Keep your eyes open for a set of 063 heads. Chambers are between 96cc and 101cc. Large Oval ports, commonly available in early big blocks i.e. 65-67. I run them on my 454 with flat tops, work great! And, will be a much better performer than the later model Vortecs

 

==================

063/215/290 heads are all basically the same type design heads with only minor diff between them being lrg oval ports heads with the smaller combustion chambers for higher compression.

They are good street pserf heads as is but with some porting & larger valves they can support some pretty stout HP/TRQ #'s esp when MARK JONES does his handywork on them.

BTW,063s were used mainly in late 68 thru 69 ,215's were earlier & 290's were mostly used in 70 to early 71.

The 063's on my 69 396 were virgin heads untill i had them lightly machined to ensure they were nice & flat for good sealing .

They came in at approx 98-99cc's on avg when the machinest checked 4 chambers per head post maching/rebuilding the heads.

Scott

 

You still have the 4 ring pistons?

 

PM sent.

 

Thanks all,
The engine was free, I started by pulling the HEI, spark plugs and the intake manifold, then attaching my Moroso oil pump priming tool that I use on the SBCs I've always run until now.
The crank turned by hand, though not super easy. I pulled the heads to check valve sizes ( 2.07 / 1.72" ) and look at the ( non-existent, as it turned out ) piston domes. Cylinder walls look good. Virtually no ring-ridge.
I found codes stamped on the pistons, but nothing like an oversize. I'll measure tomorrow.
I'm fairly certain I can't close my stock hood over this beast, even with no air cleaner.
But for the cost of a cam kit and a gasket set, I get to try my first rat.
Oh, this came with larger aftermarket pushrods, but the pushrods for cylinder 7 had been removed.
No luck so far finding single replacements. Any ideas?
I did a quick check this afternoon, it looks like the cast aluminum valve covers from a '94 454 will fit these '049 heads
Peeking through the front of the lifter valley, it looks like a double roller timing set had been fitted.
I haven't looked at the bearings yet, but I'm going to invest in cylinder honing before reassembly. Besides, easier to install the cam with no crank in there.
Are these stock rods and pistons safe for 5500 RPM? I expect they're okay for 5000, which is all I expect of the parts I've gathered, but if it cranks decent compression, I want to swap a 218/230-113 cam.
Schurkey, I'm going to answer your PM right now.
mfret1970, I'm skeptical. SWHEATON, thanks for the details.

 

I figured you were leaving the short block alone, so that's why you felt stuck with low compression. If you're taking it all the way down to the block for honing and stuff, why not get some new pistons to up the compression?

The 049's are good heads. New pistons, push rods, and a cam, and you could have one strong 427.

 

If it's a tall deck ,he'll need some .400" long rods too.

 

Domed pistons and long rods would set me back at least $600. I could go to any salvage yard and get a peanut-port 454, complete, for under $200. But it would still need cam and lifters, it still wouldn't fit under my stock hood, and it would still be under 8:1, which corrects to under 6.8:1 static.
If this 427 proves dramatically more fun than a moderate 350, and if it doesn't kill handling and braking in the canyons, then I'll have it bored 0.125" over and add a stroker crank.
At which point I would no longer be wanting the Vortec heads. But the local yards get $76 per pair for those, so they'd be worth a try on my 427.

 

You keep saying it isn't going to fit under the stock hood -what vehicle are you putting this in?

 

Do I get banned if my answer doesn't equal Chevelle?
I'm fooling around with my '84 Trans Am, for which I have a legal 305 and a quasi-legal 350. I just always wanted to try driving a big-block car, and noone has ever let me. Here's me with a car that can take it, plus a free 427 sporting some of the best heads. I gotta try it.
The offset-bulge hood is what makes my T/A better than any other third-gen F-car. I love seeing it when I'm driving the car. If you hate the view of the hood, you'll hate driving the car.
For my experiment I may have to cut a round 14" hole in a V6 hood, and that doesn't bother me, in principle.

 

If this is a tall deck (post the casting number) ,your not only going to fight the .400" height difference for your headers (wider as the ports are raised too),intake,air filter ,your also adding an additional 90#-100# over what a standard deck 427/454 block weighs.
That salvage yard 454 with your heads would be a good starting point and would likely have better fitment in that f-body.
Your going to need a cam & lifters either way you go so that's a wash on expenditure.

 

if i were you i'd run, run like ur azz was on fire to scoop up a 454 for 200 bucks. your 427 has some desirable parts. here's what i would do in your situation. buy that 454, tear it down. use the 049's from the td engine as well as the steel 3.76 crank. build yourself a REAL 427. ya might score some thumb rods in the 454 too, but if not, and on a budget...spend some cash on a set of eagle sir or scat capscrew rods, hang some hyp dome pistons to bump comp up to 9.5 and add some more cam. forget the manifolds, and spend the 525 for a set of hookers. don't even waste your time trying to swing those huge/ultra heavy pistons in that td to make power. think about it why would you put 200extra pds on the front of the car deal with all the clearance problems, and only expect the performance of a stock 350 ?

