View Poll Results: Big block or Small block
Voters: 105. You may not vote on this poll
Big block or Small block
08-15-2007, 10:07 PM
#81
Member
JUNIOR BUILDER
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: sarasota,florida
Posts: 73
Originally Posted by woodsman
Tommy the best thing for any of us to do is take care of our house hold an wife an kids first. Then build the car of our dreams with in our own budgets. My brother and I have tried to stay with the boys with money and it cant be done someone always has more. We on Racing Junk are all at diffrent levels of budgets but I think all have the same goal in mind to have the best and most out of our hobby's. cepx111 has the best quote that we can all appreciate " Racing is a disease for which the only cure is poverty " I think that may be a little extreme but there is a lot of true to that.
but my camaro is a 10 second car,with a 125 shot...and my gn is 11s all day with comfort and a/c,and one heck of a stereo...i have a stage one 9 second motor all new sitting for it,and it dont bother me not having it under the hood...i love race cars and i see many on this site,including yours...i like seeing a extremely clean race car,im more into making them look perfect than crazy fast,ive seen both too,but 10s is fast enough for this guy
11s will do too,heck 12s is faster than most cars on the road...
08-15-2007, 10:11 PM
#82
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 2,890
I'm a little surprised that the s/blk vote is running this close to the boat anchor b/blks (HeHe, don't shoot the messanger) Most of the posters on this forum has bigger CU IN motors than i have dollars in my checking account. I personally as stated earlier have run both big and small mtrs. about 20 yrs. ago i decided to go to s/blks and have accumilated a large quanity of s/blk parts. I couldn't afford to change if i wanted to. Living on SS and a couple rentals, it's just not in my budget. As Wes said he has spent $36,000.00 and change on a long blk. and i'm sure that BJ has spent an equal amount on his vette motor. I never plan to go as fast as either one of these guys but i hope to go to the track and attract some attention with my s/blks. Jeez, a few yrs. ago i was at Huntsville's 1 million dollar race and a youngster from Tx. walked away with $175,000.00 in the ft. brake class running a jeepster, and a friend from Memphis won $150,000.00 plus with his dragster running high 4's. Racing is all about focus and being constistent everytime you show up at the tree. It doesn't matter how much money you have or how fast your car is. We've all watched NHRA events and once you get past the Alcohol cars and prostock cars there is no constistency, it's who doesn't go up in smoke or who peddles best.
Not being a pro, i would sooner go the track and face a person who runs so fast that he/she rarely gets down the track except on a good run than to face a person in a 1972 ford pickup running 9.50's in the 1/8 mi.
It's nice to have the whole crowd over looking at your car and taking pics. etc. but then you go up to the line and blow the tires off or get so out of shape it's impossible to win. You have then devoted your car and yourself to a total hobby and cannot expect to ever get your money back unless it's in match races.
When i had the blower motor in my friends Dodge we never won an event, but it was fun. my friend Jeff has made over $3,000.00 in the last month with his dragster and it only runs 4.90, but it does it every time and he's good on the tree.
I guess i'm trying to say that money is not everything, be it b/blk or s/blk you just have to be on your game and i agree this is the most i've ever seen on a poll of this sort, but my gut feeling is that b/blks should win because ANYONE can build them and make them go fast, but it takes a fool hearted smart person with lots of money to build a s/blk to run with them.
O'K, i'm done :P
Zip.
PS, i still like s/blks and i'm going to run run the Mil. dollar race at Memphis if my friend (Bill Taylor aka BTE) will pay me in, after all he is the sponser.
Not being a pro, i would sooner go the track and face a person who runs so fast that he/she rarely gets down the track except on a good run than to face a person in a 1972 ford pickup running 9.50's in the 1/8 mi.
It's nice to have the whole crowd over looking at your car and taking pics. etc. but then you go up to the line and blow the tires off or get so out of shape it's impossible to win. You have then devoted your car and yourself to a total hobby and cannot expect to ever get your money back unless it's in match races.
