Sorry to hear. Hope the block checks out okay.

 

Thanks Bill! That's my big concern too! It will be a big difference in the cost if I spend dollars to check the block, and then have to buy another and have it bored and the same work done again! Hoping for a clean bill of health, and no more than an align bore and hone at the worst.

 

Had a pretty good day today. Got the engine down to the short block, and the tilt frontend off and stored away. Got all the wiring marked with colors and cut, so I can solder in disconnect plugs before it goes back together, which will make it easier to assemble or remove later. Also got everything unbolted, so just need to pull the cross bolts on the mounts and out it comes.
While I had the time I also welded in a bigger box tube brace on my engine stand, as it tended to sag under the weight of a full engine last time I had the BBC on it. The extra bracing should make it ridged, even with the BBC on it. I did a little cleaning, and even made a couple modifications to the frame while I was there and had the welder out. I added a box tubing crossmember to the front spring perch area to tie the perches together also. It all looked good still, but I was in there, and it just looked like it could use another cross support, so made it up and stuck it in there.
Tomorrow my neighbor is coming over and we'll haul all my tools I've drug down to his house while building his Nova. Then he's going to help me get the engine out and on the stand, and I can finish getting it down to the bare block to see how it looks. Called my buddy Dan, and I'm going to go take a look at his 4 bolt main 350 also, so I can decide which engine will be the best to build for the Austin. It needs rebuilding, but might be a better choice if the 327 needs too much.

 

Got the 327 torn down to the bare block, and discovered what caused the bearing failure! The gear drive timing set was completely worn out, and I'm pretty sure all the metal that wore away was pumped through the system and took out the bearings. I'll be talking to a couple shops this morning to get schedules and prices to have the block work done.

 

Ouch that sucks, now you know why is was a loud gear drive

now you going to switch back to a chain or another set of gears?

 

Going back to a Cloyes double roller chain. Just got back from purchasing a complete 350 4 bolt main truck engine from a buddy. It needs a rebuild, but he let me have it for $100, and I sold the heads to Portland Engine Rebuilding for $25. PER is doing a complete rebuild on the 350 for me, and it will run $1475.
PER will do all the block work plus bore it .030", and turn the crank 10/10 and polish it. All new pistons, and all ARP bolts. Balance the assemblies, and put a Crower 280 cam in and degree it. New Cloyes timing set, new oil pump, HD gasket set, and all assembled and ready to bolt my heads, lifters, pan, etc. on it. Plus a warranty. I enjoy engine assembly, but they want to do it and I wont get a warranty if they don't do assembly.
This is just too good a deal to not start fresh, and I'll see if I can sell the rest of my 327 to someone who needs a '68-'69 Chevelle 327 to make their car correct. Might even end up even if I get the $75 I paid for the 350 back!

 

What do you want for the 327? I would be interested in it.

 

$75 for you, if you want it.

 

I just talked to the machinist that does all my grandpa stuff I couldn't afford the machine work to fix the block. ill pass the word around though that you have it for sale.

 

I just posted it on CL, and there's a guy called as soon as it posted. He's in Forest Grove and is coming over tomorrow to most likely buy it.