Industrial 327

[WRMZ71]

I was wondering if anybodys ever heard of an industrial engine from Chevrolet. My old man's got a 1970 Massey Ferguson Combine that came from the factory with a 1969 small block 327. If i recall right this thing used to cruise through the field at about 6,000 RPM with no problem at all. Has anybody ever heard of anything like this? and if so what do you think one of these engines would be worth. I'm thinking about throwing 200 bucks his way for the motor and it still runs fine.

[beaterC10]

I've heard of flathead Ford industrial engines, big block Chevy and Ford engines, so an industrial SBC would make sense. Who knew Massey tractors were a source of 327s

[StingRay]

Some years ago a local board member Jesse67c10 used one with vortec heads on his truck. I think it worked great for him. The cam and heads are propably not up to any big performance but the shortblocks as I understand it are high nickle and they have steel cranks.

[1969 C/K CST]

Massey used alot of GM parts. May not hurt to take a look at some just sitting around.

[matt67350]

Valves and cam will be small.

[Chris H]

Originally Posted by WRMZ71

I was wondering if anybodys ever heard of an industrial engine from Chevrolet. My old man's got a 1970 Massey Ferguson Combine that came from the factory with a 1969 small block 327. If i recall right this thing used to cruise through the field at about 6,000 RPM with no problem at all. Has anybody ever heard of anything like this? and if so what do you think one of these engines would be worth. I'm thinking about throwing 200 bucks his way for the motor and it still runs fine.

Operational rpm on the Massey combines is governed at about 3200 rpm if I remember correctly. It just sounded like 6000, because of the 8 million chains, sprockets, gears and other devices doing 50 things at once! I spent many hours with a Massey 510 combine, a 1970? Factory Chevy 327 power. Supposedly, these do have a steel crank (never offered on automobile 327's) and 4 bolt mains. The heads are pitiful, tiny intake and exhaust valves. Slap some vortecs on and have fun!

[crazy longhorn]

68 was sposta be the last yr on the LJ 327.....me thinks there were lots of pcs left over, & the 69 yr got a few! the steel cranks WERE availble in the automotive engines, but VERY SCARCE! There is no such thing as a 4 bolt 327.....in auto stuff anyway. if you can show a 4 bolt 327 in industrial, or ag equipment, i would like to see it things tend to get different when you go industrial , or ag. Heck, I think you should pack that 327 up & send it to me.....Ill send you a 350 /4 bolt + stroker crank for a replacement to rebuild L

[Chris H]

Originally Posted by crazy longhorn

68 was sposta be the last yr on the LJ 327.....me thinks there were lots of pcs left over, & the 69 yr got a few! the steel cranks WERE availble in the automotive engines, but VERY SCARCE! There is no such thing as a 4 bolt 327.....in auto stuff anyway. if you can show a 4 bolt 327 in industrial, or ag equipment, i would like to see it things tend to get different when you go industrial , or ag. Heck, I think you should pack that 327 up & send it to me.....Ill send you a 350 /4 bolt + stroker crank for a replacement to rebuild L

I might be mistaken about the LG327 steel cranks? Maybe it was the 4 bolt 327 that I was thinking?
I have been told that this spring I will be taking the Massey apart... and this time I dont have to put it back together!! I have waited for about 10 years to see if this engine does have the mythical steel crank and 4 bolt block...
If it does, I am going to take pictures and list casting numbers, etc.
If it doesn't, I am going to hide it in the corner of the garage and pretend I never saw it before

[hoser]

I have been told by older mechanics over the years that "industrial engines" GM and others, have thicker blocks, some have high nickel, blocks, forged cranks and the better rods timing chains etc. same goes with the engines they put in motor homes and larger GVW trucks.

[crazy longhorn]

Originally Posted by hoser

I have been told by older mechanics over the years that "industrial engines" GM and others, have thicker blocks, some have high nickel, blocks, forged cranks and the better rods timing chains etc. same goes with the engines they put in motor homes and larger GVW trucks.

