I have a great small block versus big block story. My dad had 66 Impala wagon with the 283 standard performance small block. Dad drove the hell out of that car 100 mile per day daily commutes every day, lots of long trips., lots and lots of expressway driving. His next care was a similar Impala wagon with a standard performance 396 big block in it.. We rode down Route 3 toward Hanover in Mass. This is pretty straight level expressway driving. Dad was used to pushing the little 283 on the expressway. On the expressway DAD found the wagon with the 396 was flying. As they say, " there is no substitute for cubic inches " 100 plus cubic inches over the old 283 small block made virtually the same car drive very differently. Dad was surprised by the extra raw power of the big block over the old small block. Dad learned quickly he did not need as much throttle to cruise the expressway with the big block under the hood. That single drive taught Dad the big block car was not the same has his old small block. Neither engine were performance models, the big block just smoked the small block without trying I believe that was my dad's only big block. His later vehicle used the 350 small block.
The funny thing about engine HP ratings. Nowhere does a manufacturer claim that the rated Hp was its maximum hp. They didn’t lie, they simply rated them at an rpm which had the rating they wanted. Which could easily be exceeded and get to the maximum Hp
A friend had a 1966 Corvette with 427 425hp solid lifter high compression engine with a 4 barrel carb. 1967 triple carb was 435 hp. The 425 hp engines had some valve problems and on the second factory replacement engine under warranty they gave him an L 88 replacement short block or complete engine.A very good engine builder combined the L 88 and the 425 hp 427 into a drivable street engine. At 125 mph cruising flooring it would push you back into the seat pretty hard.. 56 years later the same guy recently took delivery of a new 670 hp C8 Corvette which replaced his 638 hp C6. AND his 812 Ferrari replaced his 730 Ferrari ! Also the same beautiful wife for over 50 years.
Had a 69 vette with a L71(435 HP Tri Power] with 3;08 gears, used to call it a Bonnerville Salt Flat Car,.3000 rpm 80mph, 4500 rpm 120 mph, 5000 rpm sitting right on 130 mph, she'll pulled to 6200 ,but never looked at the speedo at that speed.
The 366 was never a car or pickup engine. Strictly a medium series truck. It was known as a tall deck block, as was a second version of the 427. One thing was the crank bore to cam bore centerline was more. Pistons were different, and I think the rods were too. Originally only the car version of the 427 was known as the Rat.
THE 366. HAS PROBLEMS......DWELL TIME IS TOO LONG... THEY GAVE IT FOUR RINGS......AND THE CONNECTING ROD WENT FROM ....A5.7 TYPICAL CHEVY ROD TO A6.135 LENGTH... BETWEEN. ITS LONG ROD. LONG STROKE SMALL BORE.... IT SPENT A LONG TIME AT TOP DEAD CENTER... DETONATION. WAS A PROBLEM.......WHY THEY DID THIS WAS TO MAKE A VERY LOW RPM TORQUE. MONSTER......BLOWING OUT PISTON TOPS WAS A RESULT........HAD A FRIEND....WHOS DEAD...BUT HE HAD 5. IR 6. OF THEM....HE USED THEM IN HIS FORD TOW TRUCKS.... HE SWORE BY THE COMBO.
Very nice job on the video. Thanks for sharing. I am about to start a '69 390 Horsepower. Original engine in a Corvette. Excited about this build. Have a great day. Take care, Ed.
Don't forget,in 1969 in the COPO program, Chevy produced a small number of ZL1 Camaro cars, I believe the total number was 54, that came from the factory with the all aluminum 427. No radio, no heater etc. Just a pie pan hubcap race car. I owned one of these. Oh God, I wish I had it today. What super cars are selling for today, I'm sure it would be a million dollar car. I miss those days.
I was really wanting to hear about the story behind the development of the 496 cu.in./ 8.1 liter Vortec motor used in trucks. I have 2 GMT 800 trucks with these motors. And the are solidly my favorite GM truck engine.
