69Roadster

If possible you should port your heads too...
Even if you don't if you aren't in the 13s with that motor you must have forgotten to put all the spark plugs in. :D
I would guess you should be too far behind your buddy, if not faster.

bamavettes

Running 275/60's. Probally would not fit without the flares.





[Modified by bamavettes, 8:52 PM 10/3/2001]

73 LS-4

I don't think most younger hot rodders have been around big blocks, they are fairly rare around my area at least, in fact it it's pretty rare for me to see more then 3 BBC's at one local car show and I'm normally the only vette in this category. Now most of the older hot rodders know what a built big block will do, the younger ones just haven't been exposed to them. Now there are some exceptions to this as I have found out, especially with a BB vette. Some of these younger guys feel that just about any big block vette is as good as a legendary L-88 car since it's the engine that really made the BB vette legend what it is, and lump all the other BBvettes in the same category. Bence once you go RAT I don't think you'll ever look back, nothing beats the brutal explosion of power of a big block, plus they sound real cool. :D

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

Chuck Harmon

Bence,

They are probably also lifetime members of the Flat Earth Society. Build your big block and enjoy it.

Chuck

MARKUS_P

Big blocks provide raw power.
I´d personally go for a blown small block, but that has nothing to do with your decision.
The only reason I´m more partial to SB is that they weigh less.
This means better handling.
Remember, there are at least two ways to increase performance.
First one is to improve horsepower,
second is to lighten your car.
I know cars like the Lotus Esprit that have much less HP than a Vette, but will smoke it due to it´s weight advantage. (especially the old ones, Z06 may be a differnt story :yesnod:
Here in Europe there are different cars available which have around 200 HP, but accelerate to 60 mph in 5 sec......
Just my opinion :chevy

Ganey

I prefer BB. The original phrase was (as Alwyn678 said) there is no substitute for cubic inches ! If you look at the muscle cars you will see the vast majority were BB. You also have to consider HP/WEIGHT, WT distribution & aerodynamics.

Don't be concerned about what they say & we will help you show them the back of your CORVETTE !

:cool:

MassVette

What are your friends smokin'? And from what experiences do they base their "judgements" on? Tell 'em they're a bunch of fools-(which they are), who watched one too many "riceburner" movies. If they ever rode in a HP Big Block car, they'd have to change their underwear-more than once. The road-ripping torque is beyond description! You're right--they're wrong. Period.
:yesnod: :chevy :yesnod:

shawn_cake

I get a lot of jokes from the "rice-burner" crowd about an over 50 years guy in a 1980 vette. Most of them make comments about the huge cowl induction hood and the "big exhaust tips". The rice-burners crap themselves when they see the direct port injected ZZ502 (stroked to 532 cid) under the hood. They also figure out that the whole exhast system is 3.5" o.d....

Old age and brute force win EVERY TIME...
The forced indction system will be finished this winter.. MO' POWER!

mrvette

Well way I see it , the BB is great, but can't get the power to the ground, without slicks, which don't corner very well....;-)))
and of course the extra 100++ pounds on front don't help handling....no biggies for even 200 lbs, unless autocrossing....
now fuel economy is a joke, a buddy had a BB, and complained he never got over 10 mpg....of course he drove like an animal...no lie....wonder why????

but 454 ci revving 3000 rpm's on the highway is a bit steep....need overdrive, and most trannies can't handle it....

I have never even driven a BB vette, but I do wonder what happens in the rain, certainly can't sneeze....;-(((

GENE

bence13_33

All of my cruising buddies are already talking stuff about how their small block will walk my big block (once I get it built). I just sit and take it because I don't know how my big block will run...this is my first engine rebuild. I'm just waiting and biding my time, I'll let the big block do the talking for me :smash:

Tim80

The biggest problem I have against a big block is that I don't have one. :yesnod:

Merlin522

One thing I have really learned in my travels is that ANYTHING can be made to go fast. There are probably VW's out there sporting turbo 911 engines which could take most cars on the forum. A small block can certainly take a big block. Many bored stroked small blocks are for all intents & purposes big blocks. I think the distiction really gets blurred after a while. For me, the sounds of a monter block is what I really like. Nothing shakes the ground like a monster block. You build small blocks to have tons of torque. Just look at Monty's project. Can you make a small block have big block power? Yes. Can you make a big block weigh the same thing as a small block? Yes. Can you do it cheaply? No. What engine ultimately will produce the most power? Big block. Most power for the money? Probably the small block. Most power/weight/money. Definitely small block. Does power always mean you can go faster? No. That's the thing I have really learned over the past few years. Just having the most power does not mean you will be the fastest. Will your friend's 340 take a properly setup 700 cubic inch master blaster? I don't know, can a guy 6'4" take a guy 3'2" tall? In some situations the little dude could certainly win. It's all relative...

shawn_cake

build it stoutly!
then go stomp their butts into the tarmac!

:chevy