jackson

My Maytag motor had TWO cylinders (grandpa made carb from scratch and gave motor to me when I was 10) ... 2-stroke boxer. It disappeared in parents' DV.

had 5 HD ... all w/ two cylinders.

IMO ... little else can match big HD for panache ... but crocker, J.A.P., indian, vincent.

birdsmith

By asking if big-block handling is 'sub-par', what exactly is your index for "par"? The big-block era for Corvettes occurred when big-blocks were popular across the entire spectrum of American musclecars, GM saw an opportunity to sell a few more cars, so they installed big blocks in Corvettes. In a C3, however, the engine compartment is already small and has difficulty exhausting all the heat, and that big engine just compounds the problem. Weight distribution arguments aside, it is just plain heavier, so when arguing lap times its primary benefit is added power potential.

A big block Chevy is dimensionally (just like its Ford and Chrysler counterparts) LARGE and HEAVY. If I were in the market for another C3 and authenticity/originality were not a huge consideration my choice of powerplant would be an aluminum-headed 383 small-block stroker-reasonable cubic capacity, decent torque, easy, reliable 400-HP potential, and significantly lighter than an iron-headed small-block.

If you just have to have the prestige and ego boost that's associated with a giant, thundering big block, go ahead. But it's not gonna handle like an NSX...

OldCarBum

After Harley Davidson repurchased the company back from Brunswick, the quality vastly improved.
The Evolution then the current Twin Cam designs took the Company down a new path for sure.
Ive owned seven Harley’s over the years and found they are by far the best motorcycle to cruise down the highway on.
They are also the easiest to work on and customize.

jb78L-82

Bingo...Nailed it right on the head!

In today's modern world with modern aftermarket parts, the all around winner for a C3 for power, handling, and general all around "feel" for the street and road racing would be an aluminum headed 383 with about 500 Gross HP, easily achievable in today's aftermarket parts world.

If you are a most interested in straight line speed, then the BB C3 is the way to go with high 500-600 BB cubes...........

Krystal

Who knows?

there is no point to it......but if I had to guess it probably boils down to the tired old line that BIG Blocks mean bigger power.

Once absolutely TRUE.......but today?

Not so much. I'm not sure why anyone cares one way or the other but for what-ever reason you do still hear people suggest Big Blocks have a power advantage.

Given the modern builds though......today anything can be made to make BIG POWER. Seems like you're only limited by how much your willing to spend.

The Days of Displacement as the most reliable number to suggest power levels is behind us by a few decades.

Same goes for the idea of small blocks and small displacements.

Here's a good example of the ultimate "SLEEPER"........ if you find the idea of a '69 "302" badged Z/28 as strange candidate for "sleeper status"....check out the video and how a perfect DZ302 looking SBC really displaces 427 cu in and the modern internals made way more power than any SBC or BBC from back in the day.

OMF

Well here's how good small block corvettes handle.....@ about 3:25

bazza77

Batty Mantis

lol. If it was a big block it would’ve broken the spindle.

Krystal

That's probably true but nobody has to throw up their hands and call it a lost cause.

I can assure you a C3 can be made to carve corners VERY COMPETENTLY.

I have a '79 that can't make a move on the latest Corvettes, limited mostly by tires and a total lack of computer assistance, but it will run the corners far better than most cars on the road today with ease.

Today it rides on Transverse fiberglass in front and back, big *** sway bars that reduce any hint of body roll to just about nothing, Koni shocks. 17" wheels and modern summer performance rubber provide the contact and grip outdated 15" rubber never could.

The final package is shockingly effective. It all adds up to everything you're not supposed to be able to get. A better ride over rough patches of pavement and infinitely better handling than when the car was new. The only thing left to do that could really complete the transformation might be rack and pinion steering but even with the stock steering in really good working condition this car rides well and can make the turns well enough that you really can't beat it for cornering with anything less a seriously track focused late model car.

In the end it's not the ride or handling that keeps this car from measuring up vs newer cars.

It;s horrendous MPG from a holley carb fed 383 and the fact that it's a 40 year old car that even with changes made will NEVER meet the modern description of comfortable, convenient and reliable enough to be seriously described as anything but a sunny week end driver. But in terms of how t can handle the corners......don't be so quick to sell 'em short.

That basic near 50/50 weight balance the car comes with is still, even by today's standard, a pretty seriously good starting point to build on. The fact that GM built so many C3's over the long run of it's production means lots of aftermarket solutions and upgrades to anything you want to improve is available today.

