Howdy, Gentlemen,

Does anyone know what the lightest year forged-crank iron block was?
And the lightest weight forged crank itself?
How about rods?
Slugs?
Drool head?

Looking to build up a fresh short block for my HAMBster, and thinking of chasing parts for the lightest mix & match "stock components" "forged" iron engine I can, but don't know where else to go for the information.

Also, any idea what the (likely slight ) weight saving might be within that framework?

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Sex, drags, and rock & roll.
Dick, 225% crazy.
Hobby (cars, that is) Photos link

lightest head in my collection is a 69 drool tube

Heaviest crank is a 65.... 83 lbs

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

I agree the mid 60s to early 70s heads are lightest, and I think they should all be about the same from 63-74 (around 70 lbs dressed). 75-79 or 80 heads are heavy - 75-79 lbs. 81-up hydro heads are more like 70s lbs.

I have not weighed too many blocks, but a few. Mid 60s 3-plug blocks are maybe 5-10 lbs lighter than the late 60s-70s forged blocks. 84-up cast crank blocks are about 20-25 lbs lighter than 60s blocks.

Forged cranks from about 63-76, from what I have weighed, are about 72 lbs and are much heavier if you go before about 63 (80-88lbs?). Cast cranks from about 77-82 are also 72 lbs or so, then 83 or 84 they went to the 60 lb cast cranks.

I have just a few samples from each time period, so no iron clad numbers or averages/distributions...

Hope this helps,

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks, Lou,

Those numbers're pretty much what I thought I recalled ferreting out here & there a while back on this site. But now that I'm a bit more actively interested in the concept, my (lack of) search skills failed me in re-locating'em.

_________________
Sex, drags, and rock & roll.
Dick, 225% crazy.
Hobby (cars, that is) Photos link