400 or 454

[T-Punk]

ok now that i have seen that a big block can fit in a 93 camaro i need some advice. for a straight up 1/4 mile monster would it be best to go with the heavy but ultra powerful 454 with a forced induction system or would it be wiser to stick with my original plan of using the lighter 400 small block also with FI. ive always looked up to the 454 but im just not convinced that the extra displacement is worth having to lug all that wieght. i just cant decide. any advice would be apreciated.

[3.4 slow to go]

Blown 502. 'nuff said.

The 454 will have more torque. Torque = acceleration. Blower will add to the already uabundent horsepower. You get your cake & the neighbors too.

[wolf]

if you want pure drag race potential (bad spelling [img]graemlins/dunce.gif[/img] ) use the big block

but,if you wish to retain your handling abilaties a 400 small block with aluminum heads isn't much heavier than a lt1

[WickEdSix9838]

big block without a doubt...they are WAY easier to make run fast at less RPM, if your gonna make a small block haul *** you have to turn it up which is more wear and tear on the rods/crank/pistons/valvetrain etc, about 8-10 years ago my dad had just a 427ci BBC in his race car, w/some factory iron big port heads, stock 2 bolt main block, stock steel crank, stock rods, and about 13-13.5-1 compression he ran a 8.79@152 best at Ennis naturally aspirated, there was absolutely NOTHING special about that motor! later, still w/stock steel crank, he put some Brodix -2 aluminum heads and ended up running a best of 8.53@157 in worse air than when he ran at Ennis, he shifted it at 8500 every pass and made probably 300-400 passes w/o rebuilding it and the only problems he had were the bronze bushings in the rods started coming out, amazingly the crank never broke and it still rings and looks good!! long story short, that shows how strong the big block is...also you really need an aftermarket block if your going to run a 400, the stock blocks are junk and have tendencies to crack...

[ January 11, 2004: Message edited by: WickEdSix9838 ]</p>

[Silver97Camaro]

BIG BLOCK all the way baby!!! :D

[MustangEater8251]

Small block... cuz I think in the end they are cheaper to build up since they are more common....


And you are gong to need all the room you can get under the dash....

[Timbo1969]

427 stroker small block... Over 500 hp what more could a guy ask for?... A stroked big block pulling 800hp...lol

[njspder]

big blocks are very expensive compared to a small block making the same peak hp. the big block will always have a torque advanatage because of teh displacement. that can be overcome by picking the right gears though.
really, you can build a nice little turbo small block to run in the 10's very easily. jsut start with something fuel injected and it is easy. then you will be faster and have the high tech cool factor over a big block [img]smile.gif[/img]


later
tim

[Red94Camaro]

If you have only the choice of 400 or 454, 454 would be best. 400's overheat easy. I've talked to other guys that have used them and they hated it and said that they arent good for racing. Why dont you take a 350 and stroke it to a 383. 383's have good power and if you wanted more power its easy to put on a supercharger or nitrous.

[njspder]

i really don't know anyone who has over heating problems with a 400sbc. some stock vehicles used to have problems because early on gm put the same old water pumps and radiators as in standard duty vehicles.

later
tim

[WickEdSix9838]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> big blocks are very expensive compared to a small block making the same peak hp. the big block will always have a torque advanatage because of teh displacement. that can be overcome by picking the right gears though.
really, you can build a nice little turbo small block to run in the 10's very easily. jsut start with something fuel injected and it is easy. then you will be faster and have the high tech cool factor over a big block

later
tim

<hr></blockquote>
wrong...a big block will not only make more horsepower it will also make way more torque because they have more displacement and better heads stock for stock, then when you compare aftermarket, a big block has a LOT better stuff, you also dont have to run as many RPM's w/a big block to run fast...it cost more but is well worth it when its all said and done...and like i said earlier dont do a 400 small block unless you buy an aftermarket block, the stock blocks are junk, period...also, you dont have to buy high dollar aftermarket heads for the big block, the stock oval port heads ported make awesome street heads, then the big port heads are even better BUT the ports are too big for a street car, you have to turn the motor more w/those...on a small block you have to buy aftermarket heads because the stockers dont flow...true Vortec heads run good but they arent THAT good, ported they flow decent but they get thin, the big block heads have lots of meat in them...BIG BLOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

[KBeezy]

1 number: 572


I rest my case.

[WickEdSix9838]

why not a 598, or a 632?? or how about a 706, or if you wanna get extreme a 814??? [img]graemlins/dunce.gif[/img] :D

[njspder]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:

wrong...a big block will not only make more horsepower it will also make way more torque because they have more displacement and better heads stock for stock, then when you compare aftermarket, a big block has a LOT better stuff, you also dont have to run as many RPM's w/a big block to run fast...it cost more but is well worth it when its all said and done...and like i said earlier dont do a 400 small block unless you buy an aftermarket block, the stock blocks are junk, period...also, you dont have to buy high dollar aftermarket heads for the big block, the stock oval port heads ported make awesome street heads, then the big port heads are even better BUT the ports are too big for a street car, you have to turn the motor more w/those...on a small block you have to buy aftermarket heads because the stockers dont flow...true Vortec heads run good but they arent THAT good, ported they flow decent but they get thin, the big block heads have lots of meat in them...BIG BLOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!<hr></blockquote>

i don't agree with you about the costs being worth it. we are talking abotu a built up motor either way, so worrying about stock for stock does not apply here.
teh sbc has a ton of great stuff available, jsut like the big block.
my two gripes about teh big blaock will always be the cost of parts and the weight of the finished product.
racing in general relies a lot on a good power to weight ratio, and the dollar per hp is always a limiting factor. if you pick up an LS1 for a few thousand bucks, do a mild rebuild with a custom cam and throw a turbo on top you will fly and be carry prolly 200 lbs less than a big block making the same power.
big inches do make big torque, that is true. but boost on smaller cubes can make a more linear torque curve, shich is where the best acceleration comes from.
shifting an LS1 past 6000 is no big deal, guys do it forever on stock bottom ends all the time. with 10-12 psi you can put a very mild LS1 motor well over 500hp and 500ft/lbs. all it takes to go way above that woudl be a bit more aggressive cam selection, aftermarket heads(patriot has very good ones at good prices) and an intake upgrade.
if you wanna compare the race abilities of both maybe you can head to atco soemtime. there is a guy who always runs no time with a turbo'ed 377 small block, yes it is one of those horrible factory cast 400 blocks with a 350 crank in it. one day in the lanes he left his timeslip on the seat, it said 8.92 on it.
any block small or big can be made to spin up perfectly reliably. it is time for a lot fo people to accept some technology and start backing off the big inch mentality a bit.
don't get me wrong, big blocks are cool as hell. drivign street ones is sweet, great burnouts and they pull good. but for racing the advanatage is in the high tech small blocks court.

later
tim

[white96six]

are you talking about a 400 small block chevy or a 400 pontiac engine? if you want to go with a pontiac motor go with the 455 it uses the same block as the 400 so it is the same size for your engine compartment and it will produce big numbers. also some have took a pontiac 400 and bored and stroked it to 440 and I think made around 540 horsepower. I am partial to pontiac's because not everyone and their mother has one. although for bang for the buck I dont think you can beat a 383 small block chevy. good luck. witch ever you choose will definatley break alot of **** with all that torque.