Big block VS Small block.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
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From: Saint clair shores Michigan
Big block VS Small block.
I can't believe how many people refer to big blocks in Pontiac, Ford, Chrysler. Chevy is the only one that has big blocks and small blocks. The mouse and the rat.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 57
From: Saint clair shores Michigan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
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From: Saint clair shores Michigan
The rat and the mouse. Refer to the forum. It's posted. Just check it out. I was just making a statement. I was reading it on a Pontiac forum. Just conversation.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2015
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I assume you are talking physically, if so, Pontiac had what is referred to as a "mid block" for all bore's, larger than a SBC, but smaller than a BBC.
Ford had both and so did Chrysler depending on bore, as a side note the old 426 Hemi was slightly larger than a BBC.
Ford had both and so did Chrysler depending on bore, as a side note the old 426 Hemi was slightly larger than a BBC.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
Ford had the "Y" block engine (272, 292, 312), the FE engine block (352, 390, 406, 427, 428). While they didn't refer to them as BB and SB, they were. Ford also had the 261/289/302 smaller block engines for the Mustang and smaller vehicles in the 1960's & 1970's.
Pontiac blocks were all basically the same external configuration from 347 to the 455 engine. No SB/BB for them.
Big blocks for Chrysler were the 'wedge' engines and the 'hemi' engines.
Pontiac blocks were all basically the same external configuration from 347 to the 455 engine. No SB/BB for them.
Big blocks for Chrysler were the 'wedge' engines and the 'hemi' engines.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 57
From: Saint clair shores Michigan
I assume you are talking physically, if so, Pontiac had what is referred to as a "mid block" for all bore's, larger than a SBC, but smaller than a BBC.
Ford had both and so did Chrysler depending on bore, as a side note the old 426 Hemi was slightly larger than a BBC.
Ford had both and so did Chrysler depending on bore, as a side note the old 426 Hemi was slightly larger than a BBC.
John.
And by the way, it's really explained well on the forum somewhere.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 57
From: Saint clair shores Michigan
Ford had the "Y" block engine (272, 292, 312), the FE engine block (352, 390, 406, 427, 428). While they didn't refer to them as BB and SB, they were. Ford also had the 261/289/302 smaller block engines for the Mustang and smaller vehicles in the 1960's & 1970's.
Pontiac blocks were all basically the same external configuration from 347 to the 455 engine. No SB/BB for them.
Big blocks for Chrysler were the 'wedge' engines and the 'hemi' engines.
Pontiac blocks were all basically the same external configuration from 347 to the 455 engine. No SB/BB for them.
Big blocks for Chrysler were the 'wedge' engines and the 'hemi' engines.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
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From: SW Florida.
The bore is the only difference? So they all have the same bore spacing and deck height? And did you notice how the block extended below the crank centerline in the FE and Chrysler big blocks? The BBC is actually smaller than the others without the big square heads.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
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From: Saint clair shores Michigan
So it was Chevy that had all the big and small blocks. That's it!
Thanks
John..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
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What I'm saying is that people didn't stand around and talk about big block Ford's and Chrysler. It was Chevy talk. It's like saying a big block caddilac vs small. The 350 SB and the 400 SB were the same block. One was 3 $ 7/8s the 400 was a 4 inch bore but it wasn't BB vs SB
So it was Chevy that had all the big and small blocks. That's it!
Thanks
John..
So it was Chevy that had all the big and small blocks. That's it!
Thanks
John..
I hear people talk about small and big block fords all the time. FYI... 350 chevy = 4" bore and the 400 has a 4.125". The 283 and 307 had 3.875" bore
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
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From: Saint clair shores Michigan
Yeah you got me on the bore. Typo. But Ford people can talk about it. But it's still incorrect. It's still Chevy talk. When I rebuilt blocks, my boss would say go grab that Chevy big block or small block. He never referred to Ford's or Pontiac or Dodge that way. Nore did anyone. So when they say that. To me it's still incorrect.
thumbs!
Thanks
John.
thumbs!
Thanks
John.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,377
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From: Bedford New York
Not where I'm from. Guys talk big/small block regardless of make. In the Shelby Cobra circles, the first question asked is whether it's packing a big block or a small block.
Also around Mustangs;
http://performance.ford.com/enthusia...tang-myth.html
"Ford's first response to that powerful market demand came in 1967, when Mustang not only got bigger, but it got its first big-block as well – the venerable 390-cubic-inch "Thunderbird Special" V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a rating of 320 horses. The standard engine in the T-Bird, this same 390 workhorse engine could also be had in many Fairlanes and full-size Fords. Opting for the 390 in your Mustang cost $264, which was far cheaper than the extra $434 (over the base 200-cid inline six) that it cost for the "Hi-Po" 289 (by now called the "Cobra") small-block."
Mopars too:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_B_engine
"The Chrysler B and RB engines are a series of big-block V8 gasoline engines introduced in 1958 to replace the Chrysler FirePower (first generation Hemi) engines. The B and RB engines are often referred to as "wedge" engines because they use wedge-shaped combustion chambers; this differentiates them from ..."
Also around Mustangs;
http://performance.ford.com/enthusia...tang-myth.html
"Ford's first response to that powerful market demand came in 1967, when Mustang not only got bigger, but it got its first big-block as well – the venerable 390-cubic-inch "Thunderbird Special" V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a rating of 320 horses. The standard engine in the T-Bird, this same 390 workhorse engine could also be had in many Fairlanes and full-size Fords. Opting for the 390 in your Mustang cost $264, which was far cheaper than the extra $434 (over the base 200-cid inline six) that it cost for the "Hi-Po" 289 (by now called the "Cobra") small-block."
Mopars too:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_B_engine
"The Chrysler B and RB engines are a series of big-block V8 gasoline engines introduced in 1958 to replace the Chrysler FirePower (first generation Hemi) engines. The B and RB engines are often referred to as "wedge" engines because they use wedge-shaped combustion chambers; this differentiates them from ..."
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 57
From: Saint clair shores Michigan
I guess.that it depends on how old you are. I'm 62. And the time that I came from,no body but Chevy referd to a big block except chevy .Just a thing of pride. Go Chevy!
John.
John.
Last edited by jhopper408; Jan 3, 2018 at 10:54 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
Nope. The Ford small block and Ford big Block (FE) have always been referred to as "small" and "big" and I'm not far behind you in age.
Besides completely different architectures the FE has a bore spacing of 4.63", a deck height of 10.17" and a main journal diameter of 2.749". The small block has a bore spacing of 4.380", a deck height of 8.2" and a main journal diameter of 2.249". IT IS NOT JUST THE BORE!
FE on left, small block on right.
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Jan 4, 2018 at 07:08 AM.