Why Did I Ever Build a Small Block?

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

A cast iron BB is just too much weight in the nose of an A/G for me to enjoy driving, Ill b sticking with SBs.

My 454 and TH400 cost me $400, and a set of springs will be under $200. I could go as far as QA1's for $400/set. A sway bar, if i decide to get carried away, will be another $200.

My Cutlass 350 has cost me well over $4000. Sure it makes almost 200hp more than the stock big block, but my Malibu as-is is almost as fun to drive, and I get to drive it 12 months out of the year.

I just can't get over how this STOCK motor compares to my BUILT 350. If i put $4000 into a 454; hell if i put $2500 into this 454 i would be ahead of the small block, with plenty money left over to beef up the suspension, tires, wheels, whatever.

If you don't want a big block, you haven't owned one.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

If you don't want a big block, you haven't owned one.

This should have been Chevrolet's slogan for the big block cars of the late 60's early 70's

 

[hurst1979olds]

If you don't want a big block, you haven't owned one.

This should have been Chevrolet's slogan for the big block cars of the late 60's early 70's

Back in the day, if it didn't have a big block then it was your mothers car" Pat Mussi

 

[565bbchevy]

I am definitely a Big Block Chevy guy and my aluminum headed 565BBC drives very well but I have also built a few iron headed big block gbodies and it definitely feels like you are lugging some weight around in the front end compared to my Monte.
My next gbody I am going to build an aluminum headed sbc just for mild performance and it will be more of a cruiser than my Monte.

 

[All Motor Boys]

I built a 406 with aluminum heads for my cutlass and is very impressed. I didnt care much for my 455 regal.

 

[maven]

I knew the ECOTEC comment would get some responses

Let me start off by sharing that Ive had my own collection of big (and small) block powered vehicles, being as Im well north of 35, growing up in a diehard GM house and being a GM tech by trade Ive been around long enough to have seen most all of GMs powertrain options from the last 50 years, either working on them riding in them or both. I have a soft spot for BBs like most of us do, but I no longer want one in my daily driver.

Being a fan of these relatively light weight cars I feel a BB spoils the ride and handling. Im well aware that you can fill the frame pockets with enough spring to hold up a Duramax and an Allison, but that doesnt mean the car is fun to drive in anything other than a straight line or tight circles Theres no denying that 700+ lbs over the front front wheels of one of these cars isnt as desirable as 475, or 325.

My daily driver Cobalt SS weighs a couple gallons of fuel shy of 3000lbs. I relentlessy beat on it and never get less than 22mpg on the steet. A full on track day, or a few runs on US129 or similar road at full tilt will see me drop down to 15mpg. On the trip home Ill get 32-35mpg. Theres no G body that can make those claims or keep up with any of these little fwd bastards with anything short of DOT R tires and full aftermarket suspension and big brake upgrades. Dropping an ECO into a plain jane Malibu would net you a car that weighed 150lbs less than an LS1 swap, and 500lbs less than a run of the mill BBC! It would need less brake, and less spring and be far more balanced and easier to drive at 10/10s

A box stock 2.0 LNF is good for an easy and bulletproof 325hp/325tq, a turbo upgrade will see you at 400+hp/360tq. Spend what you might an a crate LSx style swap and youll see 600+hp/450tq. This isnt obviously for people who care purely about the tq number, or would be embarassed to pop open their hood and expose a hair dryer fed aluminim four pot. But for those open minded people looking for a very well balanced balnced car, a solid ECO setup would suprise the hell out of A LOT of the people.

Full weight Cobalts run 11's with FWD, minimal suspension mods, and almost non existent transmission and final drive options.
Imagine what a G body, that weigh less, and has inumerable chassis, trans and final drive options could do!!!!

Also keep in mind, even I have a turbo upgraded LNF "in stock" I still chose to go ahead and put a 5.3 in my Malibu

I just think it would be a really cool setup and I hope I or someone else does it soon

 

[vanrah]

Greetings Guys; I liked the phrase "If you don't want a big block, you haven't owned one". Just in case you are too young to remember GM sold a lot of hydraulic lifter big blocks during the late 60 & early 70s. I think everyone that had one LIKED the low end torque just off idle. But for me, and I only owned one an L78 it probably had the least torque off idle of any BB. What sold me was the RPM range of that thing, 7000 off the show room floor. At the end of the evening (picked it up March 16 1968?). I put my foot in it and left it planted until the tach reached 6700 RPM in 4th gear. With a 3.55 gear & F70 tires, how fast was I going, the speed-o was rapped back to 0? Any math whizzes in the group? I do not want another BB unless it has an all aluminum block & heads with a after market chassis, out of most everyones price point. As many have said it's tough to beat a 400" SB with aluminum heads, water pump & intake. Our hobby so often comes down to dollars and availability. Mr maven including yourself their just aren't many 4 cylinder fans here including me. But I was working on one of my buddies, he has a 71 MGA (?) and of course it's a 4, to put a ECOTEC in it, he thinks I'm kidding. And Mr. 565bbchevy you have a very fine monster, how quick is it? Bob Jr.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

Can anyone tell me why are we comparing big blocks to ecotecs? I'm sure there's a J-body forum somewhere on the internet...

 

[maven]

Can anyone tell me why are we comparing big blocks to ecotecs? I'm sure there's a J-body forum somewhere on the internet...

Im sure there is, but they just as intolerant of babbling about carbs and RWD on their site as many here seem to be about me mentioning a DOHC4.

At least much of what goes on here is far more civil than what happens on other forums.