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Why I have grown to hate the Small Block Chevy..... an essay

55K views 316 replies 128 participants last post by  Canzus 
#1 · (Edited)
When reading this essay please don't get the idea that I'm bashing one of hot rodding's legendary power plants. I'm not. The small block Chevy is one of the most popular V8 engines ever built. It is reliable and has almost unlimited potential. Then why, you ask, do I hate this engine? The answer is very simple; there are just too damn many of them.

To be clear, the focus of this essay is on Street Rodding. That category which is generally considered to comprise pre 1949 vehicles. These cars and trucks are generally where engine swaps are most common and the builder has almost total control over the choices he makes. When talking about muscle cars or street machines the assertions of this essay won't always apply and that should be kept in mind when reading this paper. I am not condoning swapping out a 350 in a Nova for a Buick Nailhead. Although different, that swap wouldn't make much sense. However when it comes to Street Rods, the SBC has become not much more than a mundane "also ran."

I don't blame Chevrolet for this at all. I blame the people who are building street rods and the way they perpetuate the use of this engine as the solution to all problems and quite simply the "only" way to go. The popular claim that, "It's reliable and cheap to build," just doesn't hold water. Yes it is reliable, however it is NOT the only small V8 out there, and it is no more reliable (and only marginally less expensive to build) than any number of other domestic V8s. A good choice yes, the only choice?.. not by a long shot.

Let me ask you a question? When you go to a car show don't you get tired of seeing the same power plant in almost every street rod you walk by? I sure do. To me there is nothing more boring than another "cookie cutter" street rod powered by a small block Chevy. I have to ask what is wrong with the builders of these cars. Are they so unimaginative that they just have to use what everyone else does? Where is their originality, creativity, and individuality? These people certainly don't seem to lack these qualities when contemplating the paint scheme or the interior accoutrements so when choosing the engine for their street rod why do they "settle" for what can only be described as just another small block Chevy?

When it comes to choosing a reliable engine Ford and Chrysler along with many others have been building and selling reliable V8s for longer than I care to remember. Ford's venerable 289-302 family or Chrysler's 318-360 small blocks are just as reliable and have just as much potential as any SBC every built. So why do people flock to the SBC like moths to a flame? The answer to this question is not what most people want to here. It's because people by nature are just plain lazy.

Now that I've raised the blood pressure of every SBC owner out there let me explain what I mean. When building a street rod (and we're talking about pre-1950 vehicles here) most people for some unknown reason perceive that it is vastly easier to drop in a SBC than going through a little extra work figuring out how to get that Ford small block to clear the front cross member or spending a little time fabricating engine mounts for a Buick Nailhead. These types of problems are not insurmountable and with a little thought they can easily be overcome, but because most people are by nature lazy they take the easy way out and choose the SBC. By choosing the SBC for some reason the perception is that it's easier to do and there are fewer problems to solve. Yes, it probably does save some time and effort but it is not the only solution to the problem. The argument that the SBC is easier to install in most rods just doesn't stand the test when you think about some other V8s. The Chrysler 318 family for example also has a rear sump pan just like the SBC and this engine can be installed in any rod just as easily. This also holds true for several other domestic V8s. True a little thought and possibly a little extra work will have to go into engine mounts but the price of being an individual and a leader is almost always worth the extra effort.

OK so we have now established one reason the SBC is so popular. People by nature are lazy. Now let's look at another reason. People are, for the most part anyway, cheap. Being cheap however is a relative term. For the teenager that is building a 15 year old Camaro on a very tight budget (based on how much he earns flipping burgers after school) this means that every penny has to count and choosing the SBC is almost a necessity. However to the guy who's spending $10 to $20 grand or more on his prize street rod the slight difference in the cost of building a SBC compared to anything else is negligible. The fact that a set of pistons for the SBC costs $40 less than the same set for a Ford or Chrysler small block means nothing to this person. Then why do they "go with the flow" and choose the SBC? Because people also tend to be sheep. That's right; for the most part we are just a bunch of followers.

Anymore it seems to take a special person to break the mold and choose something different. Why else are there so few street rods with real engines like Nailheads, Flatheads, Hemis, BB Chryslers, BB Fords, Olds, Pontiac, AMC and yes even 348-409 Chevys? Because people are way to willing to follow the leader and just do what everyone else is doing. To me this is, to coin a term from the '60s, nothing more than a cop out! If all you want to be is a follower all your life then more power to you, but to the few people left who have the unique ability to think "out of the box" then the SBC is about as boring as they come.

