63VetteConv

I'm thinking about rebuilding my DZ 302 and dropping it back in to my 63 Vette. My dad had it in the car back in the 70s and a friend blew the engine. The car is otherwise not very original and I'm thinking about putting this motor back in the car. Thoughts and comments?

54greg

Sounds like a perfect engine to me. My 56 once had a 68 Z28 engine in it. Very rare engine that to this day I've kept because I'm looking for that 68 Z owner. That 302 is a great engine use it.

anyChevy

I had 69 Z28 in the 90s, with a (NO) but correct 302. That car was a hell of alot of fun and it went like a scolded cat !
It would be a great engine for midyear, not alot of torque, but it'll rev to 7000 no probelm, you'll love it

Kerrmudgeon

I would say it depends on what trans and gear you're running and what you use the car for on a daily basis. Those hi revving solid lifter motors don't like to slog through traffic so much.

PLUS, if you sell that original DZ motor, even the way it is, you could probably buy a more powerful, easier to live with crate motor with the proceeds. They are rare and expensive to buy.

kobi67

Back in the late 70's, I bought a 65 Coupe that had a real DZ motor in it. It was backed by a 4 speed and 4:11 rear. What a fun car to drive. That was a good combo for the motor. Screamer!

L36 rag

My '69 Z is missing it's original motor. Might be worth more to me than you. Post up a pic of the stamp. Ya never know.

DansYellow66

Playing the part of respectful opposition - you are giving up cubic inches that you will probably miss in most everyday driving. And a real DZ motor is not exactly the ideal beater motor - if I break it I haven't lost much type thing. It's probably worth something to a Z28 guy and you could then build a correct 327 or even go to a 350 or 383 motor. My 2 cents.

KM1959

That would make two people happy. I had a 68 tripower engine in my Chevelle minus the intake that I swapped for a crate 502. The corvette owner got the right engine for his car and I got an engine that is a whole lot easier to live with.

jrs 427

If I recall correctly the DZ motor is a 327 with a 283 crankshaft or some combination of these parts. With solid lifters it twists very high RPM. The only bragging rights is the block ID which as we all know is pretty easy to restamp for those with a huge ego.
As far as running one in a vette I don't see the problem. Motor mounts are the same. It's just the number stamp that seperates them. I am sure Chevrolet didn't go through a lot of trouble casting new parts for a low production engine. Also hear of a higher nickel content in the block but that isn't a huge issue for a street driven car.
*** There are no doubt 68-69 block castings decked and restamped waiting somewhere for the right time to make a killer profit. Who knows .... the car may be a fake Z its going in.

JohnZ

That's an "internet myth" - the "010/020" cast into the front bulkhead behind the timing cover has nothing to do with metallurgy - it just identifies the front bulkhead core pattern as being common to two different block castings.

63VetteConv

Reads:
19L554125 and V0207DZ

L36 rag

Not mine. May want to post it in the orphans section on CRG.
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?board=13.0
Original car may still be around.

jrs 427

Its been debated both ways. I believe in some GM racing applications there may be a difference but highly unlikely for passenger car application. Their race program certainly isn't a stock parts based assembly application.

Avispa

Engrave this on your desk; it was alleged to be on every Detroit engineer's drawing board in the 1960s:

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CUBIC INCHES

...well, not strictly true, I am getting 610 RWHP out of the 281 in my 2003 Cobra, but you didn't mention going the boost route. You get the idea, though

You will be much happier with the car with a more generously sized motor.

63VetteConv

Somebody did that for me (emccomas) and it seems as though the last Camaro VIN from the LA plant is is 9L531163. So 19L55...is either a mistake or a re-stamp (of a fictional VIN?). Very strange, especially for an engine that has been sitting in storage for at least 25 years in my dad's garage.

Here's a link to the Camaro thread if you're interested: http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=217343

emccomas

As was indicated on the Camaro forum, it would be interesting to see the engine pad with the paint removed. If you decide to do this, use a non-distructive method of removal like lacquer thinner, etc.

Don't use a steel brush, wire wheel on a drill or something like that. The idea is to be able to see the surface of the engine pad without any marks added by cleaning.

I know this seems obvious to many of us, but sometimes it is better to mention it than to assume.

From a research point of view, I would be interested in what the engine pad looks like without the paint.

Chevy V-8 engines, and particularly engine codes, have a certain "appeal" to me.

Good luck with your 63, whatever you decide to do. Keep us posted.

emccomas

I just thought of sopmething... is the 4 speed transmission that was originally mated to the DZ engine in your 63 now, or do you know where the 4 speed that came with the DZ engine in the Z/28 is?

If I recall correctly, the engine and transmission were both stamped at the vehicle assembly plant (in this case Los Angeles, actually Van Nuys, but you get the point) AT THE SAME TIME, and USING THE SAME set of characters in the gang holder. If this is correct, then the 4 speed transmission that came with this DZ engine should have the same VIN anomaly.

I used to own a 73 Corvette convertible, base motor, auto trans that had the last digit of the VIN overstamped. The first stamp had the last digit as an 8. The entire VIN was stamped again, with a 7 overstamping the 8. This happened on both the engine and the transmission. All of the characters in the VIN lined up, and all were deep into the engine block, except the 8.

63VetteConv

I don't know, actually. I only recently inherited this car and am still learning about it. Interestingly, a transmission was in storage on top of the "box" this engine block was stored in. Here's a picture I happened to capture it in (top left corner--you can see the transmission poking out underneath the Vette bumpers. The engine is in box underneath)

I didn't get much data on it but I will in two weeks when I return. I'll post more info then

sub006

You'll want to minimize vehicle weight and run a numerically-high rear axle ratio for best results.

63VetteConv

I got the part numbers off the two transmissions in my dad's garage. 3851325/3846429/3831707 Serial# 5K110230
and 3831704/3831707/3857584/P0419. The first is 64-5 Corvette and the second is '63 only. Could that be from his '63 Impala SS? I have no idea which transmission is in my '63, but the shifter is Hurst! I'll find out this weekend...