383 or 318
Ok, that's what I was thinking, so big block or small block won't be much of a difference in the equation as far as parts and labor goes. Thanks!
Ummmmm, yea kind of. Considering I’ve done both a couple of times, the performance ceiling and bang for the buck ultimately is in the big blocks favor. The draw back to the big block could be the same depending on what the car started out with or is still capable of. Here is an example of what I’m trying to get across.
If the car was a slant 6, the radiator might be capable of cooling the small block. But more than likely not the big block. Even the small block radiator falls in with this. Then there’s the age of the part and its efficiency. Since HP creates heat, is the radiator in the car enough. In order to cool down some of the hotter HP engines, I used an aluminum radiator from Summit. Cheap and effective. On the big block in the Duster, the later year 400’s have the later style water pumps with the same set up as the small blocks from the later 70’s. Passenger side lower, driver side upper. Then the same with brakes & suspension.
It’s not a given replacement item but there is the above to ponder and consider a cost to be made and a savings if not spent.
OH! Torsion bars. I see a lot of posts saying the /6 bars aren’t enough. IMO, it’s a personal feel of what you’re willing to or not in living with how the car handles. I lived with /6 bars and the 400 B engine without issue & IMO, it wasn’t bad. The next guy however my state a big LMAO! Then say I’m nutz!
The price of headers are a super small bag of peanuts in the overall expenditure as well as other small parts. The best all around off the shelf header & exhaust system is a TTI set up.
Price differences are laughable. While you could get away very cheaply with a small block exhaust system from Summit with there headers and exhaust system, the same can not be done with a big block and the piper has to be paid a little higher price. For the extra power, the price is worth it.
The other draw back of a big block is weight which can mostly be leveled by aluminum parts to make the big block as light as possible and get it down to about the stock all iron weight of a small block. Not bad IMO. Of course putting the same shoe on a small block just makes it better.
I don’t think ether way is a wrong choice.