Not sure what video of your series has been more informative to this point, but I can definitely tell you that I have re-watched every one of them ! Gaining more inflammation every time, thought I had known more than most when it came to engine history, but amazingly, I had quite a bit more to learn, and honestly, about every single Mfr. to this point. Planning on purchasing your engine rebuild series as Christmas gifts for my two 14 year old young gentlemen who work part-time for us, and they are both hungry for as much engine knowledge as possible ! Thanks again ! Can't tell you how much your series has given me in my own knowledge base !
My buddy's grandfather has a numbers matching 62 SS Impala, 409 with dual quads and a 4 speed. It was originally used for hauling moonshine from the mountains. He's had it since the late 70s and has only driven it 20k miles in 40 years. He's had some insane 6 digit offers for it but he won't sell it lol
Really good info one thong I'd like to say is the early 1965-1966 396 cid engines used the same castings as the 427 of that era and in most cases Can be bored to that size,sonic tested tho.
The 8.1 4.25 b × 4.375 s was used in trucks at about 340 hp and the marine versions were about 375 hp with a cast crank and about 425 hp with a forged crank. They were also tall blocks with 4 bolt mains on all 5 caps. The blocks are very strong.
@@q8mechanic427 The 8.1 (496) is a tall block 4.25 × 4.375 , The original 427 tall blocks were truck engines . The tall blocks could be stroked to 482 or more. The 396,402,427,454 car engines were the lower deck height. The 502 (8.2) is the largest Low deck, never factory installed in a production auto, 4.47 × 4.00. The 540 ,572and the 632 are tall blocks. Tall blocks have a deck height of 10.2 " and the low blocks have a deck height of 9.8".
Awesome series. There are things I didn't know and I have been into cars and engines since middle school in the 80's. I am about 50. So very informative. Don't forget us Chrysler guys.
Like with the Pontiac, like I argued with the guy behind the counter at schuck's auto supply years ago, I need a Pontiac head gasket. He asked what year I told him Pontiac v-8 head gasket 62-74 all including the 194 four cylinder. He asked what type of car I said obviously Pontiac, he asked what year and what model I told him 1966 Pontiac GTO so he asked automatic or standard. I told him all I need is the head, so I told him four speed, and he said what cubic inch engine. I told him it doesn't matter it's all the same head gasket. Cut the engine in half and get the 4 banger is the same head gasket. So I told him 455, and he looks in his book a little bit more and tells me the GTO didn't come with the 455 in 1966. I tell him no s*** it came with389 cubic
@@mudduck754 Often the person at the parts counter will ask for every piece of information about your car, whether it makes a difference or not. In addition, could you really expect the guy at the counter to know various trivia about certain cars?
The ZL1 was NOT just a crate engine. While limited, it was produced in two vehicles. There were two Corvettes produced and I believe around 69 Camaros.
@@Myvintageiron7512 WRONG! They most definately WERE available if you had the money(the Camaros). Of the two Corvettes produced, the only one know to still exist is the yellow one. Roger Judski in Florida has(had) it.(unless he sold it).
Well done. Yet another great video. In 1969 there were 50 Camaros and 2 Corvettes that were factory ZL-1 aluminum 427's. There were also a very limited number of "Super" L-88 427 Iron block with the aluminum ZL-1 heads - crate motors. There was also an all aluminum LS-7 454. Race only well north of 600HP. Was in a Maclaran Can-Am series car. If memory serves (and they say that is the second thing to fail an old man) held the lap record at Laguna Seca (early short track) for many years: Where I saw Kenny Roberts race his Yamaha TZ-750-4 - at the Champion spark plug twin 200 in 1980
Very interesting indeed! Never knew about the 366 truck/bus engine. I really appreciate your explanation about how and why the 402 came about as well... I have been trying to figure this out for some time now!
I've always wanted a car with a big block. I love torque! I'd love to have a 454 to put in my 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. Even better if I could afford a Buick 455. But any big block would be awesome. If I was rich I would buy a crate engine
Prices on all this old stuff has come way down. I was at the Springfield Swap Meet (Ohio) this spring. A 1972 455 was for sale for only $600. He had a set of stage 1 heads and a ST400 to go with it as well. Under $2,000 total for the package if I recall.
