[Excaliber]

SB, BB,,,it has little to do with the "cubes". It's about the "model" of the engine. In Chevy land (you know the "dark side") the "mouse" motor and the "rat" motor refer to the engine design. 265, 283, 327, 350 and 400= small block mouse motor. Heck the "small block" 400 is bigger than the Big Block 396 "rat" if "cubes" is all your referring to. But there is a BIG difference between the two engines design.

It gets a little "fuzzy" in Ford land (where the sun is shining and the grass is always green) 221,260,289,302,351W,= small block.

The FE series, is clearly a "big block". But what about the early FE style engines? Weren't they also produced in the 330 cubes range? Based on "cubes" alone that would make them small block? The old 352, 390, 427 I always considered "big blocks" because of their "design" characteristics.

A "big block" of any size will by it's design generally weigh more, be "heavier" built than a small block. Typically turn lower rpm (in stock form) and be designed for more of a torque (truck, heavy duty) type application.

A 351W, even bored to 427 cubes is STILL a small block! A 427 destroked to under 400 cubes is STILL a big block. So what the heck is a 351C, 351M and 400? Which were mostly used in "truck" applications. Small block me thinks!

Ernie