Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific Mouse & Rat Motor Discussion & Conversions

Big Block or Small Block?

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Old Aug 5, 2007 | 08:45 PM
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Default Big Block or Small Block?

Hey guys i'm putting back together my 66' Chevelle and i have a couple motors laying around and i just can't choose. My goals are for the car to be streetable and fast. Take in mind my Daily Driver is a LS1 Camaro with a Trex Cam and 4000 stalled TH350 so that's my idea of streetable.

1.) 4-bolt 355 with ported hump backs and small cam needs rings and bearings.

2.) 4-bolt 350 vortec needs rebuilt.

3.) 2 bolt 406 that i have 4 bolt caps for, 6 inch H-beam rods no crank no pistons. but i do have Canfield Alum. 215 Heads, Victor Jr., 750 Holley.
I do have the stock crank but i'm scared of that.

4.) 69' 396 oval ports 256 runners all stock needs rebuild

5.) 4-bolt 454 needs crank and rods. Square port heads though. I have a 366 crank that i think will make it a 427?

6.) 427 tall deck block numbers 478478, steel crank with alum. rods which i hear aren't good for the street?? and 13.1 comp. needs rebuilt. Alum Heads 14011077 castings i believe.

I have rockers for the Small Blocks and Big Blocks. A couple Intakes for both.
1150 dominator carb or the 750 Holley. I have two 383 cranks this stuff just keeps building up and i need to use it. I have a four speed, TH350 and TH400.

I want to make it a nice street car that will run low 10's high nines.??
I just can't choose?
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Old Aug 5, 2007 | 08:49 PM
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And i have a big shot plate kit too.
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Old Aug 6, 2007 | 04:55 PM
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406 IMO, it is lighter, if you do a big block, you will not see traction, the torque on the big gun will not hold on the street unless you are ready to do "other" mods to the rear of the car. I love big block though.
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Old Aug 7, 2007 | 07:55 PM
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The car is on 29-10.5's M/T's right now with upper and lowers, Qa1 adj.
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Old Aug 10, 2007 | 07:51 AM
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Well, I have always stuck with the small block, and the 400 is my favorite. My first 406 used stock 5.575" rods and a .030/.030 cast 3.75" crank. It took 200 hp nitrous just fine. The second 406 that I built has splayed 4-bolt mains, a 4340 crank, 6" H-beam rods, and Isky solid roller 260° with .602" lift. I turn this motor to 7,000 rpm and spray 200 to 250 hp. The cam is a little big for the street (I am struggling with getting the carb to idle in gear). But I do drive the car quite a bit. The best track times are 7.3 @ 94 and 6.5 @ 104 in the 1/8 mile.

In your case, I would try to build an engine with the strongest short block available with your existing parts and or checkbook. Since you already have a couple great sets of heads, the top end should bolt right on. Either small or big block should get you in the 10s on nitrous without any problem. Getting into the 9s with a nitrous street car will require some more compromises - like deep gears, higher stalls, light weight, 18° heads (which I am considering).
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Old Aug 10, 2007 | 08:43 AM
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I'm old school also and we had a saying back then: small blocks for the street, big blocks for the strip...
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Old Aug 10, 2007 | 05:30 PM
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Big block done right will get you your low 10s N/A on pump gas with the right heads, solid roller and a good supporting cast. The tall deck motor may cause fit problems, especially with headers and suspension. A small block can get you into the 10s too (likely high 10s with a '66 Chevelle weight unless lightened a good bit), but costs won't be much cheaper than a big block.

My opinion: use the 454 block and go 496 stroker, edelbrock oval-port heads, single plane intake and at least 850 carb (950 HP Holley work great if you can swing the cash), 3800 stall converter and 3.73 gears.

Derek
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Old Aug 11, 2007 | 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Chevy406
Well, I have always stuck with the small block, and the 400 is my favorite. My first 406 used stock 5.575" rods and a .030/.030 cast 3.75" crank. It took 200 hp nitrous just fine. The second 406 that I built has splayed 4-bolt mains, a 4340 crank, 6" H-beam rods, and Isky solid roller 260° with .602" lift. I turn this motor to 7,000 rpm and spray 200 to 250 hp. The cam is a little big for the street (I am struggling with getting the carb to idle in gear). But I do drive the car quite a bit. The best track times are 7.3 @ 94 and 6.5 @ 104 in the 1/8 mile.

