9 main 327 - to rebuild, swap, trade?
Posted by Mike On 2015/2/15 14:30:42
About 5 years ago i drove out to CA to grab a 9 main 327 and trans to bring back to Ohio. My 288 in my 1950/ultramatic was running well, but the engine bay was ratty. The rest of the car looked fantastic. I needed to rebuild the ultramatic anyways and i thought, if i yanked it all out, i could do an upgrade at the same time.
I sold the 288 to a gentleman on here (and the trans i picked up, as it turned out to be a 3 spd+OD, went to a gentleman here near Toledo.) After fuel, timing, and generator issues sorted, i put about 200-300 miles on the motor before chasing down a clacking sound, which turned out to be a number 2 rod bearing. the journal was scored, i put a new bearing in but it was still there, didn't even have time to cut up the new bearing, which lead others smarter than I to speculate that the number two really had a piston or rod issue.
In the end, i was disgusted as it was a large project (or so i thought until 2 years late i restore a truck ground up...i'll take a motor swap any weekend vs sanding forever!). I haven't touched it since except to start it and move it from the front garage to the back and then back to the front again depending what i'm working on. I have finished or sold other projects, so i'm eyeing this up to get back on the road. I kind of miss her, and with new diamond back radial WWW tires and a fresh ultramatic, it's a shame not to get on the road. I have a redi-rad ready to go in so i can listen to fm on the original radio, the interior is great and the dash and door surrounds were re-done and it just looks amazing.
Long story longer, i'm thinking it's about 4-5k total to rebuild one of these? I mean if i'm pulling it, and there's like 1500-2k in parts if you go new pistons, rods, etc and do it right, probably 1500-2k in labor to do balance, decking if needed, etc, etc. My car is a 4 door standard eight. Even with the 4bbl 327, it's not likely ever to be a 13-15k car. It doesn't make sense to put that kind of money into the car. On the other hand, for a few grand, i can have a hell of a driving packard back.
My questions for you guys are...would you rebuild it? Swap the desirable 9 main 327 for another ready to go 288?
(since the 288 was more tolerable to highway rpms correct? I'm still worried after a rebuild maybe doing 75-80 in it was too fast with the 327 and caused the bearing? I did 70-80 for 2 summers with the original 288 with no issues, everywhere i go is 15 minutes of highway from my house.)
I already did all the work to find an NOS 327 carb, correct heat shields, adapted to fit the 50 front mounts, thermostat, etc. It seems like the 327 would be a great motor for the car, especially if i chased down a 288 AT head for it, which are around. On the flip side, worried about RPMs like above after putting the money in, and i'm betting i can trade the 327 9 main for a ready to go or almost ready to go 288 in a heartbeat?
I feel like someone who's been sleeping awhile, so i thought i'd stretch and look around and see what everyone's thoughts are. I just want to get her back on the road and have her reliable again, but i don't want to take a shortcut and get bit like last time.
Attach file:
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I sold the 288 to a gentleman on here (and the trans i picked up, as it turned out to be a 3 spd+OD, went to a gentleman here near Toledo.) After fuel, timing, and generator issues sorted, i put about 200-300 miles on the motor before chasing down a clacking sound, which turned out to be a number 2 rod bearing. the journal was scored, i put a new bearing in but it was still there, didn't even have time to cut up the new bearing, which lead others smarter than I to speculate that the number two really had a piston or rod issue.
In the end, i was disgusted as it was a large project (or so i thought until 2 years late i restore a truck ground up...i'll take a motor swap any weekend vs sanding forever!). I haven't touched it since except to start it and move it from the front garage to the back and then back to the front again depending what i'm working on. I have finished or sold other projects, so i'm eyeing this up to get back on the road. I kind of miss her, and with new diamond back radial WWW tires and a fresh ultramatic, it's a shame not to get on the road. I have a redi-rad ready to go in so i can listen to fm on the original radio, the interior is great and the dash and door surrounds were re-done and it just looks amazing.
Long story longer, i'm thinking it's about 4-5k total to rebuild one of these? I mean if i'm pulling it, and there's like 1500-2k in parts if you go new pistons, rods, etc and do it right, probably 1500-2k in labor to do balance, decking if needed, etc, etc. My car is a 4 door standard eight. Even with the 4bbl 327, it's not likely ever to be a 13-15k car. It doesn't make sense to put that kind of money into the car. On the other hand, for a few grand, i can have a hell of a driving packard back.
My questions for you guys are...would you rebuild it? Swap the desirable 9 main 327 for another ready to go 288?
(since the 288 was more tolerable to highway rpms correct? I'm still worried after a rebuild maybe doing 75-80 in it was too fast with the 327 and caused the bearing? I did 70-80 for 2 summers with the original 288 with no issues, everywhere i go is 15 minutes of highway from my house.)
I already did all the work to find an NOS 327 carb, correct heat shields, adapted to fit the 50 front mounts, thermostat, etc. It seems like the 327 would be a great motor for the car, especially if i chased down a 288 AT head for it, which are around. On the flip side, worried about RPMs like above after putting the money in, and i'm betting i can trade the 327 9 main for a ready to go or almost ready to go 288 in a heartbeat?
I feel like someone who's been sleeping awhile, so i thought i'd stretch and look around and see what everyone's thoughts are. I just want to get her back on the road and have her reliable again, but i don't want to take a shortcut and get bit like last time.
Attach file:
(68.26 KB)
(44.55 KB)
(74.20 KB)
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