When i had the blower motor in my friends Dodge we never won an event, but it was fun. my friend Jeff has made over $3,000.00 in the last month with his dragster and it only runs 4.90, but it does it every time and he's good on the tree.
I guess i'm trying to say that money is not everything, be it b/blk or s/blk you just have to be on your game and i agree this is the most i've ever seen on a poll of this sort, but my gut feeling is that b/blks should win because ANYONE can build them and make them go fast, but it takes a fool hearted smart person with lots of money to build a s/blk to run with them.
O'K, i'm done :P
Zip.
PS, i still like s/blks and i'm going to run run the Mil. dollar race at Memphis if my friend (Bill Taylor aka BTE) will pay me in, after all he is the sponser.
08-15-2007, 11:28 PM
#83
Senior Member
DYNO OPERATOR
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 525
Tommy I can not say anything regarding the rest of your life style. But I will say this regarding your life style on the love for your hobby you have your head on straight in my book. The only one that has to be happy with your build is you. This is one thing that I see at car show all the time. Is you will have a 100k car sitting some what close to a 6k car and the guy with the 6k car is just as proud if not more so then the guy with the 100k car because he has worked hard to get where he's at. He may not win anything but he is still proud of his ride and will just say I'll get them next time. So I say you are spot on with your post and glad to know you.
Zip you too have some great points. I would just like to say that the almighty just gives you one pass. You don't get to make round two so you better make it a good one. So from a long time ago I said to myself after I have seen my first 4.99 1/8 mile pass I said thats what I want to do. Now I was so close with a 5.24 but you know yourself that .25 is quite a ways off but could have done it on the juice but just was not in the cards that time. This time I am holding the deck and I am going to do my best to meet my goal but not at all cost. If I dont make it I can go to my dirt nap saying I gave it one shot and my best shot. I will live with what ever time this car brings. I am sure after my build I will need lots of help from qualified people in all fields to meet my goal.
Zip you too have some great points. I would just like to say that the almighty just gives you one pass. You don't get to make round two so you better make it a good one. So from a long time ago I said to myself after I have seen my first 4.99 1/8 mile pass I said thats what I want to do. Now I was so close with a 5.24 but you know yourself that .25 is quite a ways off but could have done it on the juice but just was not in the cards that time. This time I am holding the deck and I am going to do my best to meet my goal but not at all cost. If I dont make it I can go to my dirt nap saying I gave it one shot and my best shot. I will live with what ever time this car brings. I am sure after my build I will need lots of help from qualified people in all fields to meet my goal.
08-16-2007, 05:23 AM
#85
Senior Member
DYNO OPERATOR
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Moscow Mills, Mo.
Posts: 533
For all of us old guys. You know it's NOT like it used to be. First to the finish line wins. Not anymore. So why build a fast car? I know it's the pride and acomplshment but to me it cost a ton to go fast and is it nessasary unless your running heads up. It's all about bracket racing and has been since racers got tired of the same guy with the most money winning all the time. They changed racing to bracket racing because it was dying out. So in bracket racing you can loose to a daily driver escort or lumina or what ever.
If your not racing as Pro's it doesn't matter how fast you go. I think it's an individual thing to want to go as fast as you can. When I was younger I couldn't go fast enough but now I want to be dead on consistent. I think it's tough to do with a 7 or 8 second door car. I did say door car because the dragsters are deadly consistent going fast. I guess I'm getting off subject but I still tell my sons that love to go fast that consistency is what you should be looking for to win any kind of money. That's how you win in bracket racing now a days.
My camaro runs 10's and it hooks at most tracks. I figure any faster and I'm gunna have another variable to deal with that will not let me go rounds. I have as much fun running 10's as I had running 9's and it doesn't cost as much. When your getting close to retiring that makes a big difference. Just my thoughts
Sorry to get off subject.
