the REAL difference between big blocks and small blocks!!!

**XolieX** · 08-02-2003, 09:35 PM

well i know it's obvious the difference in a sb and a bb is the sbf's blocks are smallish and they have the lower number of cubes. and the bbf has a biggish block and has big cubes.

BUT THERE IS A DEBATE!!!!! there is a 400SB and a 390BB. the 400sbf has more cubes than the 390bbf. i think when i looked into my old ford books, there is even a 352bbf.

i'm just bringing this up to get the REAL difference between a bbf and sbs ford straight and dandy. and would like to educate myself a lil more.

the only thing i can think of is the sbf has a shorter stroke than a big block. a short stroke makes a small block and a long stroke makes a big block and maybe something with the bore. but again the 429BBF only has .09 more stroke than the 351w/c. 3.50 compared to 3.59.

please straighten me out!!!!!!
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**Luv70sFords** · 08-02-2003, 09:57 PM

Big block and small block are terms that only really mean anything in the world of chevrolet. Small block was the family of engines based on the 283, big block was the family of engines based on the 396 (or 427, not sure which came first) Untill recently any chevy V-8 was either a big block, or a small block.

Ford on the otherhand, has many different families. The flat head, the Y-block, FE, MEL, windsor, 335 series, and 385 series.
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**mavman** · 08-02-2003, 10:42 PM

Actually...Ford made a 332" FE big block. Had a 4.000" bore and a 3.3" stroke (or something along those lines.) The 351w is actualy larger displacement, but as far as size and weight go the 332 takes the cake hands down. When it comes to Ford engines, it's hard to consider one a big block and another a small-block. A 400 is almost as wide and just a shade shorter than a 429/460 but is still considered a small-block. Confused yet?

**fogged408w** · 08-03-2003, 12:36 AM

Ya, the chevy world started that crap. What a great way to bench race...

double hump[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_ghey.gif[/img]

big block[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]

rectangle port[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

**ValveTubeHead** · 08-03-2003, 01:09 AM

[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_topicsucks.gif[/img]

just been dying to use this smiley
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**Luv70sFords** · 08-03-2003, 02:11 AM

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On 2003-08-03 00:09, ValveTubeHead wrote:
[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_topicsucks.gif[/img]

just been dying to use this smiley

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Not necessarily, a lot of people incoorectly assume that fords can be classified as a "big block or "small block". Sure some are small and some are big, but thats where it ends. I'll bet $50 that Olie wasnt the only person on this list that was confused by this.
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**MightyMach** · 08-03-2003, 03:08 AM

the only thing i can think of is the sbf has a shorter stroke than a big block. a short stroke makes a small block and a long stroke makes a big block and maybe something with the bore. but again the 429BBF only has .09 more stroke than the 351w/c. 3.50 compared to 3.59.

please straighten me out!!!!!!

Stroke has nothing to do with it. The 400 utilizes the largest stroke of a ford...4 INCHES!! ANd that is a small block! I am not sure either what the main difference is between a BB and a SB...But about the only thing I can think of is the Bore spacing. The 400 shares this with the rest of the small blocks. Bell housing bolt pattern cannot be it because of the damned 400...the Cleveland uses BB dizzy, and roller rockers...only thing I can think of is bore spacing..

JG
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**kewolfe** · 08-03-2003, 03:17 AM

There's the 351W, classifed as a small-block, and then there's the 351C, classified as a big-block...

The terms might have been closely related to engine displacement at one point, but like these guys have said, the terms don't really mean anything that is all that useful or consistent for Fords.
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**Wookie1** · 08-03-2003, 03:17 AM

I believe the difference is 2 things - deck height and bore spacing. The deck height allows for longer stroke while maintaining a favorable rod length/stroke ratio. The bore spacing allows for larger bores, such as the 4.26" on the FE 427. The bigger blocks often don't fit well in smaller cars, such as the Falcon, without some massaging of shock towers etc.

**MonsterMach** · 08-03-2003, 03:53 AM

I say it has primarily to do with bore spacing and along with that the ability to accomodate bigger bores.

That doesn't necessarily mean large bores are always used in conjucnction with wider bore spacing, but it clearly does mean that bigger bores are made possible.

Hence ... bigger engines in terms of C.I. are possible.

"Big Blocks" make bigger engines possible.
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