small block?

[MAStuart]

Small block, big block is a older chevy thing. If someone asked me if I am running a big or small block, they are usually a Chevy fan. I usually tell them what ever the engine is, a 289, 351 Windsor or a Cleveland. I would lump the 221, 260, 289, 302, 351 Windsors together as small blocks. For the most part they take the same bell housing, head type and motor mounts. I would put Clevelands by themselves. They still have small block mounts and bell housings. Then you have 292 and 312 that are y blocks. You also have 351m/400, kind of a mixed bag. They take Cleveland styled heads and 385 series bell housings. 429/460 are a 385 series. FE's, well are just FE's, large lumps of iron. Mark

[PANAVIA]

On the FE's;
== if you want to Race 427,
== if you want to Cruise 428,
== if you want to power a Merc 410'
== if you want to Power your bullitt car 390,

[cobrarkc]

Is anyone serving popcorn?

[DougD]

Originally Posted by Barry_R

The term "427" has a certain nostalgia magic to it. It's because the Ford (and Chevy) 427 engines were essentially the pinnacle of high performance in the 60's. The stuff dreams and memories were made of.

These days the guys that favor small blocks due to budget or perceived weight constraints like to justify the badges on the side of the car by targeting the 427 cubic inch displacement. There is a bit of marketing magic in there...

That oughta get a bunch of small block guys upset with me (as I duck under the table....beer in hand )

Barry, you nailed it.

Windsor + Cleveland = small block, FE + 385 series = big block.

[DougD]

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

It's because the Ford (and Chevy) 427 engines were essentially the pinnacle of high performance in the 60's. The stuff dreams and memories were made of.

Pinnacle: The highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development.

IMHO there is really one "pinnacle of high performance in the 60's", that would be the 427 SOHC. The leaky FE just doesn't measure up to the SOHC

So you're sayin' the SOHC ain't a FE?

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by DougD

Barry, you nailed it.

Windsor + Cleveland = small block, FE + 385 series = big block.

Agreed, Doug, except how about adding the rest of the 335 series engines (the 351M and 400M) in there with the Cleveland? I know, they take Cleveland style heads, and have the 385 series bellhousing pattern, but I kinda doubt many consider them big-blocks (except, perhaps, those who are building them with CHI heads, etc., for the PHR Engine Master's Series).

I could see a 3 tiered arrangement:

Windsors...small block

335 series engines...mid block

FE and 385 series engines...big block

For many years I drove a 351M engined big Ford. It didn't seem to be so far down on power compared to my 351C, but for so many years all we heard about the 351M/400M was they were better suited for boat anchors than powering automobiles...so I was really glad to see many of the PHR-EM contestants building them up and scoring so highly with them.

Cheers!

Dugly

[Barry_R]

I think I'll market some adapters so I can put small block valve covers on my FE engines. And maybe get a "destroker" kit to get the cubes down to a safe and sane 289 or so. Maybe pop a couple plug wires off so as not to overpower the customer cars....

BTW - the Cammer is definitely an FE, and the traditional wedge iron lumps did somehow manage to lumber & trundle around the track with some small level of success a few times back in the 60s...

(I'm gonna grab another beer - along with a fireproof suit and some kinda helmet - this might hurt! )

[YerDugliness]

OK, so here's an Australian combo not available in the U.S.:

Take a 351-Cleveland block and put a destroked crank into it, ending up at 302CID...in essence, a 302 Cleveland.

Not much displacement....what is it?

Just wonder how many will go with CID and how many will go with deck height

Cheers!

Dugly

[vector1]

wasn't the u.s. 351c a referred to as a big block in some cases?

[blykins]

No, always been a small block.

[mreid]

I don't want to be a smart arse either, but since when are some models called super models? What makes them so special and better than the regular model?

[vector1]

i guess i was confused as pat ganahl described it as midsize, not small nor large in his ford book, had to look it up. what would that make the 400, or 351m then?

[sspano01]

i thought being able to leave a red light in 4th gear was the delination line for the SB/BB

[YerDugliness]

I can do that....with what I think is a box-stock drivetrain from a 1989 Mustang GT (except for being converted to carb).

I haven't tried 5th yet....but 4th was not much of a stretch, so maybe 5th is possible???

Cheers!

Dugly