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I was wondering if anyone has any information on a "Mystery Motor" that Chevrolet produced around 1966? I was speaking with an older gentlemen who told me of a story about a "Mystery Motor" that was a high horse-power 327 that Chevrolet introduced around 1966 but apparently made it's way into a few 1964 & 1965 Corvettes. He said he heard this somewhere and apparently confirmed it in Chevy By the Numbers book? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
that was the 427 cu in BBC that GM sneaked into NASCAR in 1963. it was the forerunner of the 396 BBC that showed up in the 1965 corvette.also called the "porcupine" engine because of the different angles the valves were placed in the head -
Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
Clem is right about the "Mystery Motor" being the 427 in the NASCAR circuit. However, your friend may have gotten the names mixed up and was thinking of the 377 small blocks that appeared occasionally. I believe there were articles in the 1964 and 1965 time frame of the Grand Sports with 377 small blocks. This would associate a high horsepower small block with Corvettes, as the NASCAR 427 did not get into Corvettes.Comment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
I believe there was a "mystery engine" powered '63 Corvette in the '63 Daytona modified race that finished second. The race was won by a Pontiac Tempest powered by a 421 Super Duty. Paul Goldsmith driving.
One was about as "stock" as the other.Comment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
Thanks Mark for the information. It definitely sounds like he might have been speaking about the 377. He is an older gentlemen who purchased a 1964 convertible Corvette quite a while back. He was told by the previous owner that it was an original numbers matching car. After learning about "matching numbers" he inspected the engine stamping pad and concluded that the engine was not the original engine. However sometime later he heard about this small block "Mystery Motor" and looked deeper into it. After reading one of the "numbers" books (I believe he said it was "Chevrolet by the Numbers" or something to that effect) he now believes his 1964 Corvette has this "Mystery Motor".
So from what you are saying, it would be possible that he does have one of these 1964 Corvettes? If so, would you have any idea what the horsepower rating of that engine would be? Also, could you tell me where I could find anything published about these engines in 1964 Corvettes?
Thanks & sorry for the lengthly response. - MattComment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
mickey thomson had a mystery motor in his 63 sting ray at daytona in 1963Comment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
Yup, yer right on Clem. Was Mickey Thompsn. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, there were two 427 Mark engined 63 Corvettes. Can't remember who had the other one, or if it ever actually made it out of the "back room" at GM. It wasn't a successful experiment.Comment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
Thanks Mark for the information. It definitely sounds like he might have been speaking about the 377. He is an older gentlemen who purchased a 1964 convertible Corvette quite a while back. He was told by the previous owner that it was an original numbers matching car. After learning about "matching numbers" he inspected the engine stamping pad and concluded that the engine was not the original engine. However sometime later he heard about this small block "Mystery Motor" and looked deeper into it. After reading one of the "numbers" books (I believe he said it was "Chevrolet by the Numbers" or something to that effect) he now believes his 1964 Corvette has this "Mystery Motor".
So from what you are saying, it would be possible that he does have one of these 1964 Corvettes? If so, would you have any idea what the horsepower rating of that engine would be? Also, could you tell me where I could find anything published about these engines in 1964 Corvettes?
Thanks & sorry for the lengthly response. - MattComment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
i was there and only saw mickeys but there may have been othersComment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
I think the 377 engines built by Chevy were well watched, and I doubt any got outside Chevy control with the exception of The Best Damn Garage in Daytona Beach. It is doubtful anyone controlled anything ending up there.
Being full race motors, he would not have liked one of them on the street.
I have a very unpopular opinion of the "Chevrolet By The Numbers" books. Essentially, they are compilations of works done elsewhere and sometimes those original works were lacking. However, they sell well and he is getting rich.
Many reading them seem to draw a lot of wrong conclusions.Comment
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Re: 1964 "Mystery Motor"?
Some Bill Thomas Cheetahs also had 377 engines. I don't know if he built them or if GM supplied them. They did run strong.
VerleComment
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