What exactly does 'small-block' mean?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 1
From: Heaven, for the climate; Hell, for the company
Check the Aug 18 2005 on-line issue of Motor Trend. Has pretty good article about short block history.
I understand the short block was developed partly to allow for increased power, and variety of configurations, in an engine that was literally "short" and would fit into a low-cowl car.
I understand the short block was developed partly to allow for increased power, and variety of configurations, in an engine that was literally "short" and would fit into a low-cowl car.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
From: Prescott AZ
Originally Posted by mforman42
That's why I said 'et al' after the listings; there were more. 
Also, the 348/409 were a totally different family that came from the Chevy/GMC truck line. In the day, we referred to them as the E-block, because of the shape of the block at the deck (it looked like an 'E').
I'm pretty sure the Mopar 360 was a big block, but I'd never stake my life on it. You could be right....
Also, the 348/409 were a totally different family that came from the Chevy/GMC truck line. In the day, we referred to them as the E-block, because of the shape of the block at the deck (it looked like an 'E').
I'm pretty sure the Mopar 360 was a big block, but I'd never stake my life on it. You could be right....
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Most people have no idea what small block / big block means, and people will immediately refer to any relatively large cubic inch engine as "big block" even though they have no clue about what they're saying. I point this out because when I used to buy and sell musclecars years ago, I really got tired of every clown on the planet telling me over the phone that they had a "big block", and then I'd show up and it was NOT a big block... can be very annoying.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,563
Likes: 2
From: Dallas Tx
Polaris also uses the term for their snowmobile engines. The 500 and 600 are small blocks and the 700, 800, 900 are big blocks.
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: San Ramon CA
Originally Posted by Michrider
Polaris also uses the term for their snowmobile engines. The 500 and 600 are small blocks and the 700, 800, 900 are big blocks.
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
I had no idea they made engines that large.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: Nicey Pleasant
Originally Posted by mforman42
Sorta. There was a deck height difference on some versions of the 351, but it was basically the small block. The 352 was the big block. (There was also a 332 big block.)
And don't forget 351C (Cleveland) versus 351 M(Modified) versus 351 W (Windsor).... I had 351M...
Oh, and I had a truck with a 292 "Y" block....
It seems we are going to make 'bigblock/small block' discussion clear as mud...
Last edited by self1; Aug 18, 2005 at 05:48 PM. Reason: speeeeling, again
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 502
Likes: 1
From: Fountain hills AZ
Originally Posted by 1955 BelAir
Bore spacing 
It is really a tribute to engineering that GM has made a large displacement small block from modern, lightweight materials. They have solved some significant flex and cooling issues in order to produce this engine when you consider the warrantee and legal implications of an overstressed engine system. The are essentially saying that they can build a big displacement, lightweight engine with sufficient capabilities to meet long term reliability and safety concerns. The Europeans will hate us.
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: Nicey Pleasant
Originally Posted by Michrider
Polaris also uses the term for their snowmobile engines. The 500 and 600 are small blocks and the 700, 800, 900 are big blocks.
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
Want to see a real big block. Check out this link. Over 5 million lb/ft of torque at 100 rpm.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/
Hmmm.... so with a torque plate and a little shorter driveshaft, when I cruise in to our next 'show-n-shine'....
Might be a little difficult to find speed parts....
I already have my "No substitute for cubic inches" license plate ring on order...
All I need now is forty-two Nipponese technicians to arrive...
