big block or small block

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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

big blocks are a pain in the a$$ , specially if you want headers and such , doing it over again , I`d go big smallblock , maybe a store bought/blueprint engine .
 
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
Your budget says to stay w/the small block.

I would not stay with the stock heads. Sell them and roll the money over into new aluminum heads and headers. Inexpensive headers from Summit Racing and there 2-1/2 exhaust kit. Cam accordingly.

Then spend on a converter and gears. These two items will release the beast and will be the best bang for the buck to compliment the engine you build.

The big blocks weight is indeed more and you’ll notice it until you add as much aluminum as possible to the big block. Then it’s weight is at or less than a stock small block.
Having done a big block in a Duster before, they are a little bit more of a PIA to complete and work on but it is worth it as far as a power return is concerned. Handling is not an issue once lightened with aluminum.

The other plus of the big block (if it doesn’t need a rebuild, which would probably be amazing if it didn’t save a recent rebuild your unaware of….) is it’s sheer size is a few bolt one and a cam away from making 350 hp and better. You’ll have no need for aluminum heads for that power level. Nor headers. But there a very nice plus.

For the 413 to make an easy streetable 350+ horse power & great driver, just add if not already equipped, a 4bbl. intake and carb, stock 4bbl. camshaft. As long as the long block is in good shape. If it needs a rebuild, your budget will be shot.
 
Below is a 400B/727 in a ‘71 Duster. I used a 440 Source aluminum W/P and housing for the later years which is an easy hose match for the small block radiator. It is a Summit aluminum radiator, electric choke TQ on a Holley Street Dominator, B body headers into the A body, of which I’ll never do again! But it did work with some BFH clearancing.

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big blocks are a pain in the a$$ , specially if you want headers and such , doing it over again , I`d go big smallblock , maybe a store bought/blueprint engine .
I bought a Duster with a B-engine on elephant ears and have always said that when the starter goes out I'm pulling the motor and replacing it with a small block.
 
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This is my .02

When I was building my 67 dart. I had the choice of an unknown built 360. The desirable 340 and I scrounged up a 440 block.

I chose the 340 and sold the rest. After spinning a rod bearing I stroked the 340 into a 418 with w2 heads. Bad machine shop choice and had to redo engine, but stumbled on Indy 360-1 heads.

Lots of power and fun to drive, but big block still sits in back of the brain. So......

Now I am working on a stroked 400 to 512 with a t56 and plan to dump that into the dart and take the small block and dump into a 96 Dakota. Now fuel prices have me reconsidering the idea, but lots of torque down low and an overdrive keeps me moving forward.

The small block needs to rev to make power but that is head choices
 
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

Well there you go. Hone the 413 with torque plates, file to fit Speed Pro rings, new bearings, high pressure oil pump relief spring, polish the crank, good oil pan and pickup, windage tray, 280 duration .450-.500 lift cam, valve springs, double roller timing chain, stainless exhaust valves, good valve job, good intake and at least a 750 cfm carb, recore the radiator with a 3 row core. Probably at least 400 hp and 500 ftlb of torque in a 3,400 lb car. Live forever. Enjoy!
 
This is my .02

When I was building my 67 dart. I had the choice of an unknown built 360. The desirable 340 and I scrounged up a 440 block.

I chose the 340 and sold the rest. After spinning a rod bearing I stroked the 340 into a 418 with w2 heads. Bad machine shop choice and had to redo engine, but stumbled on Indy 360-1 heads.

Lots of power and fun to drive, but big block still sits in back of the brain. So......

Now I am working on a stroked 400 to 512 with a t56 and plan to dump that into the dart and take the small block and dump into a 96 Dakota. Now fuel prices have me reconsidering the idea, but lots of torque down low and an overdrive keeps me moving forward.

The small block needs to rev to make power but that is head choices


Sorry I had to give you a disagree because it isn’t true. That is unless you consider 6400-6600 high.
 
I'm on my 7th classic Mopar owned. And none had small blocks.

My thoughts. Why own a small block if big blocks exist? (Maybe if doing something crazy with a sub-compact?)

JMO.
 
Owning a big block is like having that gun laying on the night stand next to your bed. You probably don't need it, but you sleep better at night knowing it's there if you need it. Are you really worried if it's easier to change the plugs, oil filter, or if the headers are a little more work? All I am hearing in 2 pages of post's is how you should go the easy route and that a big block is just to much work and trouble. Want to guess which engine I would use?

Tom
 
440-512 CI and just ease the pedal and have fun.
Use the Trick Flow top end package for reliable and easy 600 Hp.:D
No need to put the labor in the small block platform for a laboring engine to achieve the same result.
If you're going to do it, do it right, once.:D
 
Owning a big block is like having that gun laying on the night stand next to your bed. You probably don't need it, but you sleep better at night knowing it's there if you need it. Are you really worried if it's easier to change the plugs, oil filter, or if the headers are a little more work? All I am hearing in 2 pages of post's is how you should go the easy route and that a big block is just to much work and trouble. Want to guess which engine I would use?

Tom



i have both and love both but the average guy is very pleased running low 11’s and super pleased running in the 10’s. With todays heads this is easily accomplished in an A body with an easy to work on, cheap to build, small block Mopar. I love beating big blocks with my little block. Lol
 
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

Put the 360 in the swinger,then find another car to put the big block in.
 
i have both and love both but the average guy is very pleased running low 11’s and super pleased running in the 10’s. With todays heads this is easily accomplished in an A body with an easy to work on, cheap to build, small block Mopar. I love beating big blocks with my little block. Lol

You aren't going low 11's or 10's with a small block for cheap, especially in a street car. Nothing is cheap today. To rebuild an engine isn't cheap, and crate engines that put out enough to send a 3,400lbs car and driver low 11's or 10's aren't cheap either. Maybe the definition of cheap varies.
 
You aren't going low 11's or 10's with a small block for cheap, especially in a street car. Nothing is cheap today. To rebuild an engine isn't cheap, and crate engines that put out enough to send a 3,400lbs car and driver low 11's or 10's aren't cheap either. Maybe the definition of cheap varies.
John is humble. He won't admit his knowledge give's him a one second advantage.
50 years of tinkering with small blocks will do that to a guy.
 
You aren't going low 11's or 10's with a small block for cheap, especially in a street car. Nothing is cheap today. To rebuild an engine isn't cheap, and crate engines that put out enough to send a 3,400lbs car and driver low 11's or 10's aren't cheap either. Maybe the definition of cheap varies.



i ran 11.82 in my 340 back in the 1970’s and I knew basically nothing. Junk H or X heads and a solid cam I grabbed off a store shelf. Knowing what I know now with those pieces and a better converter it would have been 11.50’s. With the parts available now low 11’s would be a cakewalk.
 
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

All other things being equal, my vote is for the 413 because it's MUCH less common.
 
With power steering it is easy to turn still.
I had manual steering in my ‘71 w/the 400B engine. Not hard at all.

From @dodgedifferent2

The small block needs to rev to make power but that is head choices
Disagree. Even more so at his sought after 350 hp goal.
If you're going to do it, do it right, once.:D
I disagree since his HP goal is only 350 HP. That’s easy on ether engine and doing it right is a point of view. The idea and suggestion of doing a 440-512 or what he has, ether a 413 or a stroked 413 is not in his budget.
 
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