I am thinkin' of building another engine, but with all the choices available it's hard to make a decision and stick with it.

I have already built a mild 355(425hp) and also a 535hp 388ci, I've also messed around with NOS and have liked the results...I guess my question is this:

If you had $5000 to build an engine, what would you build for max power? A small block or big block. What would the combo be and the estimated hp/tq or even 1/4 times(3500 pound w/driver,4.11,M20 4-spd.) Thanks for the input!!

There's an old saying. The only thing better than cubic inches is cubic dollars.

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'69 RS Camaro
355 5-speed 4.11

Well, what car are you aiming to put this in anyway? Personally, if a small block was already there, build another sbc. If you are going to fill to void a big block leaves, then build a big block. I will say, however, that for $5000, you will be able to build a better and more potent small block (350/383/400-406) than a big block with the same money put into it.

Ditto BreathWeapon. You can build a good reliable street big block for $5,000 if you don't have any extra parts lying around to do it with. You could build a pretty strong 406 small block for the track for the same money.
Horsepower and 1/4 mile times would be relative to how you built it.

if your going from a s/b to a b/b then there will be added costs of the conversion,it gets pricy real fast too!

I would never again build a small block after being in the bigblock camp! I had a high winding 327 that was really cool but there is NOTHING line the rumble and bottom end torque of a big block...NOTHING. You can have one hell of a bigblock for 5k. LIKE a 600 hp big block without radical bottom end work. The canted valve angles, the stout bottom end I could go on and on.. I dont want to offend the smallblock crowd But I was a diehard smallblock fan till I plucked a 120,000 mile BB with a bad cam out of a suburban and dropped it in my chevelle and ran 13 second 1/4 miles!!!!! before I did any internal work. Torque rules and the BB is torque king. Again My opinion others will disagree but they cant change my mind. I have been on both sides. either way have fun,

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67 prostreet BB Camaro
80 z28 Camaro 355ci
71 BB SS Chevelle (clone)
2002 35th anniv SS Z28 conv.

How about a 377 small block (400 block with 350 crank). You could solid cam it and give it some serious compression so it would rev to 7000+ RPM.

Or, this might be out of your price range, but with an aftermarket 9.325" deck Dart block, you could build a small block 427 with a 4" crank and 6" rods. You use 400 pistons with a 1.120" compression height and shave a couple thou's off the block to get a zero deck height. With the right cam and heads your talking about 525 HP and 525 ftlbs all under 6000 R's on pump gas with a decent rod/stroke ratio of 1.50:1. Just an idea I've been toying with - kind of a "big-small block".

I am a small block man myself but I would agree that there is no substitute for cubic inches.

That being said, the conversion cost/headache mentioned earlier is not insignificant. If you have ALL the BB accessories to do the install, I would rush out and buy a rockin' ripsnorting Big Block without hesitation. If you do not already have all the assorted drivetrain/bits and pieces to install that new big block you would need to take a long hard look at all the little pieces required for the conversion before going that route. I guess I am just too lazy but easy works for me. You can have a lot of fun with a small block too.

-Mark.

Come to the dark side ! ! !

I converted my sbc 68 camaro to the big iron and love it.

Rumble

Rumble

Rumble

Rumble

When my dad put together a $1500 BBC truck motor that made as much power(and more torque) than my $3500 small block, I was a convert.

My pro-street camaro will have a BBC, and under $5k invested, I should make 650 or so horsepower.

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79' Z28...

Build a small block and put a blower on it. That way, you get to keep the light weight of the small block and make equal or better power than a big block.

I have had my Procharger on the car for 4 years and I have not seen another car with a similar set-up yet. Dare to be different.

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Pearl blue & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my website updated 6/10/02 at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

I'm going Gheatly's route someday. Small block and a procharger. http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif Someday...

I am still curious what car this is going into. If it is a 3rd or 4th gen by chance, I advise against the big-block just for headache sake. It takes a monumental effort to do that swap, and then you get a car who's weight distribution is out of whack and handles like a shopping cart. 1st or 2nd gen, it's a lot easier, and if you are up to it, then go big. Remember, there is no replacement for displacement, so cubes are what you are after, not necessarily the size of the iron piece that sports the bores http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif .

A big block can run mid tens on pump gas, a small block will need 12.1 C.R. and 1500 more rpm.

Thanks for the responses, By the way it's going into a 73 z/28.

Guess I'll stick with the 388ci, it's run a best of 10.39 w/250hp shot of the funny stuff(man was that a ride,broke the tires loose at the top of 3rd)

Motor seemed to like all that Nitrous, so I plan to install a 2-stage Pro Fogger, and hopefully get into the 9's.... not bad for a 2 bolt main and a 4-spd huh?? http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

Joe, change your mind on the race car thing?

[This message has been edited by CamaroNOTcamero (edited 07-24-2002).]

You are crazy EA73Z. Gonna kill yourself and the camaro with that much NOS!

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The race...The smoke...The rush!
The man...The machine...The engine!
Future Camaro Owner

Naw, I think the motor will hold a shot around 275hp-300hp, I'm hoping to spray 150hp out of the hole and 300hp at the big end, I think traction may become an issue with only having a 10 inch tire.......

Build whatever YOU like best. They both can be made to run. Just do your homework and talk to as many people with first hand experience as you can.

I'm a die hard SBC guy myself. My 10.3:1 pump gas 383 currently goes 7.3x's in the 1/8th(11.50's) and should go into the 6's(high 10's) before the end of the year(on motor).

A 445 SBC is in the works for next year. http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif Big cubes in a small package http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

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Jason Gore
AKA DragRacer
383 SBC Powered '71 Chevelle
1.60 - 60'
7.37@93.23 - 1/8th