'65 Rover Half Cab

[Sam_Fear]

Yep. Looks great.

 

[05snopro440]

That looks way better!!!

Now it needs some roll-up windows, the sliders will takeaway from all the improvements you've made, IMO.

 

[falconvan]

Looks awesome, Bob! Looks like the factory built it that way!

 

[bob w]

I've got a nice little 283 short block for the Rover. But, a 327 showed up on Craigslist yesterday, for only $50. Low compression in one cylinder the ad said. It has a Pete Jackson noisy gear drive and a lunati Voodoo cam and lifters. Also Vortec heads although one combustion chamber is a bit scarred up.

Thanks for the possitive feedback, guys. I'll get back on it this fall.

I was kidding about the "low compression" deal. The kid knew he had sucked a valve. Stock Vortec heads and a big cam equals disaster.

 

[falconvan]

Nice deal for only $50! How's the cylinder wall look?

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I was kidding about the "low compression" deal. The kid knew he had sucked a valve. Stock Vortec heads and a big cam equals disaster.

Yeah, there's that... and he painted it green.

.

 

[Bamamav]

Are those self-aligning rockers? If they are, trash them quick! That's what caused my Vette to drop a valve, the rocker tips were worn and let the rocker shift off of the valve and caused the keepers to come out.

I went with guide plates and roller rockers, no way for them to cock sideways now!

 

[Dirtyrat]

That is a great find, the vortech heads are pretty much the best factory head ever released for flow.
That 327's crank is worth quite a bit too, the kid didn't know what he had even in parts...

A friend of mine is putting vortech heads on his 350 with a mild street cam right now, they are pretty nice heads, but you do need a different intake to run them. Summit sells one for about $117...

 

[jfg455]

You can't run more than .420 lift with a stock vortec head. But if you cut the seats and tops of the guides down you can run 70 Z28 style srpings and up to .550 lift. Then it should run good![cl

 

[Dirtyrat]

You can't run more than .420 lift with a stock vortec head. But if you cut the seats and tops of the guides down you can run 70 Z28 style srpings and up to .550 lift. Then it should run good![cl

There is a cutter you can buy that cuts the diameter of the riser, and the height in one step so you can run dual springs, as well as increase your lift potential on a vortech head. The cutter I think is about $100 from Summit.

It is not the spring that is the limiting factor, it is hitting the top of the valve guide area of the casting I believe.

 

[bob w]

Well, it has two cracked cylinders. One where the dropped valve took out the piston. The other where the wrist pin migrated to the side and pushed the cylinder wall hard enough to crack it.
Would have to sleeve both cylinders to save the block. Is it wiser to save this block or to start fresh with one of the other standard bore blocks I have? Sleeve two or bore eight, that is the question.

Thanks for the Vortec head information. Not sure one head is savable. I did get the Lunati Voodoo cam and lifters, Pete Jackson noisy gear drive, harmonic balancer, mint 10-10 crank, oil pan, etc for my $50. So an okay deal even if I scrap the block.

 

[Old Iron]

I've sleeved blocks before some worked n some don't.
If I had another block? I'd bore 8 long before I'd sleeve even one.

 

[JBailey]

I agree, I'd bore a fresh block rather then sleeving that one. For the money you spent and the good parts you did get, you didn't get hurt any.

 

[05snopro440]

Can you use your 327 crank with the 283 block or a 350 block? Too bad the block isn't good, you could make a 302 [ddd

Here's some reading: 327 Crank in 283 Block

 

[Dirtyrat]

Doesn't the 327 have different journal sizes from the other series motors?

 

[bob w]

Small journal on the early 327's and large journal on the later engines. This one was a large journal. I can use any 350 block and put a large journal 327 crank in it (I have 3 large journal 327 cranks "in stock"). I've got 8 or 9 283, 327, 350 and 400 blocks saved up. Trouble is it costs $400-$500 to machine a block, overbore included. I'm always on the lookout for a way to beat that cost down. If the engine I just bought would have only needed one sleeve I could have had a prepped block for around $100.

If I recall correctly, there are a few 283 blocks that will accept the small journal crank. The longer stroke crankshaft counter weights hit the block in most cases.

 

[BlueNorther]

all 283's were small journal.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

all 283's were small journal.

I think small journal is understood, Blue. I believe Bob is saying... a 327 crank in a 283 will have clearance issues, depends on the casting. '58-'61 won't work due to a "narrow" crankcase. '62 and up should share the 327 casting with enlarged crankcase and adequate clearance, but don't take this as fact, I've been horribly wrong before!

.

 

[jfg455]

I. a 327 crank in a 283 will have clearance issues, depends on the casting. '58-'61 won't work due to a "narrow" crankcase. '62 and up should share the 327 casting with enlarged crankcase and adequate clearance, but don't take this as fact, I've been horribly wrong before!

.

Doesn't that just make a 307? I was told (been wrong before as well!) that all 307 sbc's had steel 327 cranks in them. [P

 

[05snopro440]

Doesn't that just make a 307? I was told (been wrong before as well!) that all 307 sbc's had steel 327 cranks in them. [P

Yes, it does make a 307. Not sure on the 327 crank thing.