Small Block or Big Block?
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
If you want to put a classical BB engine in a C3...please install aluminum heads and aluminum intake manifold, if necessary. The classical BB in a C3 is a cast iron pig. In 1970, the BB's even came with cast iron intake manifolds. I've driven these C3's with the all cast iron BB engine pigs, and you can really tell it on even just street cornering. They are just too front heavy. My project car is currently slated with an all aluminum BB engine.
Stock iron BB heads weigh 80lb each. The GMPP aluminum head I have weighed 40lb each. A savings of 80lb.....
A bare 454 blocked weighed in at 265lb...... I think that bare aluminum big block weighs about 110lb.
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From: Butler Pa
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From: anchorage ak
DO MA NEU!
Last edited by bluedawg; Nov 12, 2014 at 12:39 PM.
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Alum heads intake brackets water pump radiator etc brings it way down
at the end of the day unless youre really cornering hard youll hardly notice a difference, With the added torque who cares anway
You can get similar hp with sb and bb to a point what the sb guys dont realize is the tq gain at all levels you just cant duplicate it without forced induction....which adds weight and takes power to turn. not even worth really arguing about
Figure your budget needs name your poison then spend 2x as much anyway LOL
at the end of the day unless youre really cornering hard youll hardly notice a difference, With the added torque who cares anway
You can get similar hp with sb and bb to a point what the sb guys dont realize is the tq gain at all levels you just cant duplicate it without forced induction....which adds weight and takes power to turn. not even worth really arguing about
Figure your budget needs name your poison then spend 2x as much anyway LOL
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From: anchorage ak
Alum heads intake brackets water pump radiator etc brings it way down
at the end of the day unless youre really cornering hard youll hardly notice a difference, With the added torque who cares anway
You can get similar hp with sb and bb to a point what the sb guys dont realize is the tq gain at all levels you just cant duplicate it without forced induction....which adds weight and takes power to turn. not even worth really arguing about
Figure your budget needs name your poison then spend 2x as much anyway LOL
at the end of the day unless youre really cornering hard youll hardly notice a difference, With the added torque who cares anway
You can get similar hp with sb and bb to a point what the sb guys dont realize is the tq gain at all levels you just cant duplicate it without forced induction....which adds weight and takes power to turn. not even worth really arguing about
Figure your budget needs name your poison then spend 2x as much anyway LOL
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
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600 hp as your goal to make sure its really dependable in a SBC you need at least an $1800.00 SHP dart block, aftermarket heads pretty good ones in cost , roller camshaft expense.
Anybody can make a 600 hp BBC using a 2 bolt factory 454 pickup block, old factory heads, and a flat tappet cam by using a 496 stroker crank. You can build the BBC worlds cheaper if you use your head don't get carried away on a bunch of stuff not needed. 4 bolt mains on a BBC fine if you were turning it 7600 rpm for several hours at a time the way they did when they used them in nascar.
You have to jump through hoops of money to get a SBC really reliable at that level of power. Because its a SBC trying to pretend its something else.
There's people on this forum have $12,000, $15,000 trying to get a SBC reliable when they could have done it with just old factory BBC parts.
Anybody can make a 600 hp BBC using a 2 bolt factory 454 pickup block, old factory heads, and a flat tappet cam by using a 496 stroker crank. You can build the BBC worlds cheaper if you use your head don't get carried away on a bunch of stuff not needed. 4 bolt mains on a BBC fine if you were turning it 7600 rpm for several hours at a time the way they did when they used them in nascar.
You have to jump through hoops of money to get a SBC really reliable at that level of power. Because its a SBC trying to pretend its something else.
There's people on this forum have $12,000, $15,000 trying to get a SBC reliable when they could have done it with just old factory BBC parts.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Nov 13, 2014 at 10:53 AM.
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From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
and i couldn't agree more. there are tons of aluminum heads available used that would lighten the load even more. the closer to stock a build is the more reliable it will generally be , and that much less temperamental.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: NJ
You should tell that to all the anybody's out there that have less than 600 HP (almost everyone) This sounds really easy to do.
Is this the part where you tell him that a 350hp big block is a much better motor then a 450hp small block just because its a Big Block or is this just a bit of 
Pro
Joined: May 2013
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From: Rapid City South Dakota
You should tell that to all the anybody's out there that have less than 600 HP (almost everyone) This sounds really easy to do.That is precisely what Mark Jones does, with factory iron heads.
Now that is funny!
Is this the part where you tell him that a 350hp big block is a much better motor then a 450hp small block just because its a Big Block or is this just a bit of Nobody has mentioned the inherent advantages of the big block porcupine heads over the small block heads, I'm surprised.
Pro
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From: Rapid City South Dakota
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Long Island
makes 850hp and 800'lbs torque,
I would go with a LS engine and have the best of both worlds. P.S. I really don't know what you would do with 850hp, except buy rear tires every Friday.
My 85 has 540hp with a small block, but it has 335's in the rear. It still slides and smokes them.
The sound of a big block is awesome, but drivability gives the small block the edge, my 350/350 is great. 3.36 rear stock tires. And you'r feet don't melt to the floor.
Soon to be a 5 spd.
Last edited by BLUE1972; Nov 13, 2014 at 07:49 PM.
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From: Republic of Texas
Well, for the sake of argument it depends on where the horsepower is made. My 496 makes 600 hp at 4000 rpm. If the small block is making 450 hp at 7000 rpm, it won't live very long running up that high.
Nobody has mentioned the inherent advantages of the big block porcupine heads over the small block heads, I'm surprised.
Nobody has mentioned the inherent advantages of the big block porcupine heads over the small block heads, I'm surprised.
Last edited by Corey_68; Nov 13, 2014 at 09:35 PM.
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From: anchorage ak
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From: anchorage ak