Finally, I'm not blaming anyone for choosing to build a SBC. It is reliable, cheap to build and can deliver lots of horsepower. I've built my share of 302s, 350s and 327s too but one day I opened my eyes and realized that I no longer wanted to be a follower. I no longer wanted to blend into the woodwork and I was willing to take the time, use the brain power and expend the extra effort that it takes to be an individual. I know we are all by nature lazy and building cheap is almost always a necessity, but being a follower is really more of a choice than anything else. Do the hobby a favor and the next time you're considering building a street rod don't be afraid of being creative, or imaginative. For once be an individual and think "out of the box". Choose something other than what has become over the years a "cookie cutter" engine. Of course on the other hand if the entire reason you're building a street rod is to blend in than by all means go with the SBC. After all it is by far the best way to disappear into the crowd.
 
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#177 ·
runn141 said:
and whats the deal with the torque coverter and flywheel being 1 piece on mopar engines. now before you get all emotional im not bashing your mopars
Let me see if I can explain it to you....

An automatic car has a FLEXPLATE and a torque converter. The flexplate bolts to the crank, and the torque converter attaches to it.
Chevy and Dodge, they BOTH have a flexplate and a torque converter.

A FLYWHEEL is used on a manual transmission vehicle.

The RING GEAR, which the starter uses to engage to and turns the engine over, is attached to the torque converter on a MoPar, and it is on the flexplate on a Chevrolet.

End of confusion for you, I hope!
:welcome:
 
#178 ·
I'm not sure I "hate" the small block Chevy!
I think they have their place, but I'll agree- in a street rod I see more imagination shown with a 348/409 or a small block with some pizzaz- maybe a Weber set-up, or a blower, or...

They are the workhorse that made Chevy what it became, and that's saying alot. I think the old SBC has been overdone now, is that the thinking?

There are the LS engines competing for engine compartments now too, high tech engines probably find their way into the big buck rods nowadays more often than a camel hump 327, if you know what I mean.

Cheap, and proven, I don't think they will fade away soon, that's for sure.
 
#180 ·
I'm not that much of a "Ford" guy but that was interesting reading. One has to wonder what Nascar was thinking. Just like today with the "future car" they'll be using in some races next year. Their rule changes and the mandate that all the cars have to be exactly alike have taken all the "competition" out of Nascar racing and now the "racing" they have left takes place in the pits.

And don't even get me started on allowing Toyota to run....... I own one but there's no way a foreign car belongs in Nascar. Someone needs to grab Nascar's management by the nape of the neck and shake some sense into them.
 
#181 ·
Centerline said:
I'm not that much of a "Ford" guy but that was interesting reading. One has to wonder what Nascar was thinking. Just like today with the "future car" they'll be using in some races next year. Their rule changes and the mandate that all the cars have to be exactly alike have taken all the "competition" out of Nascar racing and now the "racing" they have left takes place in the pits.

And don't even get me started on allowing Toyota to run....... I own one but there's no way a foreign car belongs in Nascar. Someone needs to grab Nascar's management by the nape of the neck and shake some sense into them.
nascar is a business, and im sure toyota paid them a significant about of money to run, of course i dont know exactly what the deal is. i bet within the next few years though, toyota will become a serious threat to the big 3 as far as racing goes, new team, new designs. i also bet because of this we will see some new cool block and head designs. did u see the new dodge block, nice block super high cam tunnel and a wet deck. did u ever play around with a nice set of SB2 heads? i think this is a good deal, parts will have to improve.
 
#182 ·
njbloodline666 said:
nascar is a business, and im sure toyota paid them a significant about of money to run, of course i dont know exactly what the deal is. i bet within the next few years though, toyota will become a serious threat to the big 3 as far as racing goes, new team, new designs. i also bet because of this we will see some new cool block and head designs. did u see the new dodge block, nice block super high cam tunnel and a wet deck. did u ever play around with a nice set of SB2 heads? i think this is a good deal, parts will have to improve.
centerline said it right nascar will never let another manufacturer get the upperhand. they want it to be like wrestling all scripted.
 
