Hi all,

I'm planning on building a rod/dragster with a blown big block chevy engine in it, I've made some posts on here before about engins etc but no I'm pretty much set on a big block. I haven't decided what the donor car is going to be yet, basically because I'm not sure how big the engine will be!

I've done a couple of drawings of the dimensions I think I need - apologies for my atrocious paint skills! I don't need exact numbers to 1/1000th of an inch, but if someone has a block on an engine stand in the garage and could attack it with a tape measure, it would be REALLY useful! I'd go and measure one myself if I could, but american V8's are a bit thin on the ground round my way! (UK - where two litres is a "big engine" - that's less than two cylinders of a big block!)







In case the drawing doesn't make any sense:

A: Centre of flywheel to top of valve cover
B: Centre of flywheel to bottom of sump
C: Cnetre of flywheel to side of engine
D: Centre of engine to side of valve cover
E: Rear face of flywheel to centre of engine mount (I drew the arrow in the wrong place in the drawing!)
F: Total length of engine from rear of flywheel to front of water pump (I guess that will stick out the furthest?)

I know different heads, sumps, accessories etc will all make a difference to the measurements, I just need to know some rough numbers to see which of my prospective donor cars are feasible propositions.

I really would be grateful if someone could help me out on this, or maybe point me in the direction of a webpage with this info on it? Thanks very much in advance guys :cheers:

Adam

 

I have the info you need in one of my engine swap books in the garage. I'll look for it. Drop me an email in case I forget. You may want to check out the plastic models they sell. They are molded off a real motor & used for displays. Look in the ad section in Hot Rod or Car Craft.

 

I could use this info too. :yesnod:

 

If you still need them e-mail me at Juliet's address (juliet@annapolis.net) so I get it at home and I'll send them tonight. I have an old rod annual with basic envelope dimensions for a whole string of engines.

-Greg

 

i have a copy of GM prints,if you need it email and i will scan. :chevy

 

Clem, Greg, I have emailed you both. Thanks for responding!

 

Ok, here they are:

Length: waterpump pulley to bellhousing SBC: 30.5 BBC 32.5
Length: water pump pulley to back of distributor SBC: 26.5 BBC 27.0

Height: bottom of stock pan to top of valve covers: SBC20.5 BBC 23.5
Height: bottom of stock pan to top of carb: SBC 25.0 BBC 29.0

Width: across valve covers: SBC 19.5 BBC 22.0
Width: across stock exhaust manifolds: SBC 26 BBC 27

These are from the 1975 Rod Action yearbook.

-Greg

 

Which big block is this the 502 block or the 427/454 block? But hey its not so big that it cant be fitted into a C4 now is it?

 

I found the book! but GregP's reply has more info. :yesnod:

 

These dimensions are for the 454 block. I went out last night and measured up, and it appears a blown big block will fit - this is the kind of effect I'm hoping for:



And I bet you all thought I was going to put it in a corvette . . . ;)

Just gotta try and track down a 4-bolt 454 block in the UK now!

Thanks again for all your help guys :cheers:

 

Unless it's a tall-deck (truck or aftermarket) block the 396/427/454/502 dimensions are all the same.

 

Thanks fo the specs on the Big Block. Also how much is the weight diff between the Big block vs. the small block.