These Are Some Of The Biggest Small-block Engines Ever Built

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In automotive nomenclature, small-block V8 engines are typically physically smaller than their big-block counterparts, hence nan nickname. With immoderate exceptions, nan piston bores, stroke, cylinder caput ports, and valves are each smaller than their big-block counterparts. That said, immoderate small-block V8 engines are saturated and stroked to rival, aliases moreover exceed, nan displacement of definite big-blocks, though they stay successful a much compact package. It's for illustration nan aged jumbo shrimp oxymoron.

Knowledgeable readers already knew that nan 400 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 would make nan database of nan biggest small-block engines ever built. Its displacement is larger than some of nan lesser big-blocks for illustration Chrysler's 383 and Chevy's ain 396 — though from 1970-onward, nan 396 was really 402 cubes. This large mouse centrifugal was disposable from 1970 to 1980 successful bigger rider cars and trucks, but successful spite of its jumbo bore and stroke, nan 400 wasn't really tuned for performance. At it lowest Malaise Era specs, it only made 145 horsepower.

In nan mid-2000s, Chevy erstwhile again shattered nan small-block mold pinch its whopping 7.0 liter LS7 V8 which recovered its measurement nether nan hood of definite Corvettes. In position of cubic inches, 7.0 liters is adjacent to 427 c.i., which happens to beryllium nan aforesaid displacement arsenic nan famed big-block which powered nan astir ferocious Corvettes — and immoderate different special-order rider cars — of nan precocious 1960s. The 2006 Corvette Z06 pinch an LS7 produced 505 horsepower, which is really much than those storied 427 big-blocks of yesteryear.

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We've spent immoderate clip discussing Chevy's 400 small-block, but did you cognize that Ford besides had a competing 400 cubic inch small-block V8? Called nan 400M, this motor debuted successful nan early 1970s and seemed promising — astatine slightest connected paper. That's because it shared architecture pinch nan performance-oriented Cleveland family of engines specified arsenic nan 351 Cleveland, which were named aft Ford's Engine Plant Number 2 successful Ohio.

However, overmuch for illustration Chevy's 400 small-block, nan Ford 400M was chiefly designed to supply a small other torque for pushing astir onshore barges and trucks. It was saddled pinch small, open-chamber cylinder heads and only ever disposable pinch a two-barrel carburetor. It accomplished what Ford had successful mind, but capacity enthusiasts preferred nan smaller yet much powerful 351 Cleveland — a favourite of hot rod motor swaps for illustration nan one in this 1923 Ford Model-T. 

Besides a litany of boring FoMoCo sedans, nan 400M besides powered immoderate F-series pickups and second-generation Bronco SUVs. It's worthy noting that while nan bluish oval called this motor a 400, it really displaced 402 cubic inches which somewhat bests nan Chevy 400 c.i. V8 of nan aforesaid era.

Chrysler's introduction into nan biggest small-block sweepstakes doesn't displace astir arsenic overmuch measurement arsenic its Big Three competitors. Still, nan Chrysler 360 is much memorable successful immoderate ways and surely of greater liking to capacity enthusiasts. The 360 cubic inch Mopar small-block is portion of nan brand's LA (Lightweight A) bid that debuted successful 1964. The LA V8s started pinch a humble displacement of 273 cubes, but later grew to 318, 340, and yet 360 cubic inches.

Chrysler's 360 small-block wasn't released until 1971 and soon thereafter, its capacity started to falter. Like truthful galore different V8 engines from nan 1970s and early-1980s, nan 360 was choked pinch primitive emissions devices and little compression ratios. One objection to nan lackadaisical 1970s 360 was its usage successful Dodge's 1978 L'il Red Express musculus motortruck — a conveyance deemed one of nan astir American ever. 

See, initially, pickup trucks were exempt from stricter emissions rules that afflicted cars. This allowed Dodge to crank up nan L'il Red Express' 360 to a then-impressive 225 horsepower — much than nan Chevy Corvette's optional L-82 engine. In a Car and Driver test, it was nan fastest American car to accelerate from 0 to 100 MPH that year.

In 1992, nan mundane 360 sewage a superior glow up pinch physics substance injection, a higher compression ratio, amended breathing cylinder heads, and a caller sanction — nan 5.9-liter Magnum V8. The 5.9L Magnum was nan top-dog motor action successful Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep trucks and SUVs until nan third-gen Hemi splashed onto nan segment successful 2003.