big block or small block

-

bill patton

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
24
Reaction score
14
Location
morganton,n.c.
hey guys...ive got my 73 swinger on the road again..new interior from classic and legendary..front floor pans from classic....rebuilt my 8 3/4 and added superstock springs and installed in..this is an 80,000 mile car with a perfect slant 6 that will go anywhere,just not cool enough..i have a 73 duster v8 k frame with disc brakes to install...i aslo have a 79 360 hp 4 barrel motor with the windage tray and i have a steel crank 64 year 413 i think out of a fury..cost about the same to rebuild them but the big block good headers will cost a little more...cant make up my mind which way to go...what would you guys do?View attachment 1715942816 View attachment 1715942816 View attachment 1715942816 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942816 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942818 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942816 View attachment 1715942817 View attachment 1715942818 View attachment 1715942818
 
How much power do you want to make?

What is your budget?

You can do a lot with a 360. If you need more power, there are many options, but they all lead back to question # 2
 
What are you building the car for, 1/4 mile or street car? That 413 will have limited piston selection and is significantly heavier than a small block. From my perspective I would choose the small block for a street car. 65'
 
How much power do you want to make?

What is your budget?

You can do a lot with a 360. If you need more power, there are many options, but they all lead back to question # 2
just want a good streetable strong car...360 has kb 107's and a new cast crank...i could go 202 intakes in the stock heads with a decent cam and intake...or a decent cam in the 413 with my 906's and a good intake..headers for either one...about 3500-4500 on the budget
 
What are you building the car for, 1/4 mile or street car? That 413 will have limited piston selection and is significantly heavier than a small block. From my perspective I would choose the small block for a street car. 65'
street car...323 gears... torqueflight..willing to do aluminum heads on the 413..excellent bore and will build ok with the stock bore and pistons
 
Big blocks being so much heavier is a myth that has been dispelled over and over, yet still lives on.

Big blocks are more street friendly at any given power level and make more torque at lower RPMS. They are more work to install and the install costs more.

I'd go with whichever engine you'll have less money in.

Personally, if it were mine, I'd leave the slant and spend my money on a 67-72 nose for the car.
 
I like small blocks for street cars. Just a more straight forward build IMO. 65'
 
In stock form, the 413 is approximately 22% heavier than the 360. 550 vs 670lbs

* According to Hughes

If weight isn't a concern, go BB. They are fun if built correctly
 
Last edited:
The small block is certainly easier and easier to work on.
Aluminum heads are cheap enough for either sb or bb.
Either way the car will be fun.
 
IMO a small block is more appropriate for an A-body. Smaller packaging, much easier to get a good exhaust system to fit, less weight on the front end, and sufficient power for a street driven car. If the easily attainable 350HP isn't enough you can go with a rowdier cam and heads, power adders like a supercharger/turbo, or throw a 4" crank into it.
 
Big blocks being so much heavier is a myth that has been dispelled over and over, yet still lives on.

Big blocks are more street friendly at any given power level and make more torque at lower RPMS. They are more work to install and the install costs more.

I'd go with whichever engine you'll have less money in.

Personally, if it were mine, I'd leave the slant and spend my money on a 67-72 nose for the car.
ive already found a 72 front clip
 
If you can get doors also they have wing windows 73 does not.
 
I also prefer the 70 rear bumper with the single tail light as well as the scamp through 73.
 
Do you want to turn the steering wheel in a parking lot? Big block makes it a bit harder.
 
Changing the spark plugs alone gives a thumbs up to the small block. Have those in favor of the big block offer to come over and change or pull a spark plug when you want to look at them. Especially when the engine is hot.
 
Changing the spark plugs alone gives a thumbs up to the small block. Have those in favor of the big block offer to come over and change or pull a spark plug when you want to look at them. Especially when the engine is hot.

Changed mine many times. Unsure what the problem is? My 340 wasn't fun to change plugs when hot either, nothing really is. But to change them cold, my 440 is easy peasy.
 
Well, that's interesting, I have yet to see a big block that was easy peasy to change spark plugs on, headers or stock manifolds, A, B or C body, unless it was a Hemi. I can remove and install the plugs, hot or cold in under 5 minutes on my small block.
Won't wrangle any longer about . He can make his choice, he wanted opinions, he's getting them.
 
Changing the spark plugs alone gives a thumbs up to the small block. Have those in favor of the big block offer to come over and change or pull a spark plug when you want to look at them. Especially when the engine is hot.

And oil changes on the big block are easier. Which do you think you do more often?
 
Oil change is the same. The oil filter would be easier on a big block, I will give you that.
 
If you already have KB107s installed in the 360, then you are well on your way to 350/400hp, or mega-SBM torque. All you need are closed-chamber heads and the appropriate cam. If you wanna spend money; I highly recommend alloy heads and pushing 185psi Cranking cylinder pressure. The hard part will be not to roast the tires all the time.
A 222 to 226*(.050) on a 110LSA cam will be happy with 3.23s and stock stall. So you save money on those, to spend on the heads. At the price of gas today, I highly recommend a smallish Solid-Lifter cam, but that will cost you adjustable valve gear.

The BB in this case, and IMO, will overwhelm the biggest street tires (255s IIRC) that you can fit into the stock 73-Swinger tubs, and so you can never really floor it in first gear without tirespin. Maybe not even in Second...... What happens when you pull out, on the hiway, following Gramps at 55mph? Do you really want tirespin on the 3-2 kickdown, in this situation? Are you gonna remember to ease into it?
In my experience, by 55mph, a 360 with 3.23s, is already torque-challenged in Second gear up there, so this should not be an issue.
Just something to think about.
 
Street car mid 10’s and slower small block

strip car 9.50’s and slower small block

Faster than 9.50’s street, street strip, strip only and budget minded big block. Lots of ways to skin a cat but man I like the ease of these small blocks for maintenance
 
Last edited:
-
Back
Top