ok i know this is a dumb question but i cant seem to find much info on the interent about big blocks, im a small block guy my self i know alot about them and the facts, things like how a 302 is a short stroke engine that was made by puting a 289 crank in a 327 0r 350 block, and the 350 was created by increasing the stroke of a 327 for more low end torque, but what i dont know is the need to know facts about big blocks things like, dose a 396, 427 or 454 have the same bore but different strokes? is a 396 on the short stroke side of big blocks is it a good high RPM motor? and a 454 on the long stroke side making it good for low end torque? is there any thing special about a the bore to stroke ratio of a 427 that alowed it to make serious power from the factory? Its just comon knowledge type stuff that i want to know like bore and stroke sizes. ive grown up building small blocks and i want to know more about big blocks!
~RoB

396 & 427 have the same crank stroke but different bore sizes. A 454 & 427 have same bore but the 454 has a larger stroke. The 427 was no more powerful but a lot of research was done in the late 60's L-88 that made a rep. for the motor and was a big leap over the 396 because of the bigger bore it breathed better. With the 454 larger stroke it had gobs more torque without having to send it to the moon for that same power because it still had the big bore for breathing and the stroke for torq. to move heavy cars etc. 427 was the motor of choice for a while because 454's didn't come out till 1970. And parts to hop up a 454 were a lot more $$ back then kinda like when 383's 1st came out no made a lot of pistons for them. Then to it was easier to hook up a 427 because it didn't have the low end grunt of a 454 so that's how the legend started! graemlins/waving.gif

There is one huge difference between 396/402/427 and 454. The former is internally balanced, while the latter is externally balanced.

faststcarinschool, I was just wondering....

Fast = top speed
quick = acceleration

Which one is your car? smile.gif

Rob,

Chevy didn't make a 289, I'm sure it was a typo and you were thinking 283. ;)

thank you DJD thats what i ment i was a bit tired when i wrote that post, kevinW my car is going to be a pro tourer with out alot of the frills such as AC and power every thing,it will be decently quick as in acceleraion, im building a pretty low end tourquey 388, and at the moment i have a lack of really tall gearing so it will be more quick than fast, but once i get a 6 speed in it it will go pretty fast as well as accelerate, thank you every one i got what i was looking for
~RoB

This site has some of the info you're talking about.
http://www.roadsters.com/bbc/