Well said Gordon

Now you got me wanting to build another car.

 

Just to be clear are we talking about building an all iron sbc into something that resembles the feel of a bbc? If that is the question then I suppose that yea, you could start at a cubic inch deficit, spend a bunch of cash on some custom go-fast goodies and wind up with some sort of stroker motor that runs quite well. My questoin is why?

Why would you want to put yourself in a position where you have to spend cash just to get the requisite bore and stroke when you could buy those cubic inches with your initial purchase? Is it possible to get the desired "big block feel" for 5k? Okay maybe you can. However, looky what I can get here for 5.3k:
http://www.vortecproperformance.com/...binations.html
Purdy cool huh?

Perhaps I'm mistaken. Possibly we're talking about comparing 50 year old bbc technology to the latest LS technology? As old as the bbc is isn't it simply amazing that we're having a conversation about which is better. The very fact that this subject isn't completely put to bed bodes quite well for the old school bbc.

So, you want to compare your new LS engine to the bbc do you? Well, I'd be a fool to imply that the LS isn't a simply awesome engine. After taking my buddy's SS Trailblazer down the 1/4 mile I can assure you I'm convinced they're quite potent. Having driven a new Grand Sport C6 only reinforces the respect I have for the LS engine. However, if we're going to compare then let's be fair.

So you think my beloved bbc is a bit on the portly side and the LS is a better engine by default because it's made from aluminum? Holster them thar pistols and stand back whilst I whoop out my all aluminum bbc. Yep, aluminum bbc block and heads oughta cut into that weight problem just a little. There we go, apples to apples.

Man, ain't fuel injection nice? Those new whiz-bang LS engines all got that fancy fuel injection that just makes them old bbcs plumb obsolete right? Nope. In an attempt to make this LS to bbc comparo apples to apples I'mma gonna fuel inject my bbc. You know, just to get rid of that old q-jet and maybe gain some throttle response and a couple of ponies. Heck, maybe I'll gain a little in the fuel economy too. One more thing, let's upgrade that ignition system to some sort system that's the equivalent of the LS system. Apples to apples, right?

Okay, one last thing. Everyone who thinks bbcs get poor fuel economy raise their hands. Mine gets about 12mpg so I can assure you it sucks. One other question. Everyone who has driven an LS powered vehicle with a turbo 350 or a turbo 400 transmission raise their hands. What? You mean to tell me none of you guys have driven an LS engine powered vehicle equipped with a tranny that will inherently cause it to poor fuel economy? Okay then, let's help out that poor tired old all aluminum (block & heads), fuel injected, properly ignited bbc that's also got some new interanals that also take advantage of today's latest technology with a nice 5 or 6 speed overdrive tranny. There now. That ought to help in the fuel economy departement not to mention how higher gears will help in the heat department.

Okay so now at the end of the day I've got a fuel inejcted, properly ignited, all aluminum bbc that's taking full advantage of today technology in every department and you've got what? Okay, okay so you're gonna bore and stroke your sbc or LS to make up for any deficit. That's fine. Oh yea, did I mention I can do the same to my bbc? Okay, okay so your gonna TURBOfy your sbc. Did I mention that in the interest of apples to apples I'm gonna TURBOfy my bbc? This is really fun cause anything you can do to upgrade the performance of your sbc or LS I can also do to my bbc cause at the end of the day it's all about fair comparisons, isn't it?

See you can talk about beating cubic inches all day long but at the end of the day you just can't. More cubes make bigger bangs and bigger bangs make you go faster. Does anyone here believe that any NASCAR driver would reject the offer of him having a 500cui engine when everyone else is running a 358? Does anyone here believe Warren Johnson would choose a 350 over a 500 cubic inch engine?

Please forgive the long post. It's labor day and raining.

 

I knew I could touch the nerves of someone.

What is it going to cost for an all aluminum BB with fuel injection with a modern drivetrain? No doubt about it the BB is a fine engine. And no there is no comparison of 40+ year old technology to newer technology. You are comparing two different beasts. The OP wanted to get the grunt feeling of a BB motor if I was reading his post correctly. It has kind of morphed into a debate on old vs new. Either motor can give you gobs of torque and a big inch SB will also give you plenty or torque. More than was ever available back in the late 60s.

 

The increased costs associated with the fuel injected bbc are obviously going to be largely associated with the aluminum block and heads. After that my guess is that the price of the go-fast goodies will start to resemble each other.

Was I the person who first started throwing around LS this and that? Start installing whiz-bang camshafats and other go fast parts on that LS and see how fast the cost goes up.

And this morphing began how/when? Yes, the OP did want to know how or if he could get the bbc feel (quite vague actually) from a sbc. I suppose the more precise question is which bbc? 396? 427? 454? Despite what some here suggest the fact is you can't make smaller cubes feel like bigger cubes much like you can't make 350 pounds feel like 454 pounds.

Smaller cubes make smaller explosions. For me it's not a matter of sbc versus bbc versus LS. The entire subject revolves around cubic inches. Like I said, you can talk all day long about how to make small cubes feel like big cubes. Talking about it and doing it are two different things.

 

The 383 in my 61 feels alot like the 427/390 in my 68. Lots of low end torque. Love the old big blocks but technology is hard to beat. My C6 Z06 is an animal. The old cars are fast. The new Z06 is violent.

 

There is nothing like a big block,except a big block.Pop the hood at a show,people start to gather and look.Fire it up every head turns to look because there is no other sound like it.Take it for a drive you will never come back.

 

And this has not been talked about yet and i will throw this in there since not many people on here run them,BUT,adding a blower especially a roots type blower on a "little" 350 small block will give you that really "big" block feel to your car,and thats a fact adding a blower is like putting a built big block in the car.
I have told people this for a while now,i built NA engines and never was i satisfied with the builds and a guy at work that races car always told me to go with a blower and i would just say yea sure and walk away.Then one year i got some extra money and decided to buy a blower setup and i have never looked back at a NA engine again.All my vehicle that i drive are supercharged,its a seat of the pants feel you will never get tired of,i guarrantee it.

 

Well I'm glad we had fun with this discussion. Maybe I should clarify my thoughts, and that's all they were. If I open my hood on my 74 Vert now, it looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor, more or less. What would it take to look the same using a SBC and have the same or close to the same torque of a BBC, something like my C2 67 427 390hp? And I think that was answered with a 383 or 406. I'm also wondering is my small block drive train as strong as a big block drive train of the same year?

 

OOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhh good luck with this then.a stroker motor that puts out and has the feel of a big block will look different then your stock engine,exhaust manifolds will be done away with,carb will be different,intake,heads and so on.

 

OK, maybe not exactly the same but nothing too dramatic, maybe headers would be the most obvious and I'm fiquring the air cleaner would cover a larger carb. And how would anybody see there were different heads? Especially if I painted the whole motor orange like the original.

 

I'm currently having a 406 (De-stroked 427 Dart) small block built for use under a blower. I did the math and for what I wanted, it was still less expensive than a similar displacement BB and weighs less.

Don't get me wrong, we all love BBs, lust even. But this motor will be fast revving (much less rotational mass) yet torquey - so I went this direction this time.

I have a 383 too, 6in rods, and I swear it doesn't feel much like a big block. Something about the 'grunt' feel a rat has. anyone know what I mean?

~robb

 

Mudbone64 for President!!!

I wouldn't know if you can make a mouse motor "feel" like a rat. But consider this. If you tried and did accomplish your dream, when you went to bed at night, back in the dark recesses of your mind you'd know it was still just a mouse motor.

Dan