History Happy 70th Birthday To The Small Block Chevy!

You know, I have never heard that Chevrolet or Chevy is an acronym for something, like Ford is. Found on road dead, funny old rebuilt Dodge, first on recycling day...

 

I’m a life long Chevy guy, but still, here’s one-
Chevrolet, Chev-Ro-Let, take it home and let it set.

 

I've been one of those that would prefer my outside choice (Mopar) over the everyone's got 'em Chevys.
I understood the appeal as the common, fully researched, mild to wild and all that, but actually never owned one until this past May. It's still a mystery what it is really built as, but it's more than enough for the car at this point. I haven't done anything so stupid as to test it's limits, so it hasn't exceeded expectations. I'm happy so far.

 

I'd say a 327 350 hp would be my favorite. I go to a model engine show every Jan. There was a guy that built a 350hp to scale, had 1 inch pistons and ran. Even the fuel pump worked, and he built a cam grinder to do his own cam to spec. I teased him that it should have hydraulic lifters. He said he cheated and made them as solids. But then he pulled one out of his pocket that was a hydraulic, might have been 1/8 inch diameter. He said he had to build one just to prove he could. He died a few years ago, I wonder what happened to it.

 

Small bit of trivia, the why and why not's have been long debated.
Many that live on the fringe of this subject aren't aware that the 327/325 hp (L79) engine is exactly the same engine internally as the 350 hp rated engine.
The 67 Malibu version used the 325 hp designation as did the 67 Nova, though the Nova used a cast iron intake with a quadrajet carburetor instead of an aluminum intake and Holley carburetor, only six or seven 1967 Novas' were built with the L79 engine.
The 1968 Malibu and Nova L79 cars also utilized the steel intake and Quadrajet combo.

 

Like 'em or not, the S.B.C. is the best H.P. /per pound/per $ out there!

 

I can not come close to all the small blocks ive had in my lifetime. Easily 50. i have 2 extra right now. A stock 1959 power pack and an l79 i just freshened up

 

Nestled in my 1937 Ford