Big Blocks and Handling

I've driven a crappy handling 440 Dart, but it was slammed on the ground, /6 torsions, no sway bar, and 90/10 shocks. I've driven poor handling small block B-bodies, and decent handling 440 B-bodies. If weight's your concern, A-bodies can weigh more than some big block B-bodies. We're only talking about 100 pounds from BB to SB, and there's a lot that can weigh much more than that. Considering you can use aluminum parts on a BB, I don't think there's much to worry about. Here are some numbers:

Part....................Weight savings
aluminum heads..........58#
intake..................25#
water pump & housing....15#
headers.................25#
mini starter.............7#
Total savings:.........130#

Manual steering is 37# lighter than power, and a 727 is 75# lighter than an A-833, and who knows how much A/C weighs. Small blocks weigh the same as a slant 6, and the B motors are 95# more than that, so a manual slant 6 or small block with power steering and A/C (guess 60# for that) can weigh 200# more than a 383 or 528 A/T. Relocate the battery, and that's a 50# shift from front to back, so that small block could weigh 300# more up front than your /6 or small block pig.

Here are some real numbers from one of my cars:

'64 GT Dart, 273/904, manual steering and brakes with AC and about 1/3 tank of gas.
Without me
FL:932 FR:960
RL:698 RR:672

1892 front / 1370 rear
3262 total
58% front 42% rear

If I swapped in a big block, with the lighter parts, ditched the A/C, and moved the battery, I end up with this:

1747 front / 1420 rear
3167 total
55% front 45% rear

Less weight, and better front to rear weight ratio.