I’m building my first big block Chevy, one thing I’ve learned so far, big block Chevys take big blocks of cash! Lol. I’m hoping/figuring once it’s all said and done, the reason they’re expensive is because they will make the power.
You delivered my friend. This is where I was ignorant. I only knew of the 427 and 455. No idea the W block’s existed. I think low displacement big blocks are interesting.
I'm really enjoying these history videos, great content!! I've got a choice right now between rebuilding a Mark IV 2-bolt main 454 from a '79 motor home (65k miles) and swapping the original 236 peanut port heads with a set of 781 overall port heads, or pulling a Gen VI 454 from a donor '96 K3500 dually (186k miles) and converting it to a carb. Which do you think would be more cost effective to make 450hp/500tq with? Planning on putting the big block into a '78 Chevy K30 in front of an NV4500.
gen 6 all the way. A stock gen 6 with a cam will make 430 flywheel HP. It also has factory roller cam, more efficient combustion chambers and an updated oiling system in the block. All gen6 are 4 bolt mains.
MORE PONTIAC STUFF PLEASE ! H.O. AND HD ! LARGE JOURNAL SMALL JOURNAL CRANK EXPLANATIONS. 389,400,421,428 AND 455 ! AFTERMARKET HEADS AND BLOCKS ! NOTHING BEATS YOUR ENGINE SERIES !
And Then There Was The L-S7 454 In The 1970 Corvette That Made 460 Horsepower At 5600 RPM, And 500 Ft. LBS Torque At 2800 RPM And 11.0:1 Compression! If You Had One Of THESE Super Rare 1970 454 Corvettes. Consider Yourself Very Lucky!
366 396 and 427 had same stroke but all the crankshafts were different all had different size counterweights the are not interchangeable without balancing
You missed the 496 (8.1L)......well you brought it up as a afterthought after the crate engines. It was produced after 2001. Not sure how long although I know it wasn't many years. Any, everything else was very informative. Thanks!
You really need to do a video about LS engines next. Just to play "Devil's Advocate" for a minute.... Form an engineering standpoint, it makes more sense to make V10's and V12's after you reach the limits of a small block displacement. You get a smoother running engine AND a reduction of need for specialized parts that comes with making Big Blocks. The downside is the larger size of the engine itself AND specialized versions of transmissions; But you have to come up with different transmissions anyway (for big blocks). So it's really a case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't".
yes Agreed he is one of my go to experts many people have a hard time listening to him because he talks very slow and monotone, but he is definitely one of the greatest performance minds there is
Did I miss the ZL1 engine in the '95 Vette? This is noteworthy because it was indeed a 350-based small block but with Lotus-designed DOHC cams/4valve engine (the only one ever in a chevy small block). GM couldn't do the casting and building, so this was subbed out to Mercury Marine to cast the heads and assemble these blocks for Corvette. Even though GM stopped manufacturing the small block in 2002 as you mentioned, Mercury is still making marine versions of these engines in crate format for marine repower applications. This is thru Mercury's Quicksilver parts division. Apparently, these blocks are cast by Mercury and are much improved over the originals, with any weak areas addressed and also clearanced for stroker applications, which by the way, you can also get a Mercury stroker engine (377 or 6.2L) brand new as a crate engine, again for marine applications but would make a great automotive engine.
Mercury just released a 409 ci replacement engine for pre catalytic marine engines. The photo suggests a sbc. 4.03 b ×4.00 s rated at 400hp @ 5800 rpm. I think that is a high rpm for a 4.00" stroke engine.Maybe they are making their own version of a sbc. Can a genuine Chevy block be clearanced to fit a 4.00 " stroke? Did Mercury ever make any cast iron engines. Their expertise is die-cast aluminum. I wonder if they are buying an aftermarket block for the new "409 Mercruiser". They are advertising it as 150 lbs lighter then a 454 that it can replace.
