so any further progress? What motor are you guys going with?
That is an excellent plan to install a crate motor, GM and others offers a wide range of crate engines with warranty, although chances of getting one with those old style heads on it is slim. This isn't a problem though, as all the accessories will bolt up, you will have to use the short water pump style to fit the chassis.
since the warehouse end of work has been busy, i really haven't been able to work on the car much as they've been pulling me away to help with other jobs. but after doing some research, i think we're going with this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12499529/media/images
it still has the old style heads with perimeter bolt valve covers, so we can reuse the original valve covers, intake manifold, and the carb that we already had rebuilt from the 62. exhaust manifolds will also bolt right up. like
Michael Hurd says, all the other accessories will also bolt right up. the water pump we have looks worse for wear, but the short-style water pump replacements are still available so that shouldn't be a problem. even the 4-speed should bolt right up, and the block has a threaded boss built in that allows one end of the clutch linkage to bolt up. this allows us to maintain the period correct look.
technically, later large journal 327s had the exact same block casting as the 350s. the only difference was the stroke (different crank and pistons). although the one in the 1962 corvette is a small-journal version, the only notable (in our case) difference in the castings between this and the 350 is the lack of a road draft tube in the 350. since the newer style motors started using PCV instead of road draft ventilation, i will have to rig up a way to run a PCV valve with the non-PCV intake manifold and valve covers. since the old 327 has a vented oil fill cap towards the front of the manifold, i think i just need to find an area to tap towards the rear of the intake manifold (somewhere that doesn't hit a runner and goes straight to the lifter valley) and run a PCV valve between there and a vacuum port on the carb. that should give good crosswise (front to back) ventilation. the other option is to change to a sealed oil fill tube and run valve cover spacers. tap the spacer on one bank for a breather and tap the other spacer on the other bank for the PCV. in theory, as long as the breather (or in the first option, the fill cap would be the breather) and PCV are on opposite sides of the motor, it should provide enough ventilation.
the reliability, warranty, 4-bolt mains, and extra power of the new motor would be nice additions as well
