Re: What changed the rated horsepower RPM in 1953/54?

Posted by BigKev On 2009/10/21 22:56:35

Jack,

51-54 Heads are all interchangeable (as in and head will bolt to any block). Only difference really is the compression chamber. The manifolds are all interchangeable also (bolt up wise). So you could put a 4 barrel carb manifold on any of the blocks.

I actually have a 288 AT head on a '54 327 5 bearing/Solid Lifter block.

The engine number which is located on a machined pad on the block, just below the head on the drivers side of the engine towards the back will tell you exactly what motor you have, and what year it was from. It will be in a A####### format.

The first letter is the year the block is from:

M####### = 1954
L####### = 1953

The next digit is the type of motor:

2 = 288 5 Bearing Solid Lifter
3 = 327 5 bearing Solid lifter
4 = 327 5 bearing Hydraulic lifter
6 = 327 (359 in 1954) Nine Bearing Motor Hydraulic Lifter

The rest of the digits are just the sequential engine production number.

So my motor is M3#####, which is a 1954, 327 5 bearing Solid Lifter Motor.

Hope this helps.