#185 ·
My 2 cents...

I see centerline's point. I like hotrods because they're individual -- the more so the better. I drive an old car because few others do, more than that I'm building it the way I want to doing stuff that i like and others will probably think is stupid, sometimes on purpose. I'm currently planning to put a new engine in the 67 caddy -- it will proably be a big turbo diesel. It may even be a Ford or Isuzu unit, whatever will fit and give the biggest power.

I say build/buy what you want but don't be offended if it bores people because they've seen it a million times before.
 
#186 ·
with respect to centerline, i disagree. i don't think i follow anyone, and i don't think i'm lazy. i happen to like the s.b.c. because it was the engine of my youth, i understand the thing, and it's like an old friend to me. in short it's a "comfort thing" i guess. if the thing breaks down on the side of the road i at least have a chance of getting a part and fixing it myself, or usually a mechanic in a strange town won't rape me too bad.

how about all the 32 fords running around that have storebought frames, glass bodies, all bolt on components, and of course gets passed off as a 32? it's a 32 like a new hyndai sitting on the showroom floor.

now a 49 merc tubbed and chopped with a high performance flattie----well--now that's different. few years back i was trying to get into the gate at indy raceway park during the street rods nats. there was a guy working the gate who asked me the year of my truck. when i told him it was a 50, he told me i couldn't come in. i asked him if it was o.k. to enter if i was going to work and pointed to the employee parking pass plastered to the windshield. " oh" he says. "that's different". in the meantime they were waving in fiberglass whatzits in left and right.
quite a few of the pictures of the iron on this website are great to look at, and i appreciate the work of many of the craftsmen who hang out here.

i did see one 32 that caught my eye recently. turbocharged 4 banger.

to each his own i guess, but i still like the smallblock. i am going with a 454 with my current project, but i guess when you think about it, they are also in the same boat.
 
#188 ·
#189 ·
redlightning said:
That will be quite the enterprise! They say that in test marketing they had 50% of the people interested or very interested in buying one. It's funny they never used a 56 F100 Ford body though. Guess everyone likes the cookie cutter Chevy body style better. Wonder if they told the people questioned that it had a Ford engine?

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#190 ·
Hate Is A Strong Word

IT IS A VERY STRONG WORD WHEN IT COMES TO AN ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN THE CREAM OF THE CROP ON ALL KINDS OF TRACKS.
THE SBC HAS A VERY LONG HISTORY WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYONE THAT IS OVER THE AGE OF 30. THOSE OF US IN OUR 50'S REMEMBER EVERY YEAR WHEN THE NEW CARS CAME OUT. THOSE WERE SOME GREAT DAYS FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY. EVERY NEIBOR WENT SHOPPING FOR THE NEW FORDS OR CHEVS. AND MOPARS. THE SMALL BLOCK THAT STANDS OUT IN MY MIND IS THE 1969 302 CHEV. I HAVE WON MANY A $5.00 BILL TO THOSE YOUNG-INS THAT THINK THE 302 WAS JUST A FORD MOTOR. THE SB HAS A SOFT SPOT IN MANY HEARTS. IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST ENGINE YOU HAD IN THE FIRST CAR YOU HAD IN WHICH YOU GOT YOUR FIRST NOOKIE IN.
TODAY GUYS MAKE THERE MINDS UP ON WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO USE IN THEIR RODS (I HOPE) FOR MORE THEN JUST BEING LAZY.
THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS OUT THERE TODAY WITH WIREING AND OTHER ITEMS THAT A GUY COULD THROW JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN ANYTHING. SO I HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THIS ESSAY. I HOPE THERE ARE MORE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE THAT DON'T FOLLOW THE MASSES. THEY USE WHAT THEY USE FOR THE LOVE OF THE ENGINE. :boxing:
 
#191 ·
hate the small block Chevy?

I didn't read every post, just the initial rant, and I have another answer for you. I had flatheads, and buick straight eights and fords in the 50's, but i fell in love with the sbc. Owned a 57, 59 and my favorite a 63 327 when I was 20. I've been a Chevy man for over 40 years. I buy Chevy trucks and SUV's for the Chevy motor. I like em, and feel I know em. Why the hell would I put something else in my street rod? Because everyone else likes them too?
 
