I never have owned a BBC but i have the chance.I can get a 427 out of a 70 two ton truck is this truck engine any different than a passenger can engine?Is a 427 a good engine to start with to build power?Where is the cast # on the engine to confirm if it is a 427 or a 366?

Casting number is behind the driver side valve cover. Might be a tall deck and you will have to get a taller cowl hood to fit. Add this to your favorites: http://www.mortec.com/ here you can find your block and head numbers.

1970 427 will be a four bolt main tall deck truck block. It will have a forged steel crank (5140 alloy) balanced for four ring cast pistons with forged steel rods. The water pump and most of the front accessories will not work in a car (unless you really want to run air brakes) as it will have multiple cooling lines and an air compressor instead of the expected air conditioner. The intake and exhaust manifolds will not work in a car because the exhausts are designed for a four corner mount and central exhaust exit, with the intake having additional cooling lines that do not match a car. The heads (if not cracked) should be useable as they are oval ports with 123 cc open chambers. Cam and valve springs are going to be of little use in any street application. The oil pan will also not fit a car chassis (it has a twelve quart oil pan, and oil pump pick-up)

If the block is "good" (not cracked or with severe core shift) it can be rebuilt and bored (after first sonic checking the block) almost 0.120 inch. With a 4.5" forged arm you can get a fairly large displacement under the hood. The tall deck has issues with fitment in a Camaro body that have been discussed before (read up in the archives) especially with aftermarket raised port high performance heads. This could make a killer motor but it will not be as easy as dropping in a 454 out of a pick-up truck.

Larger Dave

Thanks for all the response.I believe i will pass on the engine.

Buy it if you can get it cheap enough for the heads, crank and rods and main caps b/c it should be a 4-bolt.

Save for reuse those parts and can the rest if you don't want to convert it over to all car stuff so you can use it's tall block later.

And Dave or anybody else, can a pic of the funky exhaust manifols be posted so I will know what they look like??

pdq67

I traded off a virgin 427TD block, been kicking myself ever since. I knew what I had but I was tired of looking at it, and wanted what he was trading...such is life. :)

If you have a place to let it lurk without it pissing you off all the time ... it is gold to some people. The TD block has greater distance between crank and cam centerline.

Wolf, I've never heard that about the crank and cam centerline - if they use the same timing set as a passenger car block, aren't the centerlines the same?

Wolf, I've never heard that about the crank and cam centerline - if they use the same timing set as a passenger car block, aren't the centerlines the same?


The 427TD truck blocks were equipped with a factory gear drive set up.

Cam has a reverse rotation because of the two gear drive system (no idler). The exhaust manifolds are like block huggers. Problem is the number one and two pipes cover or interfere with the side of the block motor mount that would be used in a car to mount it. With the heavy duty truck the motor mounted to the the chassis from the front of the block and the bell housing just like the old Tri Five shoe box Chevy's did. Pan and front accessories are designed for a straight axle so they tend to be bigger and forward mounted since clearance under the motor is not a problem. Starter motor is also unique and bolts to the bell housing and not the block.

I used to work on these with a fleet of cab over C-60 semi trucks way back in the late sixties. They were basically yard trucks used for switching trailers around to the various warehouses in a steel mill as they were next to useless on the open road. Made great mules though in the hands of someone who could tell second gear from reverse in the transmission.

Larger Dave

Wolf, I've never heard that about the crank and cam centerline - if they use the same timing set as a passenger car block, aren't the centerlines the same?

Gary
mine had geardrive, no chain.
Don't hold my feet to the fire on this number cuz it's been awhile since I saw it... but I think the cam is like .300 further from the crank than a std deck BB.

Mine was an irrigation engine. And it was as virgin as could be. The stand it was on is now one of my engine running stands. It was mounted on front by the 4 holes in the front of the block, and rear it used the bellhousing.

Would the tall deck be useful as a racing application?

Yes. They like them for strokers and supercharging too. Parts are harder to come by, I'm told.You can run longer rods and less chance of cam collision. I have never done one personally, but the guy I traded mine to had all kinda juicy plans for it. I try trading him back out of it all the time, he'll cave eventually.:)