Over the last couple of years I’ve toyed with a few ideas on which Chevy small block I’d put in my 64 Impala.

At first I was stuck on keeping it original so I found a 283 with a 1964 casting date code. That motor still sits in the engine compartment. After that there was the LT1 conversion. The LT1 wound up in my truck. After all the work it took to mess with that I decided I didn’t want to get into that again.

Now I’m convinced I want to build a 302. Both because the combination of bore and stroke make for a “screamer” as the 302 has become to be known, and it’s a small block that you can afford to drive. I likely won’t need to establish a budget to go for a cruise in the car or for taking it to a regional car show.

So, I set out about 6 months ago to find a 327 that I could put my 283 steel crank in. I have to admit, it was no small task. I’m convinced that 327 chevy small blocks  in usable condition don’t really exist here on the east coast. There was a human factor hidden in this dilemma I didn’t consider though, and once it dawned on me, I stumbled over exactly what I was looking for.

It was right in my neighborhood. I just needed to open my eyes.

I’ve spent a lot of time on Craigslist looking for a 327 chevy small block, mostly because Craigslist is “the place to look”. In the spring there were lots of listings for327 chevy small blocks, but mostly at least a days drive away and more than you can shake a stick at if you want to have it shipped from the east coast.

I almost went for it but couldn’t wrap my brain around paying $700-800 after shipping for the ultimate in 327’s known to be the one’s to look for if casting numbers are the authority.

Let’s face it. There are few 4 bolt 327’s and I’m not likely to find one 40 years after the fact.

So how did I find it?

Simple. I decided to call some local machine shops. I called about a half dozen. Most of them said they’d have to check their stockpiles but you knew by the sound of their voice they didn’t think it was worth their time.

I knew the law of averages was on my side. If I spoke to enough of them, one of them would love to get rid of an ancient 327 Chevy small block  sitting in the pile of blocks in the corner.

I was right. The funny part was I got a call back a few days later from the one guy I spoke to who sounded the least hopeful. The issue was that the 327’s he did own were not in his possession. The guy who had them owed him for the machine work he did on them…but was dying of Cancer. It was definitely a sensitive issue. It would have been really tacky to go looking for money from a dying man.

Well…He knew the friend of the guy who had the blocks (yes there were 2) and asked him if he could bring it up with the guy.

So now I have a 327, but considering the deal I got, I’ll be building a real 327 chevy small block instead.

The block was a 1965-1966 350 HP version with a forged steel crank, rods and pistons. But check this. The crank was a 1962-1967 4577 with standard small journals and was almost good enough to just polish and use. The bore was only .030 over and had only a few racing runs on it, the line bore was perfect.

327 chevy small block

327 chevy small block steel crank

327 chevy small block rod and piston

The bore and pistons were good enough that I could put it back together if I wanted to. I’ll most likely get it refreshed however, being as anal as I am about these details.

All for $250.

I’ve been hard at work replacing the floor pans in my 64 Impala, and shot video of the whole thing. So far I’ve got 2 hours of floor pan replacement shots that catch plenty of detail on how to get the job done.

I spent a fair amount of time capturing the details on how I dealt with most of the challenges. Some of them I expected to run into and some I didn’t . I’m not going to spill the beans just yet. When I’m done with the post production stuff, I’ll put some small segments on the website but I’m reserving the big stuff for a DVD I’ll be soming out with in the fall.

I put a lot of thought into trying to make sure I didn’t use tools in the process of doing the floor pan replacement that would be a great cost to the average person. After all, the idea here is to demonstrate how anyone can do a good job without a lot of expensive tools and equipment. This meant that I took more time getting the floor pan replacement done since I resisted the urge to pull out the air tools and the torches.

I also made use of a few techniques I picked up from some of the metal shaping video DVD’s as well. It’s nothing difficult, and I explain what I’m doing as I work the metal.

Here’s a snippet that’ll play in Windows Media Player.

Stay tuned this fall.

In the mean time, if you’re planning on doing a floor pan replacement yourself, you can check out the Metal Shaping DVD’s by clicking on one of the Fournier Tools banners or the Smartflix DVD rental page on the main Impala Project website. You’ll pickup some useful skills.

Click Here!

I’m no expert. What you’ll see in the upcoming floor pan replacement DVD when it’s done will show you what I did on my first try after watching the Metal Shaping DVD’s.

Carl

Spring is here and so is spring cleaning. Part of spring cleaning is getting to those piles of junk in the basement or the garage, and along with that comes the great deals you’ll find on Craigslist when people decide to unload that box of 64 Impala parts they’ve been hangin onto.

This past Monday I found the mother load of new chevy restoration parts on Craiglist.

A guy in Richmond Virginia was selling a huge list of new chevy restoration parts left over from a 64 impala restoration project they sold the year before.

I live in Baltimore. You’d think I spent hours on Craigslist but I really don’t. I spend about an hour a week.

If you want to know how I can search Craigslist across the entire country and not spend all week doing it sign up for the Impala Project Newsletter on the left. You’ll get a free Ebook as well.

So back to the list of Chevy restoration parts. Here’s a snippet of the craigslist ad with the prices he was asking:

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• Front parking light lens, GM restoration parts. $30.00
• Cross flags emblem (Pair) Genuine GM in box. 25.00
• Door handle and gas tank crome trim. Not sure if new or used but VERY nice. 25.00
• Horn ring button. GM restoration part 30.00
• 1/4 panel “Impala” letters. reproduction. 35.00 (both sides)
• 1/4 panel “Impala” letters. Original GM 60.00 (both sides)
• Rubber bumper set (doors, hood, glove box etc. reproduction 20.00
• Quarter window rubber vertical seal. 35.00 for pair
• New seat belts (front) lt blue with hardware 40.00 for pair
• complete set of moulding clips for SS restoration parts. 75.00
• Rear body seal 15.00
• Door weather strip and moulded end (hardtop and Conv.) 45.00
• V-jam Rubber seals 25.00 pair
• Roof rail weather strip for hard top (Fits 63-64 Chevy, Olds, Pontiac and Buick) 75.00
• 63-64 Impala, Chevelle, Nova side view “Bowtie” mirror. Have a Pair 35.00 ea.
• 63-64 Lower Steering Column seal 12.00
• 64 Impala lock set. Ign. door, trunk console and glove box. 45.00
• Console shift indicator bezel for powerglide. 20.00
• turn signal lever 10.00
• Windshield washer bottle and bracket 30.00
• License Panel clips 15.00
• “SS” badges 50.00 for pair new reproduction.
• 64 Impala tissue dispenser (complete with mounting braket) 75.00
• “Impala SS” trunk emblem GM restoration part 55.00
• 61-64 chevy assemble manual 30.00

ALL items are listed as OR BEST OFFER, If you want it and price is not right I will MAKE it right. Will all Accept Fair offer for everything.
Owner would rather have cash in hand than parts in box for car she does not own!!!!!!
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If you feel like doing the math it adds up to roughly $880, and these prices are less than the full retail prices. Check `em out if you want to. They quickly add up to well over $1000 at full retail price.

He was asking only $500 for the whole thing!!

chevy restoration parts

chevy restoration parts 2

chevy restoration parts 3

I’m no dummy. I wasn’t about to wait for this deal to disappear. I left right from work the next day and headed straight to Richmond.

It was a good deal. I got them for less than half price.

There’s plenty of deals on chevy restoration parts out there on Craigslist right now. If you’re in the market you just have to find them but they’re only a good deal if you don’t have to spend hours looking.

Sign up for the newsletter series and find out how I did it.