Kacyc3

Krystal

NO......not really.

It's only a "train-wreck" or basically POINTLESS if you're not coming to the subject with a serious commentary.

This has turned into a "small block" vs "big block" silly fest for a few people positing.......but there are plenty of SERIOUS posts that speak to the idea of how you can improve upon what Chevy gave us regardless of what's under the hood.

Neither small block or big block C3s really measure up to modern expectation unless you're willing to break out the check book and wrenches.

Any argument over a C3 with a SBC or a BBC while wearing out dated 15" tires and 40-50 year old suspension tech ...... is not going to be much of a discussion worth having anyway. In a modern era with everything from coil-overs, transverse Fiberglass, kick *** shocks and tires that have so very much more grip than back in the 70s.......you gotta swap out old for new or you're just cruising around town in a car that would struggle in the corners vs just about any late model sports car today.

Will a museum ready all stock original 1970 LT1 powered Corvette out handle a Big Block 1970 in the same perfect showroom condition......maybe.......but who really cares? We're talking about cars so limited by their 50 year old suspension and tire tech.......it''s not worth comparing 'em anyway. Both cars would be a VERY LONG WAY from what can be today.

In truth this is no small part of why I've come to really like my '79 since I started changing so many things about the car from it's drive-train to it's suspension over the many years of ownership.
If I owned the numbers matching 1970 LT1 or a some-what rare early C3 matching #s Big Block in as good condition.......I'd likely struggle with the decision to make big changes that almost certainly would detract from the value of the car.......an emission's era C3 carries no such pedigree to worry about........or maybe I should say, "A '79 carries no such perceived obligation to be a custodian of Chevy history"

Great thing about the '74-82 C3s......... nobody cares about the originality.

Batty Mantis

This really has become pointless. Small blocks can be built to make more power. Big blocks can be built lighter. All suspensions can be modified to corner better or ride better. It all just depends on how much cash you can throw at it. All of these points stray away from the original question.

jb78L-82

I often chuckle when folks say the thread is pointless or a train wreck? As pointed out eloquently now by a few posters, sharing information about the C3's is never pointless, nor is correcting misinformation about C3's ever pointless since it helps prevent the spread of incorrect information on the web and often conveys facts that someone else can communicate down the line when topics go off the rails with incorrect information.

On this topic in the thread, there were many points that were shared and conveyed:

1. Weight distribution of the BB C3 versus the SB C3 and how it effects handling with both engines...facts!

2. Where and why the BB versus SB weight distribution is in the chassis and how that placement effects steering feel, handling, and street/road racing manners, etc

3. How the C3 chassis whether BB or SB can vastly be improved fairly easily to optimize the handling using the basic weight distribution platform.

4. Quite a few other facts that may be helpful to others as well.................

Trainwreck? Hardly, depends on what you take from the discussions......

Krystal

.......big tiime!

The post above yours suggests this is pointless.......and it could be if anyone reading or posting knows all the information concerning how to improve upon what Chevy gave you already.

It might also be pointless to the person who intends to keep their car "all original".

For anyone else (I'm betting this would include MOST owners);;;;;;;the chance to read about what people have done that works and maybe just as important, what doesn't work, is well worth the read and posted comments and questions.

Batty Mantis

I’m not saying information is pointless. I’m saying the direction this thread took from the original question is. Is handling sub-par on a big block? This question has to be answered from the perspective of a base, unmodified vehicle. Any changes throws everything out the window. If the question was “How can I get the most performance out of my C3?” then all of this information (and it is very good information) would be relevant. That answer, from my perspective, would be “Drop 20 large on a Detroit Speed suspension, swap in a supercharged LS backed by a T56, drive out to your favorite historic race, challenge the highest placing C3 to a 1 on 1, and blow his doors off while still running your A/C”.

69ttop502

There is no consistency on the variables of comparison. I will take 69427’s sub 2800 pound big block and well thought out chassis against any 3000 pound or heavier small block. Some of these road race big blocks are even lighter. I will always take less weight with a dialed in chassis/suspension set up, than more weight and better weight distribution. Then we start to argue again on how we can make a small block lighter than the big block and the discussion starts all over again. Without a fixed basis for comparison it is just whistling in the wind. Somewhere lost in there is the fact that less weight is more important than nitpicking weight distribution. Your summary is perfect Batty.

Bottom line is you can tune a suspension to compensate for weight distribution differences, but less weight will always help.