In your case, I would try to build an engine with the strongest short block available with your existing parts and or checkbook. Since you already have a couple great sets of heads, the top end should bolt right on. Either small or big block should get you in the 10s on nitrous without any problem. Getting into the 9s with a nitrous street car will require some more compromises - like deep gears, higher stalls, light weight, 18° heads (which I am considering).
What kind of car?
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Old Aug 11, 2007 | 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Villain281H
Big block done right will get you your low 10s N/A on pump gas with the right heads, solid roller and a good supporting cast. The tall deck motor may cause fit problems, especially with headers and suspension. A small block can get you into the 10s too (likely high 10s with a '66 Chevelle weight unless lightened a good bit), but costs won't be much cheaper than a big block.

My opinion: use the 454 block and go 496 stroker, edelbrock oval-port heads, single plane intake and at least 850 carb (950 HP Holley work great if you can swing the cash), 3800 stall converter and 3.73 gears.

Derek
I was thinking 496. But what's wrong with my Heads that i have and Intake and 1150 Holley? Do these heads not work? What about the intake? And its not that i don't have the money just trying to put these parts to use! It all ready has 4:11's 12bolt and a 4500 stall.
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Old Aug 11, 2007 | 09:45 PM
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Build the 454, get a stroker crank. there's no replacement for cubic displacement! Nothing like a big block in a vintage chevelle!!
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Old Aug 13, 2007 | 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by raymond mckinney
What kind of car?
Sorry - it's a '69 Nova. And after Friday night, I can upgrade the mph on nitrous to 106.9 mph in the 1/8th. I was running 235-60x15 M/T radials, so my 60' times were a little slow, but I was able to go a few rounds in a heads up radial class. I ended up running out of nitrous in the final. Time to buy that second bottle now.
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Old Aug 13, 2007 | 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by raymond mckinney
I was thinking 496. But what's wrong with my Heads that i have and Intake and 1150 Holley? Do these heads not work? What about the intake? And its not that i don't have the money just trying to put these parts to use! It all ready has 4:11's 12bolt and a 4500 stall.
Today's aftermarket heads will usually flow much better than even a well-worked GM casting head from the 60s-70s. Without looking up the aluminum casting # I'm only making an assumption based on my workings and racing experience with older GM heads versus aftermarket castings. If you want to use the dominator, go for it but it's not as easy on the street as a smaller carb IMHO. I don't have much experience with dominators but I know they can touchy.

Good luck!

Derek
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Old Aug 13, 2007 | 12:16 PM
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My vote is for the 454 as well. I would stroke it to a 489/496 as well. If you don't want to break the bank on the cylinder heads you might look at a set of the Dart Iron Eagle heads in the 308cc int runners. http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...s=false&N=+115
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Old Aug 14, 2007 | 12:38 PM
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Thanks guys I've got the 454 at the machine shop right now figuring out what the bottom end needs right now.
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Old Aug 30, 2007 | 11:36 PM
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big blocks=monster torque
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Old Aug 30, 2007 | 11:51 PM
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big block
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Old Sep 1, 2007 | 12:30 PM
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id go with a big block
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Old Sep 5, 2007 | 03:50 AM
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Big block all the way... Those heavy chevelle NEED the monster torque to get them moving, but once it starts moving, it's moving fast! And don't worry about traction being a problem, build any motor hot enough and you'll have a traction problem. Set up your suspension right, and you'll be clicking off killer 60ft times and not worrying one bit about traction.

Take that 454, stroke it and poke it, put some racerites or afr's on it, the right bumpstick, good dual plane and holley hp.. very streetable and deep into the 10s
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Old Sep 5, 2007 | 03:36 PM
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sorry, but imo a BBC is for far more than 10's if u have a built BBC and running
anything less than mid-low 9's i dont se the purpose of it.
i mean if u are going all out, with a BBC might as well go with bigger than 454
502 might as well be a starting point with killer heads, soliD roller etc.
LSX 454 FTMW
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