This may seem silly and trivial, but I need some info on how to identify a crank without pulling off the oil pan and checking the casting numbers, or pulling the heads off and checking the stroke.
I always believed that ALL small journal cranks were round on the flywheel/flexplate mounting flange. I recently noticed that the small journal 327 we have in the garage has the "mushroom" shape on the flywheel end which I previously thought was only on the large journal cranks.
SO, my questions are:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>Are all 283 cranks round?
<LI>Are all small journal 327 cranks mushroom shaped?
<LI>Are there any external visual clues that distinguish the the 283 from the 327 small journal crank?
<LI>Did Chevrolet ever drill and tap the crank snout on the later 283 cranks?
[/list]
I do have a good reason for this, I just don't want to type it all out.

[This message has been edited by bravewink (edited 10-05-2000).]

Bravewink,

Only the old small journal 265 and 283 cranks are round. The small jounal 302 3" crank is notched. The large journal 283 crank is also notched. As is the 302 large crank.
Remember that only the 302 had the big jounal forged crank unless it was bought over the counter or possibly out of a 283 truck, but I can't verify the truck useage because I forgot when they quit making the 283.

All small jounal 327 cranks and 350 cranks are fan shaped with the 350 "fan" being more square then the roundish 327 one.

I don't know about the crank snout harmonic balancer bolt hole.

Are you wanting to "clone" an engine or just checking someones honesty??? pdq67

Okay, the story goes........
I just bought a 68 SS/RS with everything but no motor. I was going to just throw in a motor I built 12 years ago when I was in high school just to get it on the road until I have the cash to build something else. (Before you laugh too hard at this motor combo just keep in mind this was my first motor and I didn't know too much back then. I know better now.) I got the entire short block with rings, bearings, everything for $50. A cheap set of already put together 882's for $40. A four-barrel intake with quadrajet for $10. I then got a $99 cam and lifter set (288/480) and a cheap gasket set and put it together. The guy that refered me to the person I bought the motor said he thought it was a 283 because the vin stamp was DE. Enough of a background story?
Okay, continuing on.....Before I knew anything about casting numbers, I read that the DE could be a 283 or 307. I later read a book that said all the 283 cranks were round and large journal cranks were mushroom. So, I thought it was a large journal 307. I just checked the casting numbers on the block when I dug it out, and they were 3869648 with a build date of G 8 6 which translates into a 66 283 block. NOW, if the crank which is mushroom shaped, it's a 327 crank which would make it into a 307? I only wondered because if you do the math. A Flat-top 307 with 76cc heads is about 8.2 compression while a Flat-top 283 with the same heads is only 7.6. While the 8.2:1 isn't blistering, I should at least be able to drive it around. If it's a 7.6:1 283, I think I'll just look for a $100 305 or 350 for now. That's all.
I don't think Chevy made a large journal 283, Did they? Anyway, I have a small journal block. GEEZ.........that's alot of stuff.... Ask if ya have anymore questions.

All 283's are small journal. Early 327's are also, 68 and 69 327's were large journal. I just pulled a small journal 327 out of mine.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

Your engine sounds better then my first 301 before I knew anything about an engine. pdq67

PS. 265 crank, JC Whitney's/Warshouski's 1/8" over 11 to 1 283 cast pistons, a little solid Duntov cam out of a boneyard engine, wore out 327 small jounal block, little-bitty valve 265 heads hand ported by me with a big 30,000rpm Du-Mor grinder that use to scare the sh-t out of me because I used cheap hardware store stones in it.
They would explode at rpm as they wore.
My '67's stock intake and exhaust. NOTE everything was used except the pistons.

pdq67,
WOW, I'm impressed that you had the balls to try porting a set of heads on your first motor. After 12 years of building motors, I think I'm about to try to port a set of 441's that I've had for awhile. I think I've seen enough decent port jobs to have some sort of an ideal to shoot for. Although, this next engine that I put in my 68, I'm goin' AFR.

Bravewink,

Yes, I was young and stupid. Still got that old Du-more grinder and it still scares me everytime I even think about cranking it up. pdq67

I think if it has a vent "road draft" tube on the block rear, it's a small journal.
There used to be a "fin" cast on the front of the block that if it was a certian size and distance from the left head it told you if you had a 283 or 327.
The 307 came out in 68 and would be a large journal? No 307 before 68.

The "fin" is right near the oil galley plug in front of the manifold.
I can't remember how it goes now.
David

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First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
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