Best SBC BOOK??

What is the best book to get to learn everything I need to know about the small block Chevy?
Not how to build race motors or even high performance, but one that literally just explains how everything goes together, changes that occurred in different decades, and maybe technical specs.

Anyone who has seen my past posts knows by now that any "expertise" I might possess is in body work, not motors. I never owned a small block Chevy V-8 in my life until a few years ago, and now I have 3 vehicles with them. I am sick of figuring things out one item at a time as they come up, and I'm sick of posting really stupid motor questions here on the HAMB. I want one book that will give me pretty much all I would ever need to know about them. Preferably one that covers all the way up to the year 2000 or even beyond, but certainly up to the 1990s. Any recommendations? Even a textbook of some sort would be fine - I picked up a welding book last year that was really interesting to me. (Yes, I am a geek.)

 

i have a 25 year old copy of " How to Rebuild Your Small Block Chevy" by David Vizard..published by HP books

it goes through all the basics of a rebuild , including a lot of little details that some books miss because they may think you already know. if you read and follow this book , have some basic skills , and can't rebuild a SBC there is no hope for you

 

Small block chevrolet by the numbers it gives you all the casting # for all the parts rods crank heads ect it gives bore and stroke cc of heads and valve size stock

 

I don't think that range can be covered by even 10 books.

 

Any of the David Vizard books are very good but they dont cover the newer stuff (at least the ones I have dont)

 

I'll start with "How to Rebuild Your Small Block Chevy" and maybe go from there. Thanks for the info. It sounds like what I had in mind, except leaving out the Vortec stuff.

I thought there might also be the motor equivalent of those "photo history of ..." books that show model year changes and variations. I guess not?

 

I would have to agree! My copy has grease stains and is dog-eared from being out in the garage for so long. I've rebuilt many a small block by following this book. It also has a good parts number guide to take to swap meets!

Spike

 

I just ordered a copy. (Local bookstores didn't have it in stock.)

By the way, I hope everyone on the HAMB knows about half.com - it is THE best place to get books cheap!

 

how to rebuild your small block chevy by david vizard is the best i have found. and if you need casting #s or to know what is interchangable thats what the internet is for.