Author Topic: Small Block VS. Big Block  (Read 16163 times)

Offline Volvolution

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #30 on: February 13, 2007 - 07:56:12 PM »
MMMM......... hard to say. esp. w/ the 340 vs. 440 bandwagon everyone here seemed to jump on.... the best small block of all vs. probably the best (or most renown next to the hemi) big block of all....

I haven't had much expirience working on them much unfortunately, but I hate having distributors behind the air cleaner & smashed up against the firewall w/ everything you could possibly think of in the world in the way between you and it. So, big blocks win there. and, yes, the good ol' big block torque thing also....... very true. no replacement for displacement......
But, 340s are impressive for being 340 c.i. They can rev pretty high and still hold together fairly well to my knowledge, they make gobs of power, and, 340s have that small block scream with a HUGE ROAR thrown in for good measure. :scared: They are SCAR-Y.
oh....... too many cars. not enuff money... not enough time....

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Offline HemiOrange70

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #31 on: February 13, 2007 - 10:03:05 PM »
Go big or go home!!! 340's are fantastic, but you put a 440 in there and the expression on everyone's face when you tell 'em 440 is worth it
« Last Edit: February 13, 2007 - 10:04:58 PM by HemiOrange70 »

Offline chevyconvert

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #32 on: February 13, 2007 - 10:04:44 PM »
Eric
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Bay Area California

nivvy

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #33 on: February 15, 2007 - 02:58:13 PM »
Im a big block fan but smallblock are supertough......  :burnout: the have some awesome 1/4 times in naturally aspirated form!

Offline A383Cuda

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #34 on: February 16, 2007 - 10:15:02 AM »
Wow, all this and no one has tried to compare apples with apples, or in this case, oranges with tangerines. Suppose we compare a Big block and a small block that has been stroked to the same number of cubic inches. Now make your comparisons. A stroked small block is a heck of an engine. You have the cubes and you lose the weight. This also is beneficial when it comes to handling and turning. The car is balanced better instead of being front end heavy. So I now reask the original question. Assuming the cubes were the same in the two, which is better, a small block or a big block?   :stirpot:

Offline Jacksboys

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #35 on: February 16, 2007 - 10:30:28 AM »
As I stated in the other thread:

Depends on what you plan on building the car for:  drag racing or autocross?
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Offline 67Vette427

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #36 on: February 16, 2007 - 10:46:56 AM »
I'd have to stick with the facts.... 440 and better, 4 speed cars came with Dana 60's, tall gears and torque boxes for a reason. Having run many 440 and 426 cars back at the track in the 70's I wouldn't have looked at a 340 car. We all ran the big blocks with slicks. You can't really expect to run one of those cars without slicks. Slicks are like the icing on the cake and once done the big block/hemi cars leave a 340 car standing there wondering what to do. I ran a 340 car and the best I got was a mid 14. The 440-6 Cuda I had with slicks was running high 12's. My brother had a 68 Barracuda formula s and he ran it with the 340 for a while, built it up but decided to go with a built 440. The difference was about 3 seconds. 13's to the 10's.
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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #37 on: February 16, 2007 - 12:10:17 PM »
Ive seen a lot of stroked 340's running 9's !!!! you really cant say back in the day... todays parts are a lot better! I have a 500 StROkEr as well I have a lot of money in it that runs in the 11's with iron heads....

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #38 on: February 16, 2007 - 02:39:00 PM »
I still ike the design of the big block better take a 400 to 451 with alum heads you have decent weight & lots of power

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Offline Tubbed440

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #39 on: February 16, 2007 - 03:58:58 PM »
I think the big block would still win IMO.  The heads offered for the big mills have so much more potential than the ones offered for small blocks.  I mean, how many people can afford a head for a small block that flows the amount of air the big block heads flow?  I guess I see it from a cost standpoint,  seems like you could build more power with bigblock per dollar than you could the small block.  I happen to be a fan of the big iron for the same reasons that other in this thread are.  Overall design is killer.  Dizzy in the front, no water in the intake, external oil pump, deep skirt, and in stock form, some of them have smaller strokes than brand X small blocks.  There's definately something wrong with you if you don't like to hear a 383 scream it's guts out at 8,000 RPM shifts and keep coming back for more!   :burnout:
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #40 on: February 16, 2007 - 04:22:22 PM »
Mopar make a good engine small , big or even slant , I have seen small blocks in the 9s , Ritter & weber did a lightened Pro stock with a small block a few years ago that ran 7.0s, I have also seen big blocks in the 16s , either way you spend the $$ right & you will make the power

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Offline 70B@rracuda

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #41 on: February 16, 2007 - 04:50:17 PM »
CP, I was just reading through this mess and was coming to the conclusion that is what you stated last. You can't even begin to make a blanket statement theat engine "A" will beat engine "B". Spend the money in the right places and go with a good combo and you will be faster than engine "A" or "B". Different engines are better in different circumstances, race classes, budgets, etc.
So, to ask a question such as this is futile because everyone is going to throw in thier .02 . A quandry such as this deserves specifics. After all, engines don't have wheels, what about the car? How is it set up? Parts? How much is able to be spent on quality parts? At least throw out an engine combo instead of just castings.
Sidenote: In my experience, locally, the winners at the track are generally small blocks, but that probably has something to do with the budgets and personal preferance of alot of racers in the area. I couldn't begin to say one is better than the other.

Offline 67Vette427

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #42 on: February 17, 2007 - 12:57:28 AM »
lol... Lame...always one in the bunch who resorts to that.. I never saw a 340 car with tall gears, a Dana and torque boxes ( all 3 ) at least from the factory and that was my point. The 440/Hemi cars had the power that needed to have the strength of the drive train and the body built up for a reason. My latest engine below. The legend.
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Offline 67Vette427

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #43 on: February 17, 2007 - 10:10:41 AM »
Torque boxes-Dana-Tall gears is that clear enough? Do you know what a Dana is?

No small block car left the factory with all 3. It was common place with the E body 4 speed cars, 440 and above to have those. Anytime you want to put your 340 up against one of my 440's and there's no money limit or they're bone stock with slicks just let me know and I'll make sure to post the results here.

I still don't know of a small block E body car that had factory torque boxes and since this is an E body forum that's where we're at. There is a reason the 440 cars had them, BECAUSE THEY MADE MORE POWER AND TORQUE! 

If you want to go with A bodies well then a 68 HEMI Dart or Barrcuda factory race car...but once again keyword...Hemi
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Small Block VS. Big Block
« Reply #44 on: February 17, 2007 - 12:26:54 PM »
the TA & AAR did have factory torque boxes 

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