeric code on front pad?

When did the rods get beefed up? 66? 69?

[Joe L.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

When did the rods get beefed up? 66? 69?

Joe-----


As far as 327 rods are concerned, the major improvement occurred during the 1965 model year.

In 1968 the rods were changed to accommodate the large journal cranks and were, thus, improved again. However, these rods are not retrofittable to earlier 327's

[Christopher R.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Peter, why do you wish to replace your existing "later 327 crate engine" with a 1962 Impala engine that needs rebuilding? What are you trying to accomplish? Does your existing engine need replacement? Are you trying to get more judging points? Let us know so that you can get better replies.

[Peter S.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

Peter, why do you wish to replace your existing "later 327 crate engine" with a 1962 Impala engine that needs rebuilding? What are you trying to accomplish? Does your existing engine need replacement? Are you trying to get more judging points? Let us know so that you can get better replies.

Three things:
1) The crate engine is burning a lot of oil and I feel guilty about the smoke
2) I thought it would be cool to have it be more original -- judging is a real long shot though
3) I thought it would be cool to have a 300hp (or more) engine just to see what it would be like
3.5) It's something to do and I have a lack of activity in my life :>

I'm pretty sure the Impala engine is a month later than my car though, so it couldn't really be appropriate still, even though all the part numbers are correct I think.

There is a fellow NCRSer with a 1962 block for sale that I'm interested in. It's a November block and my car was born at the end of January. Not sure if that would be better but it's an option. In 1962, how much before build date were blocks typically cast?

[Peter S.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

My crate engine block casting # is 3959512. The casting date is I122.

My crate engine is stamped CE3N36149 Which I think means its a '73

[Tom D.]

Re: Advice on engine replacement

For your car's future value: I would buy and rebuild the engine made before your Corvette build date. Use the heads from the Impala if you need to, as the dates on the heads are under the valve covers. I would look for an oil pan that drains in the center rear, with three steps, but make sure the bottom of the front timing chain cover matches up with the pan you buy. There are two different front openings in the pans - Search the archives for several prior discussions of '62 oil pans. For example, a very recent discussion (on this site) has in the subject/title including "1960 Oil Pan", started by Don Harris, but it gets into 1962 pans also.

Other dated manifolds are not that rare, since (as you know) the Impalas had them too. Bottom line: Get your dates within six months BEFORE your January build date, even if just a couple of days. Someone else will want to buy the Impala block for their slightly later built Corvette!