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Originally Posted by MagicRat
If cost is a big concern, go with a small block Chevy. They are cheapest to build. The car will not be worth as much, all other things being equal. Just use the engine mounts from a Chevy Chevelle of the same year. That car came with both a small block or a big block, depending on the option. Everything else should be straight forward.
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Whoa here! If cost is a big concern drop a freakin' VW engine in it! What you have to look at is your final goals. The 455 Buick block weighs about 125 lbs less than a BBC and only 75 lbs more than an SBC. They put out 510 ft/lbs of torque in the normal mode (read that Electra) and 360 lbs/ft in Stage 1 trim. Now, you cannot and should not build a Buick engine like a Chevy. Chevies tend to rev higher and make their power there. Buicks give low end grunt. Therefore, you don't have to use the expensive lighter weight reciprocating parts in a Buick like you would in a Chevy. Chevy PARTS are much cheaper than Buick parts, BUT with a Buick you need fewer of them.
That friend of mine that I mentioned in the previous post took a 4400 lbs Buick with a JUNK YARD ENGINE and pulled low 14's. Take 500 lbs off that for a Skylark and you're talking high 13's. This is with NO performance parts. Put another $1000 in head work and an intake and you're probably in the 12's. How much would it cost to put a SBC into the 12's in a 3900 lb car without N2O? If your goal is under 10 seconds in the quarter, you probably will want to look at Chevy, because at that power range, you'll need short block strength.
Jeff