Just back from the machine shop with dirty hands and a big smile. The "030" block I picked up a couple of weeks ago looks like a winner. Several points that may be of interest to others that may run across one of these "030" blocks:
Thin rib behind the water pump, but it does have the steel crank. Just gotta pull the pan and check.
Casting date 2 10 76 right on the block deck, along with a 225"R" (not an "E", that's the cast crank). Pull the head and carry along a wire brush. Numbers are on the front right corner of the block. You will want to check before you pull the block in the junkyard.
Cylinder walls checked out with ultrasonic. VERY consistant wall thickness. Basically 0.210"-0.230". WOW. Much less variation than I ever would have expected.
We're going for it. Boring 0.085" tomorrow. That will leave us with 0.1675" wall thickness (give or take). From what I understand factory "Blue Oval" 5.0's with a std bore have 0.160" walls.
Can't promise that they're all like this one, but if it's a 1976 OR older "030" block, you may want to give it a second look. Don't know if it's as good as a "BH" block, but for my project, this one looks like it's gonna do just fine
Gilly
tlg225ccr@aol.com