Big vs. small V8s

[Musclecarclub]

A classic arguement: Big cube V8 or high reving small block V8. What's your preference?

[-Josh-]

SB V8, mostly because that's what i grew up around, it was the 350 SB my dad was always using in his cars that got me hooked. I just dont like the BB engines

[-The Stig-]

Originally Posted by Musclecarclub

A classic arguement: Big cube V8 or high reving small block V8. What's your preference?

I love both... but why not have the best of both worlds?

427 Big Blocks have large Bore and a short stroke... makes for a pretty rev happy motor. Just balance and stroke it and you've got a high rev motor.

My friend built a 454 that can turn 9,000rpm... yeah it cost a lot build but my god does it sound pretty.

[Blue02R6]

Depends on the car mostly, but I'd rather have a nice, big, torquey motor.

[blazed on haze :\]

if i was to build a beaut streetable dragster id stick a big block in it, but if its to race around a track id choose the small block, no question about it.

[Boxchevyondubz]

For me, I'd have to go with the big block. Afterall, it's the rat trap that makes you say damn, not the mouse trap!

[galaxie500fb]

I like the big block i currently have. It`s a 390 and it moves the old galaxie along very well.

[PWMAN]

SB because you can get 454 cubes out of them! And still have a light engine, good for racing.

[426]

they are both good. it depends what you are looking for. a sb and bb for the most part can both put out big horsepower. in the quarter mile its that bb grunt....torque that will get you off the line not rpm. then agian i have seen some very fast sb. on a whole the bb is the better motor although much more expensive to keep going....just my opinion

[MrPbody]

Heavy car, big engine. Light car, big engine... Either will stomp the same car with a smaller engine. While you can get big cubes from the small block, you can't get the same level of torque production. The head design, weight of the rotating mass, and length of the connecting rod make a big engine more "user friendly".
For an all-out racing effort, there are arguments for both sides. For a street engine, it takes one helluva small block to run with a relatively stock big block.

[PWMAN]

Umm, no. You can get 600 streetable pump gas naturally aspirated HP out of a small block 427. 454's are insanely expensive to make, 427's are much cheaper and still produce a lot of power. Yes it's easier to get out of a big block, but here comes the weight advantage again. Say what you want about weight, the really fast cars are light. My Daytona runs high 12's (see my mods in sig) at only 270 WHP, all because my car weighs 3100 pounds (w/driver, a relatively heavy 4 cylinder car) VS a muscle car at 4000+ pounds that takes 400 WHP to do 12's. Lighter is better, substitution for torque is weight loss.

[BleedDodge]

Mopar 340.

[PWMAN]

Originally Posted by BleedDodge

Mopar 340.

Well yes I'm a mopar nut as well, but it's just insanely cheap to build a small block chevy. I can get 500+ HP out of a small block chevy for the same price as building a 350-400 HP small block chrysler.

[stanger42]

for what it's worth, the Shelby Cobras with the small block 289 consistently did better on the track than it's big block counterpart.

[MrPbody]

Stanger, you must be refering to road racing tracks, right? A 289 Cobra handles much better due to less nose weight. At a drag strip, the 289 wouldn't know what hit it. 500 plus horsepower versus 300. Do the math...