Discount for Crower Rods

[Boyan B.]

I'm posting this one more time. Those who already made contact with me, I have you on the list. I am currently working with Crower Cams to make a special order of their Sportsman, small journal connecting rods. These are excellent for any 327 rebuild, but for those of you who have solid lifter 327's from 62-65, they are a must. The original rods are weak and will crack eventually. The Crower rods are a bulletproof addition to any 327 engine, regardless of the year.

The current price for Crower's sportsman, small journal, pressed fit, capscrew rod is $563 a set of 8. If I can get 10 orders, I can bring the price down to $450 a set. Crower is in San Diego and I'm in Los Angeles, so shipping to me wont be too bad. I may even be able to deliver them to the National in San Antonio. You can email me at bbrkic@msn.com or call at 818 227-9533.

Come on, order a set for that fuelie you always wanted to build.

Thanks,

Boyan Brkic

[Joe L.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Boyan-----

I don't need any since I'm not a "327 guy". However, I strongly recommend that anyone building a 327, and especially a 62-65 version, use better aftermarket rods (like the Crowers of which you speak). Even if I was building a 283, I think that I'd use these rods. The original rods "scare me"; I'd never use them if I were rebuilding an engine originally equipped with them. Even if I was rebuilding a base engine, I'd replace the rods.

The net cost is really not as much as it seems, either. It's going to cost $100-150 to have the original rods resized. So, deduct that from the price of a new set of better aftermarket rods to arrive at the NET COST of the new rods.

[Duke W.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Just to remind all, when I had my '63 340 HP rods Magnafluxed there was a VERY BAD CRACK across a bolt seat of #7. Who knows, it may have been a couple of trips to the reline away from breaking that rod and wrecking the block.

If you ever plan to rebuild a small journal SB, these rods are cheap insurance, and if you don't do the rebuild, I don't think you'll have any problem selling the rods and getting your money back being as how they are no longer an off-the-self item.

There are some other small bearing rods out there, but they are HEAVY, and will complicate and increase the cost of engine balancing.

Also, I think it was Mike Ernst who reported loosing a rod in his '57 FI last year.

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Joe - how about buying a set for The Collection - maybe two, and you can actually SELL them!

Duke

[Boyan B.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

You guys are always right on the money. I met a 62 owner with a 340 hp engine and when the machine shop tore it down a few months ago for a rebuild what did they find? Can you beleive it, one rod had the bolts in a "V" shape and not paralell. Probably crakced too, but they didnt mag it because it was bad. I'm still trying to get confirmation if he wants a set.

Boyan.

[John G.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

I lost my original block when a rod snapped in half - sitting at a stop light, engine IDLING!. The stub piece that was left on the big end of the rod swung 'round and jammed into the side of the block. The engine was locked tight and wouldn't turn over. I knew some serious damage had occurred. Upon teardown there was this big CRACK.

After magnafluxing I did reuse the original rods, plus two new rods, in a replacement block. It seemed the 'ok' thing to do at the time (1974).

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Hey everyone,
Prior to Boyan organizing this buy, I organized the same deal back in March. At first I was hesitant to spend the $450 myself, but the order came in last week, these are some sweet looking rods, fully polished beams, 12 point cap screws and just flawless in appearance. With the naked eye, it's darn near impossible to see the parting line of the main cap. At first look I thought they forgot to cut it Anyway I ended up buying two sets and I'm glad I did.

You don't need to buy the just small journal rods to get a discount either, as long as Boyan can get enough total orders, the order can be small block, big block, strokers, Fords, etc. I also picked up a set of the stroker clearanced rods for one of my motors and they are really sweet.

[Donald O.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Do you take PayPal?

[Jim D.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

What is the weght of these rods compared to the others that are readily available ie. Eagle and Scat?

[Duke W.]

Cap screws???

You must have ordered the "Stroker Sportsman" rods. The standard Sportsmans have through bolts and nuts.

The cap screw type Stroker Sportsmans offer more clearance for long stroke applications. They are probably about the same strength and durability as the standard through-bolt Sportsmans, but the catalog lists them as 10 grams lighter than the through-bolt type.

Was there a difference in price?

Either way, these rods with a a straight and crank free crank is going to be bullet proof as long as you don't ever oil starve the bearings.

Duke

[Boyan B.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Sorry, I dont take pay pal. I am just a fellow NCRS member trying to save everyone some money in the cost of their restoration. I need a set to finish an engine for myself. I still have to work out the payments, either to me or to Crower directly.

I dont know how much they weigh, but I know they are superior in construction than the Eagle or Scat rods. I beleive both of those are imports.

Boyan.

[Jack J.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Jim, I just received my rods this morning courtesy of Scott Marzahl's hard work putting together the 1st group purchase. According to the paperwork enclosed, the total weight of the rod is 599 grams.

[Jim D.]

Re: Discount for Crower Rods

Thanks Jack. The Scat rods are 645 grams so that makes them about 1.4 oz's. heavier.

[Scott Marzahl]

Crower Rod Weight

Hi guys, glad you like your new toys. These are some of the lightest weight 4340 rods readily available in this price range. They all arrived at 600 grams +/- 2 grams per box as compared to most of the rods in the market place running 650 grams +/-. Although they were advertised at a lighter weight (585 grams) these are extremely nice pieces and I'm very happy with mine. I do not recall the older Sportsman rods as being fully polished like these, so that is a plus as well as the cap screw fasteners. BTW, I heard from one member that the stock rods weighed about 570 grams.