400 Big Block Right???
Elder User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 526
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From: Sin City, USA
Every chebbie guy I know that knows what a 409 is, will tell you it's a big block. It has the same bore spacing as a bbc, 4.84", and you can run bbc rods in a 409. It really falls into a category with the FE. Both were GM and Ford's attempts to develop an engine family that could be expanded to more than 400ci.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 65
Likes: 1
From: Montrose
one cruise night I had to get a cop to tell a guy to leave because he was making such an *** of himself.[/quote]
Funny
Back in Texas I operated a wrecker service for about a decade and got into it with a 1 man wannabe shop owner / operator about this issue. He was one of those knowitall types, never will forget him "grandaddy, grandaddy isn't a 351M a big block
?? tell him grandaddy"
OMG what an idiot he was
, I just let it go to keep his customers biz
Funny
Back in Texas I operated a wrecker service for about a decade and got into it with a 1 man wannabe shop owner / operator about this issue. He was one of those knowitall types, never will forget him "grandaddy, grandaddy isn't a 351M a big block?? tell him grandaddy"OMG what an idiot he was
, I just let it go to keep his customers bizYep, I got your point but I don't know a single chebbie guy that knows jack squat about a FE so using the 351W to 400 bearing comparo will stump them. In my earlier post I made mention that a 351W dizzy will work in a 400 if you change the drive gear so that too is a point that you can stump the car show know-it-alls with--and trust me, I've never met any that knew the 335 and 385 hared a dizzy! I've had to use all these points and I've had plenty of guys stand around my car for hours and tell me that I was wrong and that a 400 is a big block. At one cruise night I had to get a cop to tell a guy to leave because he was making such an *** of himself.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Yep, I got your point but I don't know a single chebbie guy that knows jack squat about a FE so using the 351W to 400 bearing comparo will stump them. In my earlier post I made mention that a 351W dizzy will work in a 400 if you change the drive gear so that too is a point that you can stump the car show know-it-alls with--and trust me, I've never met any that knew the 335 and 385 hared a dizzy! I've had to use all these points and I've had plenty of guys stand around my car for hours and tell me that I was wrong and that a 400 is a big block. At one cruise night I had to get a cop to tell a guy to leave because he was making such an *** of himself.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,507
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
Every chebbie guy I know that knows what a 409 is, will tell you it's a big block. It has the same bore spacing as a bbc, 4.84", and you can run bbc rods in a 409. It really falls into a category with the FE. Both were GM and Ford's attempts to develop an engine family that could be expanded to more than 400ci.
BUT a 348 uses the same block. so what you are saying is that a 348 is also a big block?
and the FE ford also had the 331 FT and 332 FT. are they also "big blocks"
what about the 4.6 and the 5.4? they are both larger than all the other engines. are they big blocks?
this is why we use engine series for our engine descriptions.
ford has 10 different V8 series engines
chevy used 3 V8 engines
265 to 400 cid, small block
348-409-427 "W" head block
and the 396 to 454 big block
Elder User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 526
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From: Sin City, USA
Speaking of LA and FE's, I knew a wealthy man in Monroe that had an original '67 street Cobra. Those cars came with a 428 PI motor, not a NASCAR 427 like the S/C cars. The car had been modded over the years and had the roll bars, side pipes, and other S/C components added to it. Also, the 428 had been balanced/blueprinted, had ported Hi-Rise heads, hot solid lifter cam, and a 4 Weber intake added. I can't count all the guys that have argued with me that ALL Shelby Cobras had a 427 Hi-Rise motor. I will say, that was the nastiest car I've ever ridden in....it would jump sideways and boil the tires when you would downshift from 4th to 3rd and floor it.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
I see you're from S. Louisiana. Where a bouts? I grew up in north central LA, not far from Ruston and West Monroe...half way between and due south.
