what is the weight difference between a big block and small block, all components being the same?

About 200 lbs.

holy cow. (does stroking it to 383 add any weight? (that's what I have going in my '68)

400 is a small block..350 is a small block????

Mark a 383 is a bored out .030" 350 small block with a 400 (another small block) crank. A 383 will be about 200 lbs lighter than a factory 396 which is a big block.

Another common question I used to get asked when building motors is how much weight do aluminum heads save over cast iron. Some heads are heavier/lighter than others so my rule of thumb was 75 lbs for small block and 100 lbs for big block. This is for the pair, not each.

http://www.performanceunlimited.com/documents/engineweights.html

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... so I'm saving 275 lbs. by going with 383 w/alum. heads over a regular big block without alum. heads. Not that I'll be taking it to the track or anything but thats quite a bit isn't it? now if I could lay off the beer and drop another 25 lbs... but fat chance of that happening now that it's football season's started, damn it. Thanks guys

... so I'm saving 275 lbs. by going with 383 w/alum. heads over a regular big block without alum. heads. Not that I'll be taking it to the track or anything but thats quite a bit isn't it? now if I could lay off the beer and drop another 25 lbs... but fat chance of that happening now that it's football season's started, damn it. Thanks guysTHE MORE WEIGHT YOU CAN PUT FORWARD THE UPPER BALL JOINTS THE THE BETTER THE CORNERING WILL BE!! NOT!! MARK, RUN YOU A NASTY LIL SMALL BLOCK!!.NOTHING LIKE A HEALTHY NASTY LIL SBC!!:hurray:

now if I could lay off the beer and drop another 25 lbs...

If you try this just be warned that your beer to blood ratio will be off and you may start making bad decisions like wearing suits and ties. I've seen it happen and it's not a pretty sight :beers:

THE MORE WEIGHT YOU CAN PUT FORWARD THE UPPER BALL JOINTS THE THE BETTER THE CORNERING WILL BE!! NOT!! MARK, RUN YOU A NASTY LIL SMALL BLOCK!!.NOTHING LIKE A HEALTHY NASTY LIL SBC!!:hurray:

Skip: Oh, I am. It's already built. I was just wondering how much weight I was saving by going that rout. Can't wait to see the handling difference between this car and my '69 B.B. (not to mention the TKO 600... can't wait)

Unless its a ZL1, if I remember right its only 23 lbs off the small blocks weight.

now if I could lay off the beer and drop another 25 lbs... but fat chance of that happening now that it's football season's started, damn it. Thanks guys


I switch to MGD 64 during football season. That way I can double my intake but keep caloric intake roughly the same as normal. It's very beer-like.

http://www.performanceunlimited.com/documents/engineweights.html

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By that chart, a bbc is only 109 lbs more than an sbc. You can make that up with aluminum heads, intake, starter, and water pump. Good info on the chart. :thumbsup:

That chart puts the differance at 150# which is about what I tell people.Putting aluminum heads on a smallblock will save about 30# while putting them on a bigblock saves about 75.I weighed my factory iron bare castings to my GM aluminum castings{newer edelbrock L88 replacment head} and the factory iron heads weighed 76# each and the aluminum heads weighed 34,Dart iron heads weigh about 5# more then factory iron.an iron head aluminum intake smallblock vs an aluminum head bigblock the difference is a little under 100#.