19:37 Wait.....Hold it..... You're telling me they made a 2 barrel carb for a Big Block ??? That Beastie must have some HUGE venturi bore. I mean about the size of a secondary for a Quadrajet !! I would love to see one or at least a picture of it.
l I asked Arnie farmer once when a kid y he had a Chevy BB in his car n he taught me the history of guy over gm hating Pontiac n loving Chevy sending his son to make Chevy 1 again. He then took delorian to Chevy who had a hand in the new build of a Pontiac motor. He took with him the motor todays bb Chevy n Pontiac only had a little money left so just updated the motor it already had.
And, 366 blocks had 4 bolt main caps. I have two sets of those main caps. I bought a 2 bolt 454 block thats missing the first main cap. I plan to drill and tap that block for a set of 4 bolt caps then have it line bored to match the crank bores up. Cheap 4 bolt conversion
I always thought the normal big block engines were adaptions of the 'Mystery Motor' with some of the difficult features left out to make it more producible and reduce cost. Am I wrong?
Nope and nope, Both wrong. ZL-1s were an option on 1969 L-88s “Special Alloy Racing Block” This added $3000 to the cost of the car which was around $5-6000. They installed them into five Corvettes. Three of these cars were brought back in for milder engine replacements. The cam timing was only a few degrees less than the full competition Can-Am racing engines. 50 or so went into Copo Camaros. There.
@carterlee8344 According to a Corvette poster from Chevrolet, there were only 2 known to have been factory installed in a Corvette. Idk about a Camaro, but there were 2 known to have been installed in a Corvette.
@@Headbanger427 two Corvettes were built, the white car was used for racing , the yellow car wa sold at a dealership to a guy that blew it up street racing the first night . There were 69 ZL1 Camaros built and sold to the public if they had $7200.00 to spend on one .
Have you ever researched what 5.7 block and heads a 2002 Gmc Savanah or Chevy Express has? They kept making the 5.7 until 03, i think. From what I've found, the bell housing and starter bolts have different threads. I'm not sure if they are even an 880 block.
You left out the last of the production big blocks the 8.1L, also forgot to mention the 366 was a tall deck block and they mad a 427 version as well other than that great video always learn something new watching them Ps you also forgot to mention the 409 was so great they wrote a song about it
the 366 and 427T were the only tall deck engines they were a good engine but the shorter deck made just as much power and alot cheaper to build pro stock engines use a short deck block not a BBC of course it's an aluminum billet engine block but they discovered a shorted deck block was more rigid for big power builds
The factory uses the tall deck to fit a taller piston with an exta ring. This improves sealing and makes for a more stable piston in the bore. Racers began using it back in the day to fit long rods and stroker cranks to get more power.
Chevy had a all new line up for 70.. the 402.454 and the 400 small block.... he forgot the tall deck 427 truck block... and 68 went to the large journal crank shaft for the small block.
Hi, my name is James. I am a Ford men I have been told the hottest car back in 1955. Is the Buick century with a nail head engine 322? Can you Research for me in, talk about it.
Chrysler had the 300 series first year in 1955 354 C I 300 hp hemi. The Buick Century got its name because a straight 8 Buick in the 1940's would do A 100 mph or a Century !
i would like u to do a LS history because everyone thinks it was a bbc 454 and i know for a fact that it was a small block which came out in 1970 and it was sold as a crate engine only but for 212 ls 6 in a 70 chevelle but they also interduce a ho 454 bbc the same time i have 4 of them in my shop
ps if u read upon the mark 4 series it even says they changed the angle of pistons and pushrods which means a new block back in 75 i use to run a ls 6 454 small block at the strip and at the ls website says they never built a bbc because they all were made by gm racing division which was started by Leslie Snoboski hint LS which never worked for chevy he start the gm racing division all ls engines were made by them ls is a gm engine not a chevy this is y u can get them in a firebird now days in 84 they upgraded them with sensor ports they had cast iron block and aluminum blocks but dropped the cast iron blocks in 84 when they upgraded them they were only sold as a crate engine till 94 but for 212 in a chevelle and 6 with the ls 7 427
I sincerely hope that nobody that reads this is as ignorant of the truth as you are . Having been a teenager in 1970 , I can verify that the LS5 and LS6 engines were production engines in Chevelles , Monte Carlos, El Caminos and Corvettes , and that they were 454 big blocks .
