400 SBC vs 454 BBC

[peats]

my 406 cost me $1800 for a professional rebuild. runs like a top. no issues at all. it all depends on your wallet.

 

[BigBlackChevy77]

I plan on building the motor myself for getting the knowledge on how to do so and for costs. Still need to have both blocks sonic checked and cleaned regardless. I would say money isn't that big of a deal based on the fact that it's going to be built slow and is in no rush. I could put it in next month or next year. Not really rushing building it. I would like having the fact that I have a 400 SBC in my truck as they are very torquey, rare and kinda cool. But can't deny BBC rumble or power...

 

[DirtyDYT]

Put a BBC in your BBC!

 

[BigBlackChevy77]

Put a BBC in your BBC!

Lmao that's another part of it, be a hell of a joke

 

[GMFORLIFE]

The 400 is junk..over heating problems .reason they had such a short life.

 

[dvdswan]

If you're going to run 40s you'll want to upgrade your axles as well. just my .02 cents.

 

[BigBlackChevy77]

If you're going to run 40s you'll want to upgrade your axles as well. just my .02 cents.

Yea the plan is dana 60 front and 14 bolt ff

 

[shiftpro]

Yea the plan is dana 60 front and 14 bolt ff

As you said in your opening post...

 

[Rusty Nail]

I will vote for a 400 sbc over a big blocc anyday.

 

[dvdswan]

As you said in your opening post...

Must have skipped over it. Ooops..

 

[peats]

i disagree with GMFORLIFE. consider a 400 a big block due to displacement and put a big block radiator on it and no worries. don't ask it to do more than it was designed to do and it will last forever. been driving 400's since 1971 and have never had an issue and have never heard of one that failed except for honkey kong but again i think he was asking more than it was designed for. GM built that engine to get the big impalas and caprices going at the stop light with 273 gears and that's exactly what it does. by the way,my reading suggests that a 2 bolt and a 4 bolt have about the same strength and i have read that a 2 bolt may actually be stronger than a 4 bolt. if you need in excess of 500ft/lb of torque by all means go with the big buck (big block)

 

[MikeB]

If the truck already has a small block, going to a BBC means different brackets, pulleys, exhaust, etc.

Nothing wrong with a 406 if done right. I'd ditch the 5.565" rods and go with 5.7" or 6". Of course that also means new pistons and balancing.

Racers skipped the 4-bolt blocks and preferred the 2-bolt block with aftermarket splayed main caps.

Read all you can about 400s and some of their quirks.

 

[BigBlackChevy77]

i disagree with GMFORLIFE. consider a 400 a big block due to displacement and put a big block radiator on it and no worries. don't ask it to do more than it was designed to do and it will last forever. been driving 400's since 1971 and have never had an issue and have never heard of one that failed except for honkey kong but again i think he was asking more than it was designed for. GM built that engine to get the big impalas and caprices going at the stop light with 273 gears and that's exactly what it does. by the way,my reading suggests that a 2 bolt and a 4 bolt have about the same strength and i have read that a 2 bolt may actually be stronger than a 4 bolt. if you need in excess of 500ft/lb of torque by all means go with the big buck (big block)

Yea I've done some reading on the 400 and kind of like the 400. But I would like to be in the upper 400s for hp/torque, forgot to say that in opening post my bad, and I know that is much easier with the bbc. But I know that a 400 SBC isn't too far off in terms of torque.

If the truck already has a small block, going to a BBC means different brackets, pulleys, exhaust, etc.

Nothing wrong with a 406 if done right. I'd ditch the 5.565" rods and go with 5.7" or 6". Of course that also means new pistons and balancing.

Racers skipped the 4-bolt blocks and preferred the 2-bolt block with aftermarket splayed main caps.

Read all you can about 400s and some of their quirks.

It's a bare block currently so definitely going with longer rods on the 400 regardless of where it goes, but not too trerribly concerned about the brackets for the pulleys as I'm sure I can find them. A bbc more or less just "drop in" size wise correct ?

 

[DirtyDYT]

... A bbc more or less just "drop in" size wise correct ?

It should. Dropped one into my 79 C10 (auto) before lunch one day using mostly HFT tools. Only needed to pull the rad to maneuver the engine in safely.



I do like the idea of a 400 by the way. But 454's are cheap and plentiful around here.

 

[BigBlackChevy77]

It should. Dropped one into my 79 C10 (auto) before lunch one day using mostly HFT tools. Only needed to pull the rad to maneuver the engine in safely.



I do like the idea of a 400 by the way. But 454's are cheap and plentiful around here.

Yea just having a 400 in it would be cool as hell to me but for it to have the torque I'm thinking I'll need offroad a 454 is looking like a better choice