4-30-20 day for the 430 CanAm aluminum big block Chevy

[JoeC]

4-30-20 day 430 CanAm aluminum big block Chevy

Even to this day, the 430 BB Chevy is not very well known. I see different info on these engines but from what I can tell, Chevy made the CanAm 430 from about 1968 to 1972.

The aluminum CanAm cast iron sleeve block used a large 4.440 in. bore siamese cyls design.
In 1968 it used a short stroke 3.47 in. crank to get 430 cu. in. and about 700hp on gas.

There was some info printed that the 430 Chevy was considered as a production engine for 1970 but was cancelled along with other 1970 engine options.

In 1969, it was available as a 430 cu in and also with 427 or 454 cranks to get a 465 or 495 cu in and over 750hp.

Chevy also built a Can Am block without the cast iron sleeves and they can go over 500 cu in.

Chevy engineering used the Can Am engine for research using the same siamese cyls design on the 400 cu in small block production engine.

The Alu engine block with no cast iron sleeves design was used in the Vega engine. They used a special cast iron coated piston to control wear.

The CanAm BB Chevy engine dominated CamAm racing late 60's to early 70's beating Ferrari, Porsche, and Ford, all who had more expensive exotic engines.

The 430 CamAm engine would rev like a 302 and was about the same weight installed.

Bill Grumpy Jenkins ran a CamAm engine in his 68 Camaro match racer and used that same 68 Camaro CanAm set-up to win the first ever Pro Stock race in 1970. Bill also ran the 430 in his 69 and 70 Camaro along with other engines.

A few other drag racers used the 430 Chevy.

here is a picture of Joe Frankel who ran one in a 69 Camaro back in the day and had "430 CanAm" painted on the door