68 camaro coupe engine questions.....

[dsabbi]

this off season will be the start of my frame off restoration of my base model camaro. the car has the original 327 motor. i know people like to have matching numbers when it comes to a true SS or RS model. i know my engine needs to be rebuilt. my curiosity is this: do i spend the $$ to rebuild the numbers matching engine or drop a crate motor in and start new? i know it will come down to preference and cost will play a part, but i wanted some opinions. i wont be dragging anyone...the car will be a daily driver.

and forgive me for not knowing, but if i switch the engine out for a new one, will the transmission also have to be changed ???

rhode island

[ds1]

I build my own engines, so I would say stay with the original. I heave not been a fan of crate engines. They are built by assembly line workers that do not have to care is they are right or not. An argument is they come with a warranty. Read the warranty really close. Who will pay for the labor to remove and reinstall if you have a problem? I have read that some warranties are only good if a "qualified technician" installs it. I tell people that crate engines are a good option if you do not have a local machine shop that you can trust with a good reputation. What I consider a large expense on your 327 rebuild would be have the cylinder head work done. Having hardened seats installed for unleaded fuel. But a 327 is a very good engine and not your cookie cutter 350 you assume is in the car when you look at it. Dan

[68l30]

I may be a bit biased here, but....IMHO, rebuild what you have. Not knowing what else the Camaro needs or what direction you plan to go makes it a tough answer. Is this a L30/M20 327 or a M35? Getting harder to find a &quot;good&quot; 327 coupe that hasn't been turned into a SS or a big block... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/scholar.gif


I agree on the hardened seats, + a 327 w/ good head work has surprised many many people.


BIG

[Supergas990]

Even at the most basic level, I prefer the original engine. Unless you're looking to do something like a BBC or some big HP setup, stick with the 327, you'll like it a lot.

Also, SBCs are pretty straight forward, so getting your 327 rebuilt isn't a tough job if you decide to tackle it yourself.

Sounds like a gret project.

Blair

Should note that I'm pretty biased - Got the L30 combination in my 67 Chevelle

[tom406]

I think crate motors cheapen (in terms of perception) stock restorations. New small blocks, though configured basically the same, have a ton of detail differences that will make your under hood appearance change quite a bit. It should be a straightforward, cost effective build to redo a 327. If you had to dig up a date correct 327, then you might be able to have another argument, but if you've got it, use it.

[ds1]

I agree with the above statement. I do not want to see dipstick on the wrong side and center bolt valve covers. Cheapening is a very good explanation. To me when I hear crate motor my interest goes away.

[442w30]

Right or wrong, I tend to snicker when I see sellers brag that it has its &quot;original #match 283.&quot; The #match game is for cars whose pedigree carries value, but for the rest, they're ripe for an engine transplant. Go have some fun with your crate motor and then include the original engine when it's time to sell.

But a good point has been raised - a 327/275 is nothing to sneeze at, and that's probably the point where you want to pay more attention to pedigree.

[dsabbi]

i appreciate the input everyone took the time to give.... the final decision and how i move forward is not far off. winter in the northeast is a great time to start this project :-)

rhode island