Chevy Big Blocks

I've owned two big blocks in my life (396 & 427) and both were very good engines but I'll have to admit that the 396 "rat motor" was the best of the two. Neither one of these engines required a lot of maintenance and both ran very well and even gave decent gas mileage if you drove them properly (which I dd occasionally). I wonder if it was the environmental rules or was it something else that killed the big block?

Reply to
Rich B
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the Gas Embargo of the 70's, along with the enviromental laws, I'm sure GM could have added emissions stuff to the big V-8's of the day, but the fuel crisis was the last nail in the coffin.

Reply to
Paradox

I thought that the big block was still available as a heavy duty service engine? Don't marine & truck motors still use the big block?

Reply to
Lanze

"Rich B" wrote

They are still around. GM has the 8.1 big block available in the new trucks. Mind you, it's been re-designed.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

But, is the re-designed engine as good as the original? I know that when they did the redesign of the 262 (?), it actually was supposed to be better than the original.

Reply to
Rich B

The new Big Blocks are supposedly far better designed than the old 396/427 technology. To start with, the engines are rollerized, with a roller camshaft and roller rockers. Check out the ZZ502 that GM Goodwrench puts out. Here are a couple of links:

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Reply to
Sting Ray

My daddy had a 396 in a 68 Chevy Step Side pick up. Went like hell. For some reason the dealer ( or GM ) wanted to buy that truck back a few years after he bought it. Something about it being to fast , I was to young at the time to remember. Brother # 2 run it under a semi trailer in 1974 and caught the dolly wheel's, damn near chopped himself in half at chest level, Then we ended up with the Blue Dog - a 1974, 454 Chevy Cheyenne Step side Pick Up.

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~269,000 miles_~_~_
Reply to
Harry Face

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