#192 · (Edited)
KACHINA321 said:
......... I HOPE THERE ARE MORE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE THAT DON'T FOLLOW THE MASSES. THEY USE WHAT THEY USE FOR THE LOVE OF THE ENGINE. :boxing:
The problem is that a lot of people don't use the SBC for the love of the engine. They use it because everyone else is using it, or they're just too lazy to spend the little extra time it takes to install something different. Most people are followers anyway.... It's human nature. Oh yea, please don't post in all caps. It's the same thing as yelling.


oldguy829 said:
I didn't read every post, just the initial rant, and I have another answer for you. I had flatheads, and buick straight eights and fords in the 50's, but i fell in love with the sbc. Owned a 57, 59 and my favorite a 63 327 when I was 20. I've been a Chevy man for over 40 years. I buy Chevy trucks and SUV's for the Chevy motor. I like em, and feel I know em. Why the hell would I put something else in my street rod? Because everyone else likes them too?
I like Chevy trucks too. I buy them and put hemis in them. As for you're love of the SBC that's fine. You say you read my essay but it's obvious that you didn't understand it. As I mentioned above the majority of people put the SBC in their streetrod because because it's easy. They're followers not leaders. That's not to say that a lot of people do it because they like the SBC, but a great number do it because they're just plain lazy.
 
#193 ·
Oh Centerline, Can't we all just get along?? As a die hard Chevy man, I agree.
When it comes to fixing up a street 67 Camaro, my 70 Chevelle, or even a late 60 Chevy pick up, it only makes sense to keep it chevy powered, but when you read Street Rodder and all you see are SBC powered rods, it makes me sick. They get cookie cutter looking, with the only difference being the color they paint the block. What happened to individualizm?? Doing it your own way?? I'm much more impressed when someone took the time, thought, and effort to squeeze in a BBF, a Hemi, or even a nice clean straight 6cyl.
Besides, that leaves much more SBC cores for me! :thumbup:

One other thing just for you, Centerline. A little Viagra for you in the latest Hot Rod magazine....A 57 bel aire with a blown Hemi in it. :drool:
 
#194 ·
Its your choice

I think you can choice to drive whatever you want and have what ever you want in it.. thats what makes a street rod.. i personally don't like people that put a general motors engine in a ford or vice versa.... but what ever... the hole point is to do what you want.. who cares what everyone else thinks... its your ride ... make it like you want it..
 
#195 ·
Great post but have to say no matter how you slice it it hard to beat any any way true reliable true inexpensive true still one of the best overall designed motors alive and as far as getting tired of seeing them get use to it now with the ls-2 and ls6-7's out there hang on it's only getting better and as for fors and dodges with chevys in them there, there for a reason great power combos from a 265 up to a 454 SB
 
#198 ·
small block

boy oh boy what has any of this to do with what a hot rod is or a custom or any thing.We who are old and wise and drive not talk,dont care what any body thinks whats under the hood.In the fiftys we said that.Most guys didnt have hoods.It was and is for alot of us the drive and blowin doors off any body who wants to play.No matter what you run its how fast you wanna go.Not what you got but ask any old drag racer.How much you spend determines how fast.Reliable ,keep it sock stock.You can belittle any engine .cant we live and not :welcome: :welcome: argue with each other over what your running.
 
#200 · (Edited)
Every once in a while someone with the "can't we all get along" attitude dredges up this old thread. That might not be a bad thing..... but when he asks, "what has any of this to do with what a hot rod is or a custom or any thing" its pretty obvious he has no clue. Although he claims to be an old drag racer, it's clear he hasn't been to a major street rod event in the last 30 or 40 years. Anyone who had would understand my original essay. Whether they agree with it or not is neither here nor there, but to ask that kind of a question just shows he's clueless.
 
#201 ·
Centerline said:
Every once in a while someone with the "can't we all get along" attitude dredges up this old thread. That might not be a bad thing..... but when he asks, "what has any of this to do with what a hot rod is or a custom or any thing" its pretty obvious he has no clue. Although he claims to be an old drag racer, it's clear he hasn't been to a major street rod event in the last 30 or 40 years. Anyone who had would understand my original essay. Whether they agree with it or not is neither here nor there, but to ask that kind of a question just shows he's clueless.


Or he never read even the original....



In a while, Chet.
 
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