i have a 67 with a 283 i've been struggling between a 327 and a 396 i'm not sure whitch one to go with but i do know that 327's are hard to find. would the 396 work and what kind of tranny would i need. thanx.

what are you looking to do with the motor? if you want power then go with the big block. i've been told th350 with small blocks and th400 with big blocks. or maybe the m22 or m21. your lots of options to consider

Unless you just want to have the 396, i'd go with the 454. Almost same to build and more cubes.If you want smallblock go with either a 327,350,or 383stroker.you can build a 350 almost the same cost as a 383.

-Eric

i was going for more of the ss feel. i really didn't want to go over 396 and a 350 is too common. but thanks for the info. if you have anymore info or suggestions let me know.

My vote is for the 327cu. These motors can be built to really take some abuse and the small journal forged crank ones are very popular with racers and high performance fans.

We have a 327 built to the hilt for installation into a 1991 Camaro, it's a full race motor running an Enderle tunnel ram alcohol injection system. Hopefully getting it on the dyno the beginning of next month. Shoot for around 550hp! 8)

Remember, 327's ruled the streets before the 350 as far as small blocks go. Sure you can build big block, but a stout small block is always fun.

Either way, enjoy your elky :)

Depending on you want, but I would also say 327. Fun motor. Unless you are going to do some serious racing, a th350 will work so fine.

Id say go with the 396 and a th400 tranny theres nothing like a big block for tork and power. and when you open the hood at cruise nights every one will be impressed at the sight of a big block.

One thing to remember is that if you go big block, be prepared for a large gas bill. My last big block only got 5 to 6 miles per gallon!

A couple of thoughts. A 396 is way more expensive to build than a 454. I've been through it and the hard parts are harder to find and cost a lot more than 454 parts. On the other hand, although most guys who look won't know the difference, 454's didn't exist in '67. 454's were smog motors. A 396 sounds different to the "trained" ear becuse it is different. If you build it right, it will rev like a small block up to 7000 rpms in street trim on premium unleaded and if you put a 700R4 with 3.42's behind it, it will be a rocket(a 4L80 is really a better gear package, but costs about 3 times as much). A TH400 will do the job fine, bit with its 1st gear you probably want 3.73 rears which are going to put you at about 3500-3700 rpm at 70, depending on tire size which is at the least, annoying. I've been that route, too. In my 74, I get about 7-8 mpg in town with a 700R4 and 3.73s, but don't put it in OD before about 55 mph, but not much better on the highway. When we built it, we thought I could get 12-14 on the highway, but I haven't gone on a long enough run where I put a full tank through it at highway speeds. A well built 327 can be a real screamer, too, but I don't know about parts availability for them. Last thought-if you're going to have AC, if you "build" the motor very much, a big block will work a lot better in traffic. Tough decision, but with a 67 especially, do it right the way, whatever package you decide to use, and keep it for the rest of your life.

327 or 396? You must be trying to restore your 67 to as close to what it may have been originally or at least with the engine options that were available in 67. Both the 327 and 396 were good engines because of their short stroke. However "bgstk" is correct. It may cost you more to build a 396 vice a 454 because of parts availability. I have seen 454 bare blocks go cheaper than 396 blocks on Ebay. I recently bid on one thinking it wouldn't go very high...I was wrong, and as it turned out it didn't sell anyway because the sellers reserve price was higher than what anyone bid at the end of auction. He wanted more than what I could have gotten a complete 454 out of an mid 80s Suburban at a local boneyard ($450) I realize that your trying to make your Elky to as close to originally available (engine options) as possible, but if it didn't come with a 327 or 396 in it, then it really doesn't matter that much if you drop in a 350 or 454. If your determined to use a 327 or 396, I suggest you find a complete motor for sale, so your not searching for a crank, rods and pistons. Piston selection is limited to very few choices for a rebuild job, cylinder heads are no problem. Check Ebay, maybe you'll get lucky, you'll occasionally find a complete 327 or 396 there. But shipping would be expensive to say the least and that's if the seller even agrees to ship it at your expense. There's a lot of nice stuff on Ebay (theres also a lot of crap, so beware). I do not buy motors off Ebay unless the seller lives locally because of the cost of shipping and I don't want to get ripped off. IMO if your gonna go big (block), go big, get a 454, it will be cheaper. Find one locally (Suburban in a boneyard) and plan on rebuilding it. Or if you decide to go with a small block, 350 four bolt main blocks are also plentiful and even cheaper. Good Luck