I dont hear of the big block 350 that much in todays news and magizines but I do from some gear heads and some old mechanices down the street from me. Does any one know the history or use of this engine/block

I've never heard of a 350 big block; there is a 366 truck big block though.

Jody

Yeah, I have heard about the 350 BB, but I have never had the hands on with one. I never saw the point of a BB 350 really.... Maybe it is a Pontiac block or something, not sure.

Sorry, no such thing. And there is no big block pontiac...externally, they are all almost exactly the same size, except for the low deck blocks (265 and 301)

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375hp 78 Chevy truck
77 Chevy Nova
95 Chevy Lumina 3.4L
and building a 78 Nova

I know that the Pontiac blocks are all the same physical size, but there IS a BB 350, most sure. I am certain that someone else is familiar with this engine too, as I doubt both 1 fast 69 and I have heard of this particular engine through mere campfire ghost stories, http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif .

Ok, I did a bit of searching, and here is what I came up with:

Click this link (http://www.hotrodheaven.com/comments/messages/5005.html)

Go there and see what these folks have to say. Apparently, the 350 BB is indeed a Pontiac, Olds or Buick.

[This message has been edited by BreathWeapon (edited 08-10-2001).]

Did you read the responses to your link? They also say there's no such thing as a 350 big block. Pontiac's all have the same size block overall(other than the 301) so they don't have a big block at all. And a 350 Olds is a small block just like a 350 Chevy.

Jody

Camco, most of the Pontiac guys around here refer to their engines as big blocks. I suspect it is because the Pontiac engine is closer in physical size to the BB Chevy. You are correct though, there is no other Pontiac block for a small vs big block differentiation.

Yes, the Pontiac blocks are of similar physical size to a BB Chev. And, as stated above, most Pontiac buffs do indeed refer to their blocks as "big blocks".

But it's not a big block 350!!!!! Right or wrong? This is actually entertaining................

Jody

Wasn't the olds 350 Rocket a Big Bloock?

I guess what my wife keeps telling me is right. It's what's on the INSIDE that counts!

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The Red Beast http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

the olds 350 much like the pontiac version gets refferd to as a big block,and no the "350 rocket" was not a big block it was a regular olds 350 with a sticker on the air cleaner.

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chris
1980 Z/28
(under construction)

"Big block" is a term only used to diferentiate between 2 engine "families" from the same mfg., such as Ford (Windsor & Cleveland = small block, "FE" 390, 427, 428 etc. & "385" 429 & 460 = big block), Chrysler (LA 273, 318, 340, 360 = small block, B/RB 383, 400, 440 = big block). Pontiac & Olds use the same basic tooling for all V8s, so there is no "big" and "small". It has nothing to do with displacement (cubic inches) or exterior physical dimensions. A Buick 322" or Pontiac 287" weighs more than a 454 BBC. There is no big block Chevy 350.

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Click here for my Pages-O-Tech-Stuff! (http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/mopar-tech.htm)

Is it true that the Pontiac's 350 has less power potencial than the chevy cause those engines have a smaller diameter bore? They have the same displacement due to increased crank stroke?

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Our affair with Camaros is a live sentence without the possibility of parole www.geocities.com/c68ss (http://www.geocities.com/c68ss) http://home.coqui.net/borench

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but wasn't the 348 chevy considered a big block?
Wasn't it later replaced with the 409 chevy big block?
Maybe people just called the 348 a 350 back then...

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Ricky
68/RS on Blocks...

Had a 348 in 1964 - 1958 tri-power 4 speed Impala convertible. No, we never called them 350s. The 350" motor only came out in the late '60s. The "W" family 1958-65 includes:
1958-61 348 = 4.125" x 3.25" (6.135" rod)
1961-65 409 = 4.3125" x 3.50" (6.0" rod)
1963 427 Z-11 = 4.3125" x 3.65" (6.135" rod).
These are "big blocks" in that the bore-to-bore spacing, deck height etc. is larger than the SBC; they are distantly related to the Mark (modern big block) motors. I've heard that the famous 1963 Daytona "Mystery" porcupine engine (the precursor of the 396) was developed from the Z-11 block.

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Click here for my Pages-O-Tech-Stuff! (http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/mopar-tech.htm)

[This message has been edited by panic (edited 08-11-2001).]

Panic,

I know the 350 motor came out in 67' for the all new camaro. I just thought maybe the 348 was mistakenly called a 350 in the late 60's since it was only off by 2 cubic inches.

Buy the way, I had a chance to buy a red 62' Impala convertible, 409, dual quad, M-20, 4:10 posi back in 83. Yes, I kicked myself for a long time for not buying that car.

Thanks for the info http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

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Ricky
68/RS on Blocks...

Ive got a 67 firebird with a pontiac 326. Pontiac blocks are basically "big blocks" because they are physically large. They have the same block for the 326, 350, 400, and 455. They are totally different from chevy blocks. Between a chevy 350 and a pontiac 350 I have heard that the pontiac has a little better low end but the chevy has way better top end power. Pontiac and chevy bellhousings are different too.

Yeah, the Pontiac blocks are called "Big Blocks" by many enthusiasts simply because physically on the exterior, they are, well, big! Certainly bigger than a chev 350 at any rate. I would tend to say the Pontiac 350 IS indeed a "Big Block" any way you look at it, either because it is just plain old big, or because it is the bigger of the 350 blocks (pontiac vs chev). Picture two cups that each hold a pint of water, only one is constructed using more material. As a result, it is literally the bigger of the two cups, even though they both hold the same amount of liquid. It doesn't matter who makes the cups, one is still big compared to the other. Pretty basic comparison without getting too picky.

Ahhh, the 348. I also had a 58 Impala conv with the 348 tri-power. The trees would bend over when I floored it.

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Rick Dorion
69 RS Conv,355,M20,4.10's

Ricks68RS - have you priced an early 60s dual quad 409 convertible lately? My brother is really into the early 60s heavy Chevy's and the last one he saw was a '64 SS convertible and it was going for $60,000... and we complain about the prices of our cars!!

Also, the Pontiac engines weight between a SBC and a BBC. There is a lot of air space in there. You can really tell it is an older engine design.

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

See my website updated 4/16/01 at:

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

Gheatly, now you have me kicking my butt again. I could have bought that 62' for $5,500 back in 83.



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Ricky
68/RS on Blocks...

Rick,

I know what you mean. My first car was a '64 non-SS with 300hp 327/4-speed. Dad had one in college and thought it would be fun for me to have one too.

My brother bought a project '64 SS (283/PG) about 3 years ago for $5,000. After we got it home, he realized he was taken. A lot of rust in the floorpan, etc... In only 3 years, his project car is now worth what he paid for it and he hasn't done anything to it.

In the early 90s we had the chance to by two '64 SS cars (both 327/PG), both low mileage originals for $15,000. Now they go for $15 to $20K EACH!

Please close this thread...If I get started on all the "shouldas" throught the years, I won't get any sleep tonight http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif