well after a few weeks of telling my parents about my next project car i came home with a motor. they were pretty shocked but hey its my money. i picked up a block with heads from the local gm yard for $100...too good of a deal to pass up. ive know one of the owners since i was little, thats why i got it soo cheap. im not qiute sure what it is yet because the block number says it could be alot of things. its stamped 3970010 which could be a 327 or 350 2 or 4 bolt main. he thought it was a 4 bolt but either way its all getting redone. sorry if you read through all this im still a bit excited about the start of my next project.

 

congrats man but i would have done one thing different...since you get them so cheap and there were probally plenty more..i would have took the oil pan off real quick and checked to see if it was a 4 bolt..if not then found one that was..doesnt really matter what shape its in as long as its not cracked or previoulsy been bored all to hell.. i would make sure all the mains are good and not tore up and also check the crank and make sure the journals are not ground down from a previous bearing failure.. not trying to rain on your parade or anything..just make sure you have a good rebuildable core before you go toting it around to the machine shop or buying parts for it before you know what youve got..you dont want to buy a set of .30 over pistons then have a block that needs to go .60 and so on...just make sure everythings cool and good luck on your project..i love working on new stuff like that..i always bitch and moan when something major happens..as in blown motor..etc...because i have to tear it down and work on it..then a month later i am bored again trying to retear it down or something else because i just like to "tinker"...my mom and gf are like "what the hell are you doing now?".. sometiimes i dont really have an answer becuase all im doing is fiddelign around looking for something to do to it becuase i am totally bored..before its all over there are parts everywhere and i have started another project for no appearant reason than being bored.... good luck and happy wrenching
matt

 

i was thinking the same thing about checking it but this guy is pretty close to family to me and im sure if something was wrong with it he would get me another one.

 

That kinda sounds like a 350 4 bolt main block. I have a old busted 350 4 bolt main block back behind my shop that has the same casting numbers if I am not mistaken. But thats not a bad deal at ALL! But like said above..... I'de have it checked out NO MATTER WHAT!

Josh S.

 

i got to tear the motor apart today. i found out it is a 4 bolt main. i checked the head casting numbers which are 3973487 from 1971 - 1972 350 used on 71-72 350 LT1, 75cc chamber. the 302 thats stamped with 3970010 is also a 4 bolt main but was only made in 1969. so im pretty sure its a 350 unless someone changed the heads.

 

a damn good find for $100! I used to have a "010" block as they say in the rebuilding market, and they are good blocks

Derek