@@bobbrinkerhoff3592 the ls 6 only came in a 70 chevelle everyone knows this but the ho 454 in 71 was a optional engine. it is well known that the ls only came in the 70 chevelle as a small block LS block i have seen a real one . the ho 454 has 450 hp at 485 torque 10.5 to 1 compression with a 4 inch stroke with high flow heads steel crank heavy rods but after 1970 u could only get a LS as a crate engine and LS is a GM engine designed by Leslie Snobosky which started the GM racing division in 1970 . if u read up on the mark 4 series it even says they change the angle of the pistons and push rods for the block line . if it was a bbc then how would the intake be changeable with a different angle on the pistons . in 1970 they interduce 2 different 454's one a bbc and the other a LS 6 454 this is y so many people are confused plus most people thought it was a bb but LS has never built a BB in history and GM would never call too total different engines the same thing u would have to be a idiot to think that
yep we are working on the Chrysler V8 history videos right now what's really interesting about Chrysler is they made their big blocks first and the small blocks came later.
I believe you. I had the 402 smogger engine in a 70 chevelle SS. JOKE engine. Gutless gas hog. Constantly breaking valve springs. Absolute piece of trash. Any old 396 or Chrysler 383 would walk all over it. Rated at 350 hp. Didn’t have 300 hp. One thing it did have was high car insurance.
I have a 366 it has gear to gear timing no timing chain under the flywheel molded in the block it has hi perf pass trk any idea what this all means firing order is the same as one with a timing chain you just wire the cap in the other direction came out of a 1966 chevy c60 big truck
No they didn't. The Z11 had the stock 409s bore of 4.3125 with a stroke of 3.650 . The Mystery Motor was the same as the Gen four 427 at 4.250 for the bore and a stroke of 3.760 . The 409s had a bore of 4.3125 and a stroke of 3.500 . Some of us are not only old enough to remember when these engines came out , but also have the magazine articles from back in the day that detailed the differences .
Didn't they build a 496 in a pickup truck my friend has an early 2000 pickup truck he ordered brand new and he says it has a 496 in it and on the grill that has the leaders on it and it's bigger than my 454
Yes they did build a factory 496CI 8.1L engine that is a different block from the 454. Author did not mention this series. Only in production about 5 years from 2001. Available in pickups, suburbans, HD truck bodies and motorhomes. Expensive to hotrod these scarce motors as few parts are available. Dart and Raylar sell some go fast parts for them.
My 1961 Chevrolet Impala super sport convertible came with the 409 two four barrels stock ACDelco dual-point distributor, 4-speed and posi rear end. Not only was it cool to Cruise in, it would get up and jump if it needed to, and come off the line rather nice, it had no problem lighting up the rear tires. And I bought it because it was sitting in a field for many years for $125. White with white top red and white interior. I did off frame restoration and replacing the rear quarter panels with NOS parts that were in the storage shed of an old wrecking yard, it was the old looking at these quarter panels hanging up on a wall in this old storage shed,wait a second I know that part I need that Part, is there the other side? Woohoo score. Two brand new never put in place on an automobile 1961 Chevy rear quarter panels, grey primer, I replaced the the floor pans, had the int🎉interior redone new top since it was all there just needed replaced, okay so the drivers wing window was out of a 62, had the body work done had it out in the carport sanding it prepping it to paint and I came home from work one day and it was gone.
Was going to say that until I saw your reply,my 1st plated car was 58 i mpala w 348 3x2. Ran better on center carb alone. At 16, not much knowledge of cars.looking back it, needed a clutch & carb cleaned
@@bobbrinkerhoff3592 check again, I had a friend with 2 of them 1 was documented #,s matching and had a hydraulic Cam, unless I'm remembering wrong and that's possible.
@@davidreed6070 no need to . The 1965 Z16 Chevelle, of which they only built 201 of , were powered by a hydraulic cammed 396 , rated at 375 hp . The Corvette version which was rated at 425 hp had a solid lifter cam . The Z16s only came in red , yellow or black and for reasons unknown didn't offer a positraction option , gearing was 3.31 .