Speaking of LA and FE's, I knew a wealthy man in Monroe that had an original '67 street Cobra. Those cars came with a 428 PI motor, not a NASCAR 427 like the S/C cars. The car had been modded over the years and had the roll bars, side pipes, and other S/C components added to it. Also, the 428 had been balanced/blueprinted, had ported Hi-Rise heads, hot solid lifter cam, and a 4 Weber intake added. I can't count all the guys that have argued with me that ALL Shelby Cobras had a 427 Hi-Rise motor. I will say, that was the nastiest car I've ever ridden in....it would jump sideways and boil the tires when you would downshift from 4th to 3rd and floor it.
Speaking of LA and FE's, I knew a wealthy man in Monroe that had an original '67 street Cobra. Those cars came with a 428 PI motor, not a NASCAR 427 like the S/C cars. The car had been modded over the years and had the roll bars, side pipes, and other S/C components added to it. Also, the 428 had been balanced/blueprinted, had ported Hi-Rise heads, hot solid lifter cam, and a 4 Weber intake added. I can't count all the guys that have argued with me that ALL Shelby Cobras had a 427 Hi-Rise motor. I will say, that was the nastiest car I've ever ridden in....it would jump sideways and boil the tires when you would downshift from 4th to 3rd and floor it.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
BUT a 348 uses the same block. so what you are saying is that a 348 is also a big block?
and the FE ford also had the 331 FT and 332 FT. are they also "big blocks"
what about the 4.6 and the 5.4? they are both larger than all the other engines. are they big blocks?
this is why we use engine series for our engine descriptions.
ford has 10 different V8 series engines
chevy used 3 V8 engines
265 to 400 cid, small block
348-409-427 "W" head block
and the 396 to 454 big block
and the FE ford also had the 331 FT and 332 FT. are they also "big blocks"
what about the 4.6 and the 5.4? they are both larger than all the other engines. are they big blocks?
this is why we use engine series for our engine descriptions.
ford has 10 different V8 series engines
chevy used 3 V8 engines
265 to 400 cid, small block
348-409-427 "W" head block
and the 396 to 454 big block
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 831
Likes: 1
From: Tanilba bay NSW Australia
The late model modular ford V8's are pretty big. One method to determine big block (unofficially and I believe one way to stop the arguement) is to use bore spacings. Nearl all the ford small blocks and probably the chevvies too use a 4" piston. Once you get int BB territory they are bigger and the bore spacings jump a lot. In aussie also there is not the multude of the old cars with the vast differing array of motors. They're around but not as many. I bet you one thing though, if you tried to tell a dyed in the wool 429-460 owner that the 351-400 is a big block they'd laugh at you. Know-it-all's are every where especially in car clubs (actually any club). It only takes one. Must say I was a bit insufferable (read opinionated)when I first started shooting and I was sucking up any info I could and repeated it verbatim. Biy more grown up now. If I truly can't handle or diagree with some-one especially if I don't like them LOL I just let them go. Those types won't listen and will never agree no matter the information provided. They are only voicing their interpretation of information, not true knowledge.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 65
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From: Montrose
CORRECTO
When I worked on helicopters, the know-it -alls were NEVER left alone around an aircraft because they are just to dangerous. If you can't admit you don't know something...you will never learn anything new
The best aircraft mechanic I ever met was my inspector at a completion facility, he was a simple man, a family man, a combat boot wearin Veitnam Vetern who when he didn't know the answer would say "lets go look it up and then we will both know" damn I miss working with that guy
When I worked on helicopters, the know-it -alls were NEVER left alone around an aircraft because they are just to dangerous. If you can't admit you don't know something...you will never learn anything new The best aircraft mechanic I ever met was my inspector at a completion facility, he was a simple man, a family man, a combat boot wearin Veitnam Vetern who when he didn't know the answer would say "lets go look it up and then we will both know" damn I miss working with that guyThe late model modular ford V8's are pretty big. One method to determine big block (unofficially and I believe one way to stop the arguement) is to use bore spacings. Nearl all the ford small blocks and probably the chevvies too use a 4" piston. Once you get int BB territory they are bigger and the bore spacings jump a lot. In aussie also there is not the multude of the old cars with the vast differing array of motors. They're around but not as many. I bet you one thing though, if you tried to tell a dyed in the wool 429-460 owner that the 351-400 is a big block they'd laugh at you. Know-it-all's are every where especially in car clubs (actually any club). It only takes one. Must say I was a bit insufferable (read opinionated)when I first started shooting and I was sucking up any info I could and repeated it verbatim. Biy more grown up now. If I truly can't handle or diagree with some-one especially if I don't like them LOL I just let them go. Those types won't listen and will never agree no matter the information provided. They are only voicing their interpretation of information, not true knowledge.
