trip1230

I have what I believe to be a '66 327 SHPE but there is some confusion about that. The engine code is VI026EC and the heads are 3890462. When I look it up in my '66 MOTOR's engine manual it shows that EC code for '66 came from a Chevelle and it is an SHPE (350HP). When I look in my '68 MOTOR's manual it says the same thing. However, when I search the web it shows in a couple different sources that the EC code means AIR/Power Glide. WHICH ONE IS IT?! Obviously it's a big difference! Some have told me that they never put a 327 SHPE in a Chevelle?

The heads are double hump with no accessory holes for AIR but it does have a powerglide attached to it, which is probably common for that era.

Is there a physical way to tell without tearing into the engine?

SMALLBLOCKHERO

iTrader: (2)

no 462 heads had accessory holes.so it still could hav had A/C on it. the 462 heads are the infamous"fuelie" heads. which means they are the 2.02/1.60 valve 64 cc HP heads. does this make you motor the famous L72 350hp/327? no ...these heads could have been plucked from anywhere. and yes for sure they made L72 chevelles..albeit only a handfull were made and fewer still exist to this day. the code EC depends on what year the block definately is! if its a 66 its a 275hp air/Pg motor. if its a 65 its a 300hp SHPE motor(still not the L72 which is the best of them all except for 365hp vette FI). i have a 65 300hp 327 code HD. you need to get the casting number on the back of the block and check date codes to know for sure.

trip1230

Thanks for the reply. Did they put the HP heads on the 275HP 327's? I'm pretty sure this engine has never been apart so they are more than likely originals. I'll try to find the date stamp on the block.


Thanks!

SMALLBLOCKHERO

iTrader: (2)

no they shouldnt have. but i will not say no for certain. just because weird things come from the factory by accident. by all rights they should have the 461 casting on the 275hp version. which were 1.94 / 1.50 valve. ive restored cars that by all rights should not have existed. they were factory mistakes. options and combos that werent actually available. when the big 3 built cars back then if they were short on supply of one item they didnt shut down the line of cars rollin out the factory. they simply used what they had there to keep production up and runnin. so fights break out over the 1 owner unrestored car that has a 6000 rpm tach and his broadcast sheet says it came with a 5500rpm tach. even though the cars original..the factory messed up. restoration judges and other so called experts fight about it. thats why i never say no.

Z-Convert

You're correct about the factory going with what they had in times of need. Your stating that 462 heads had 2.02 intake valves isn't exactly correct though. Although when used in Corvette applications (and others) with solid lifter cams the heads had 2.02/1.60 valves, when they were used in all other applications (i.e., 327/275 engines with hydraulic cams) they had 1.94/1.50 valves installed. Most 462's were of the later variety.

IIRC, the difference in the 461's vs 462's was the intake runner and combustion chamber, 461's having a larger runner by 5 cc's (165 vs 160) and a smaller chamber by 4 cc's (64 vs 68), although either could've had 1.94 or 2.02 intake valve sizes depending on application. Might be a tad off though as I haven't had to remember this stuff for 30 years or so.

Vintage Iron55

275 hp 327s had 1.94 462 castings in the late '60s. These motors will turn 12 second e.t.s with the old 097 or 30/30 cam, headers, and the right gears! Those 2.02 heads don't help as much as one would think unless some good bowl work is done on the exhaust side.

I feel the older fuelie cam is actually a little nicer in those engines. PN 3736097 GM gave up a strong running mid range streer friendly motor for a measly 5 to 10 peak hp with that 30/30 cam.

Vintage Iron55

Oh, the 275 hp engine cam with a cast iron intake.

MalibuDru

Go to this site. Its www.mortec.com, its got all black and head numbers for all sbc