Don't they make aluminum BBC blocks? I bet that a mild BBC would "walk all over" a LSX with a similar budget. My uncle has a mild N/A 496 BBC that runs 9.20 in a 68' Camaro. Car weighs about 3,000 with driver

 

bbc ftw.

 

My 68 is 2115lbs race trim with me in it and a LT1, 9.6@136 with a a mild 396. With a mild 540BBC it ran 8.20s for years.

 

Thanks for the opinions guys! Keep them coming!

 

I didn't read all the replies in the thread but it depends on what you want to do. If it's a drag car, there's a lot of different ways that a BBC could go fast cheaper.

 

help, thinking about purchasing a 1955 chevy 632 bbc, previously on track, my intentions are street use only, what are some of the cons regarding 632 bbc being used for street ride? this car was built for the track, now for sale, the sound of the engine is enough to tell all this is no joke, the power is awesome, help is this just a waste of my money? 632 bbc 55 chevy = awesome, are these types of bbc prone to the block cracking?

 

If you plan on street driving it, you MAY need to lower the compression and change the cam. Find out what compression ratio the engine has. I would even check the cranking compression if you can. The current owner shouldn't have a problem with that for a serious buyer. Most recommend no higher than 10:1 on the street, but I feel that you could get by with as high as 11.5:1 as long as you stick with 93 octane gas and add some octane booster to each tank. It probably has a camshaft with very high lift and duration specs that are suited to a very high and narrow RPM range. Call your preferred cam company and give them as much information on the engine and car as you can and they will recommend a nice "tight-lash street roller" camshaft for you. I'd think something with around 250 - 260 degrees duration @ .050" lift and .630" to .675" gross valve lift ground on a 112 to 114 lobe separation angle would be about right for decent life.
Make sure the lifters are some of the newer designs that will last on the street. Comp Cams EndureX or even better - Isky Red Zone "needleless" lifters that use a bushing instead of needle bearings.
Also if it currently has a dominator 4500 series carburetor on it, I'd recommend a 4150 series 950cfm or 1000cfm double pumper such as a Holley HP950 or Quick Fuel carb. They are much more "driveable" in my experience compared to a dominator, but will still make good power. I know Quick Fuel makes a 4150 baseplate that is also drilled for the 4500 pattern so you wouldn't have to change the intake if you used a carb equipped with one.

The block should be just fine....especially since you are not going to be spraying nitrous or using it for race only any more.

 

The block should be sound, but I wouldn't even want to idle in that car I'm sure. I wouldn't use it for consistent street use if it has any time of rough cam in there.

 

It really depends how "built" it is.

If its just a rowdy HR in a pump gas street car then you may just be a couple hundred into a cam swap + gaskets and fluids.

If its a real track build with high compression, race gas, and a big solid roller then you may need a cam, HR lifters, less aggressive valve springs, and a carb...and that's a couple grand right there before any labor if you can't do it all yourself.

 

Most don't built a 632 for the street, if it is wore out then there is little left in the cylinders for a rebuilt.

 

it's hard to explain how awesome a BBC is to someone that's never driven a built one. they're just unreal.

 

If I ever decided that fighting with my Gen II SBC isn't any fun anymore, and I had a Pontiac F-day Roller that needed an engine, I'd put an aftermarket 535 cu in Aluminum Pontiac engine in my Pontiac - but that's just me.

: )

 

Great minds think alike, this is exactly what I would do

I would really like to take that concept to a 4.600 bore x 3.760 stroke for an NHRA PS style 500ci (Brodix spread port heads, tunnel ram, twin dominators, etc), lol.

To the OP, a BBC can make accidental power for cheap, but to echo some of the previous posts, I personally wouldn't want to try and shoehorn one into a 4th gen for anything other than a dedicated drag car. But, if that's the route you are going with the car, a BBC is certainly the way to go.

True story. And that's with using a 26* head, never mind a 24*, 20*, or a spread port head.

 

Im going to chime in on this. But take it for what its worth my knowledge base is very limited.

I would go with an LSX over the big block. Here is why if you get bored of the car or dont finish it more people will be inclined to buy it. Most states allow you to upgrade to the same year or new engine but not go backwards. Mean if you build a BBC for strip use only you will have a limited market to sell it if you decided to bail or get tired of it.

I also think the amount of money to make the car suitable for a BBC will be pretty expensive where as the LSX platform you dont have to have all the money up front you can slowly build it up and enjoy it.

that's my .02 cents for what its worth which probably isn't worth much.

 

Easy to get around as long as he isn't using an '02 Fbody, the L21 (454) was used from 98-01, had forged internals, roller cam, and used an LS PCM and coil-near-plug. The L29 was similar minus forged internals and was produced from 96-00.

Also, if it's a setup race car, someone out there will be willing to buy, however yes it would be a narrower market.

 

^^^ this.

 

Man, I don't know, but I would love to find out.

 

you can sell anything the difference is price point. here is the point if you put in 10k in to a bbc and get 2k back out and 10k into a lsx and get 5k back out which were you better off doing? my point wasn't that you cant sell it but rather you will recoup more of your money if you do sell it.

like I said most states that rule applies other require more then that. like its original equipped in the car. some states dont even have an inspection so it doesn't mater at all. why bring it up? again limits your ability to sell the car.

 

Well, I don't know of anyone that builds a car with the mindset of "How much can I get back out of it when I sell it?". When you build a car, you do so with the understanding that you'll never see that money again. That's why you build a car for you and what you want. Hot rods and race cars are not monetary investments, they are joy investments.

 

I dont disagree that cars are not an investment. But that doesnt mean you should blindly dump money in them. But then again I dont think many people do put thought into them or the money they dump into them. Thats why its so easy to pick up project cars on Craigslist and ebay for pennies on the dollar.