Elder User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: Sin City, USA
I'm in Opelousas, originally from east Texas (Silsbee) My Brother lives in Ruston now. Speakin of Monroe, I used to load cottonseed oil at the oil mill in West Monroe. There was a guy across the street that did restoration work on old cars. At one point he had two original Cobra's in in his shop (he had a big store front window you could see the cars through) one was a 427 car, the other a 289. Both were owned by someone from Florida though. Very few Cobra's had the highriser 427, that was primarily the motor installed in the T-Bolt Fairlanes and drag Galaxies. Most BB Cobras had the Low or Medium riser motors. My 67 Mustang had a 427 2x4 lowriser in it, first time I built it, I stroked and bored it to a 454, the second go round I destroked it back to a 427. Lets see, halfway between Ruston and Monroe, that would be about in Chatham or Eros ? Did a few drilling rigs back in those woods.
I remember that shop. It was in the old downtown part of W. Monroe. I was just back there over Christmas and that whole area has changed. The old mill has been torn down.
Elder User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: Sin City, USA
BUT a 348 uses the same block. so what you are saying is that a 348 is also a big block?
and the FE ford also had the 331 FT and 332 FT. are they also "big blocks"
what about the 4.6 and the 5.4? they are both larger than all the other engines. are they big blocks?
this is why we use engine series for our engine descriptions.
ford has 10 different V8 series engines
chevy used 3 V8 engines
265 to 400 cid, small block
348-409-427 "W" head block
and the 396 to 454 big block
and the FE ford also had the 331 FT and 332 FT. are they also "big blocks"
what about the 4.6 and the 5.4? they are both larger than all the other engines. are they big blocks?
this is why we use engine series for our engine descriptions.
ford has 10 different V8 series engines
chevy used 3 V8 engines
265 to 400 cid, small block
348-409-427 "W" head block
and the 396 to 454 big block
A FE is a FE, a 335 is a 335, and a 385 is a 385.....and a chebbie motors is something I'll never own!
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Ah, know where you're talking about, back in the sticks between Columbia and Eros. Ran thru there once on La 4. Ran it all the way across to Ringold that time to pick up a load of lumber. I'd like to find a place up in there to retire on maybe one day. Property values have gone way up though since the gas drilling into the Haynesville Shale.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,937
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From: wyoming
400 ford small block and big block.
small block mains and small block crankshaft at flywheel bolts. cleveland valve covers. 4" bore like small block. but distributor will fit big block. I'm a big block guy but recently went with a 400 ford because of the lighter weight compared to bbf. also don't forget the FMX situation. not many around but thats another issue for the ill informed. I say big smallblock. I believe its barret motorsports that does the pullin truck motors and can go 496" with a 400 ford, crazy extreme but it can be done. 400 has some serious potential if willin to spend some money. popular hotroddin engine master challenge has shown what the 400 can do! the builder picked this engine for a reason per rules/application. then took the 400 to the extreme and won by one of the best engine builders in the country. he didn't win by accident or pick this engine by accident. jon kasse knew the combinations potential and made it happen. big small block is the way i like to see it. it has its limitations but once you know what they are and work around them.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 312
Likes: 1
Despite popular believe, the FE motors aren't big blocks, and are actually classified as mid-blocks. Also, the 335 series motors aren't big blocks either, most people aren't aware the the 351M actually stands for 351 Michigan, not modified.