Shhhhhh! dont tell too many guys that, or you wont get a good deal cheap L Truely, on the high nickle blocks(10/20) on the front face of the block , under the chain cover .....I have 2 or 3, 2 bolt(350) blocks, & a 4 bolt block(all truck stuff).And while the 350 steel cranks are hard to come by, a steel crank in a LJ 327 is really rare L

[84 PUMPKIN]

Originally Posted by WRMZ71

I was wondering if anybodys ever heard of an industrial engine from Chevrolet. My old man's got a 1970 Massey Ferguson Combine that came from the factory with a 1969 small block 327. If i recall right this thing used to cruise through the field at about 6,000 RPM with no problem at all. Has anybody ever heard of anything like this? and if so what do you think one of these engines would be worth. I'm thinking about throwing 200 bucks his way for the motor and it still runs fine.

I purchased several (five or six) of these 327 "industrial" engines in the late eighties from a guy in Iowa. They came out of Massey-Ferguson combines that he was cutting up for scrap. The blocks had a high nickel content, large journal 327 steel crankshafts, and 4 bolt mains. Yes. A 327 with 4 bolt mains. I've never seen a 327 4 bolt main engine in a Chevrolet car or truck so this might have been a special order thing for Massey-Ferguson. I still have one of the engines and it's currently installed in my '34 Chevrolet 3 window coupe.

[67-72chevyman]

Chevy did put steel cranks in some car motors, my buddy fell into a heck of a good deal, he got a I think it was either a 300 or 325 horse, it was a block made somewhere between 64 and 66 cant recall, but it had a steel crank, and camel hump heads, he only paid 200 dollars.

[crazy longhorn]

Originally Posted by 67-72chevyman

Chevy did put steel cranks in some car motors, my buddy fell into a heck of a good deal, he got a I think it was either a 300 or 325 horse, it was a block made somewhere between 64 and 66 cant recall, but it had a steel crank, and camel hump heads, he only paid 200 dollars.

62-66 were all steel cranks (sj 327).....67 was a weird yr, you could have cast or forged on the cranks that yr. 68 went LJ, & most were cast cranks, but a few were steel. I have heard the 4 bolt 327 story many times , & said .......in auto stuff we didnt see em(I built a couple tho). industrial is weird stuff......try a steel crank in a 455 Olds(68-69-70) on the hypo stuff. Damn rare bird, but I had a 943 forging from a 2 brl 455(68, red block) L

[67-72chevyman]

Heres something else for you, someone I know rebuilt a early chevy V8 I'm assuming its a 265 or 283 in high school he didn't know much on it, but he said it had a steel crank. Also any of you guys know if they ever made a 400 industrial engine?

[WRMZ71]

Yep its a 510 for those of you who had said. I couldn't quite remember for sure but when you said that, it clicked right in my head. I have an older brother who tells me this thing has a steel crank in it and him and me have been chomping at the bits for the last 5 - 10 years to get our hands on this motor. Dad always said he would find a new head for it. I actually got the go ahead one time that i could have it so i started pulling radiator hoses and such and then he come out screaming "leave it alone!!" I just found a new head for that combine and then found you a 350 out of a grain truck. I still have that 350 and it came with a steel crank but it burned up when the HEI driveshaft I put in there did not match up with the oil pump shaft and after 3 days she was dead. Still kicking myself on that one. 3200 RPM probably does sound right but one time I remember looking at the tach while it was running through the field and it was saying somewheres around 6000 RPM. Dumb tach was probably broke. That thing was loud as hell as it only had some straight pipe headers for exhaust. Anybody got about 2500 bucks to spare so I can put that Holley Pro Fuel injection on this thing when i pull it out?

[passthebuck]

all I know for "extras" is that they came with steel cranks - Chris H is right. I got my steel 350 crank out of a combine...

[67sss]

what about the early 60's(1 or 2) corvette 327? didn't it come as a 4 bolt w/ steel crank? My 327 WAS a 13:1 and now is a 10:1 and believe it's a 62'. Any more info about these 327's would be great.