 

From post #1:

I'm not expecting much, but I expect it to at least equal a stock 350.

From post #9:

If this 427 proves dramatically more fun than a moderate 350, and if it doesn't kill handling and braking in the canyons, then I'll have it bored 0.125" over and add a stroker crank.

I think your setting yourself up for disappointment. You say your not expecting much from it, but then it seems like expect it to be much more than a stock/moderate SBC?

The 427 as you plan on setting it up with the tall deck, low compression, and small cam, is not going to be too exciting. Many would call it a tow truck engine. As you know, it is heavier than a small block, so your braking and handling will be changed, unless you've upgraded those areas already for the change to a big block.

IF you really want to delve into the BBC world, ditch the tall deck and do it right. :beers:

 

By the way sp049s, your talk of the '84 Trans Am took me down memory lane. I once had a '79 Firebird with an Oldmobile 455 engine in it. That was a fun car! I miss that one sometimes. It was nothing special, but lots of fun.

 

You make it seem like $200 454s are a big deal. I've skipped literally dozens of them, always something else I needed more, never enough cash left over after buying whatever I actually went for.
I bought one, 3.5 years ago, but after I got the heads off, then I found the block was freeze-cracked. That angered me!
If I could get $200 ( plus shipping ) for this crank, I'd happily save my new cam for a 454.
I know it's a tall deck, by how much iron there is between the water pump gaskets and the decks.

 

You make it seem like $200 454s are a big deal. I've skipped literally dozens of them, always something else I needed more, never enough cash left over after buying whatever I actually went for.

So get one of those. :yes: I think you're asking for frustration and disappointment if you build this tall deck and try to squeeze it into your Trans Am. And that 206/212 @ .050 cam is small in any BBC. IMHO

You say you came here for the BBC knowledge, but it seems you don't like what you're hearing?

 

You sure it's not a 366?
That's one reason I asked for the casting number.

 

I appreciate your patience and helpfulness, but I did note I had pulled the heads. A 3.935" bore would have been very very obvious.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you from building a budget engine with what you already have, but as others have stated you might be better off going with a standard deck block. where i am a lot of people look for the tall deck's for boat engines and will pay a decent amount for a good bare block. I'm not sure if that is the case where you live but might be worth looking in too.

 

If your still looking for the 2 pushrods, try a dealer.
The mk4 427T was still available in c-50+ series trucks up to 84 and the Gen 5 & 6 are still around which is another reason I asked for the casting number -to see which version you have.

 

Johndoe.. is your real name David Hasselhoff. uhhum... Michael Knight? People here have tried to give you solid advice, but you seem to think you have it all figured out . why are you here again ? Oh yeah, to cop an attitude and brag about your butt ugly corner carving KITT car with a 427 truck boat anchor with good 25 yr old brakes and suspension. backed with a 7.5 rear that can't hold the power of a warm 350. by all means i hope you put it together, and spend lots of time and money on it. it's obvious your trying to do it for acouple hundred bucks.

 

I don't think the engine cares what the elevation is but the carb's calibration might
I wouldnt even bother with a 206/212@.050 cam in a big block Chevy unless I was building a tow truck.The smallest cam I would ever use in a street big block Chevy of any displacement (396-454) would be the Crane 226@.050 .530 (IIRC) 108 lsa
Cam your 427 tall deck like its a 454 and you won't be disappointed.
Cam it like 350 in a tow truck and you won't be happy

 

I am actually doing a rebuild on a 427 tall deck truck block. I had the block honed .30 over to a 4.28 bore size with a 4.25 stroke, making the block a 489 stroker. Had to use 6.535" connecting rods because of the deck height. -17cc Srp dome pistons, with the deck zeroed out with a standard .039 head gasket and 110cc performer rpm heads. My engine is a little under 11:1 compression.

 

If you are building a 427 tall deck don't expect a cheap build, that engine is very desirable for any serious engine builder because of stroke combinations 4"- 4.5" and the engine can be honed as far .125. Which makes huge cubic inches, the only down fall is finding parts that will work on a tall deck, they don't make an oem dual plane intake manifold for a tall deck. You will have to buy spacers to make up the difference. Also oem tall deck distributors are more expensive than a standard deck distributor.

 

this thread has gone a little sideways -but- if you need 063 or 215 heads and can't get local, I should have more than one set of one or both. 8 hr drive (?) or frt -won't be cheap. Heads will tho , let me know if you need and I will dig around and verify

 

You can buy an aluminum intake for a tall deck,like the one from the ZZ572:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-88961161

..and it's machined to accept a standard height distributor

 

This is insane to me. Drop a physically way to big engine with heavy 4 ring pistons designed for a dump truck with zero compression even with 100cc heads and not much displacement that will make half what a good running 406 makes power wise. If youre serious about this find a friend to slap you repeatedly untill reason starts trickling back in

 

Single plane intake manifold, not a dual plane.