Build a 1960's Style Small Block Just Like Motor Trend's Class of '68 327

Photo Courtesy of Motor Trend

How hard would it be to build a small block Chevy using just parts that would have been available from your favorite speed shop (that’s us) in, say, 1968? Motor Trend decided to find out, so they got some vintage iron, gathered some parts, and had JGM Performance build a stout 327. You can see the build on the Motor Trend website. 

You can build your own hot, mostly period-correct small block--just follow the recipe in the Class of ’68 Chevy 327 parts list.

Short Block
The block is a 1963-vintage 327 with a .030 inch overbore and standard machine work. The bottom end features a small-journal 327 steel crank, reconditioned factory rods with ARP rod bolts, Speed Pro forged pistons, and Sealed Power bearings. The camshaft is a COMP Cams hydraulic flat tappet rated at 228° duration at 0.050-inch and .512 inches of valve lift. Other parts in this combo include COMP Cams lifters, a Fel-Pro gasket set, and a Summit Racing single-row timing set.

Oil and Valvetrain
The 327’s oiling system is nice and simple—a Moroso Street/Strip oil pan and pump pickup, a Melling high volume oil pump, and an ARP oil pump driveshaft. JGM Performance treated a pair of factory 462 double-hump iron cylinder heads to some custom porting, higher-rate COMP Cams valve springs, 1.6 ratio High Energy rocker arms, and pushrods.

Induction, Ignition and Headers
JGM used a period-correct Edelbrock Streetmaster intake manifold topped with a Holley 1850 carburetor. Our combo includes an Edelbrock Performer EPS intake with the correct manifold-mount oil filler tube. JGM gave in to modern technology by fitting a Pertronix Ignitor module in the Delco points distributor. We also included a Carter mechanical fuel pump and a set of Hedman Street Headers designed for a 1968 Camaro.

Parts to Finish
This combo includes a GMB water pump and a Pioneer harmonic balancer, plus a set of Holley M/T aluminum valve covers and a classic Holley chrome air cleaner to dress up our 327. We’ve also included an Edelbrock chrome timing cover, a Summit Racing engine bolt kit, and a Hastings adapter to convert from a canister-style oil filter to a spin-on filter. Finally, we included four cans of VHT High Temperature paint to paint those headers in a very-1960s white.

SEE THE CLASS OF ’68 CHEVY 327 PARTS LIST