If your not racing as Pro's it doesn't matter how fast you go. I think it's an individual thing to want to go as fast as you can. When I was younger I couldn't go fast enough but now I want to be dead on consistent. I think it's tough to do with a 7 or 8 second door car. I did say door car because the dragsters are deadly consistent going fast. I guess I'm getting off subject but I still tell my sons that love to go fast that consistency is what you should be looking for to win any kind of money. That's how you win in bracket racing now a days.
My camaro runs 10's and it hooks at most tracks. I figure any faster and I'm gunna have another variable to deal with that will not let me go rounds. I have as much fun running 10's as I had running 9's and it doesn't cost as much. When your getting close to retiring that makes a big difference. Just my thoughts
Sorry to get off subject.
08-16-2007, 05:48 AM
#86
Senior Member
DYNO TECH
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Leonard, Texas
Posts: 414
I really like SB & BB's. However I think all things being equal, dollar for dollar and pound for pound you can't beat a SB. How many of you think given an equal amount $, for argument sake say $6000. that the BB would make more HP. I think in a real low budget application the BB has an advantage, then that advantage gives way to the SB up to about 700HP. After that, the cost goes up exponentially for each HP gained the parts to make big power at that point are off the charts for either.
I can certainly relate to the family coming first, that's why I've been sidelined for a few years now and just starting to get mine back together. Occasionally we have to put things in perspective, although cars and racing have different levels of importance to each of us, we must keep our priorities straight. For example, I need a new third member right now, but I won't spend the mortgage payment to go get it, even though I want to! :?
I can certainly relate to the family coming first, that's why I've been sidelined for a few years now and just starting to get mine back together. Occasionally we have to put things in perspective, although cars and racing have different levels of importance to each of us, we must keep our priorities straight. For example, I need a new third member right now, but I won't spend the mortgage payment to go get it, even though I want to! :?
08-16-2007, 06:34 AM
#87
Senior Member
EXPERT BUILDER
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 272
oh man, where do I begin on this subject, I could go on for days......
you guys in the posts above are right on with your views of racing......
I always say now to build and race within your budget and be happy with what it runs.
but we can get bit by the "I gotta go faster" bug and these things will turn into a money pit faster than loosing traction and hitting the wall...
When I was racing every weekend, late 70s early 80s, it was for me gotta go faster. The morgage and bills were always paid, but the time and money spent took a big toll on my first marrige. The race car was the "other woman"
Back then you had to race evey weekend to earn points for attending, so you could make it into the bracket finals in the fall. Quite a toll on a marrige when you are married to a woman that thinks all this is stupid and cars are only for going to the mall.
I have seen a few marriges and familys broken up over this drag racing obsession over the years, bankrupcys, and guys in the end having to sell their beloved racecars to pay off the ex wife or divorce lawyer....
I have also seen guys that were very happy with their 13sec, 12 sec 11 sec cars and in no way wanted to go faster. Consistincy was their goal and it paid off with many wins over the years.
And that is really what we need to do, race within our budgets whatever that may be. My idea has been to build a big block, low compression motor, and a car as lite as you can reasonalbly get it.
Low maintenance and consistency is the result, whatever times it runs.
It is no fun to go to the track, pay all that money for tow fuel, admission to get in , just so you can work on the car. I have been there....
These days going 11s or even 10s on a working mans budget is not unreasonable. Cheap to run and one guy can maintain it at the track.
Now the faster you go, the more money and work goes into it, and by the time you are into the 7s money and maintance has gone through the roof for the average guy. Now you need sponsors and buddies to help you with the car at the track . There are always valvesprings and lifters to check and replace, motor tear downs frequently, rings, bearings, rods, ...you gotta replace these things before something comes out of the side of the block.
Not to leave out all the support equipment you need, 1 ton deasil daully truck, big enclosed trailer, full of shop tools and equipment, spare motor, transmissions etc etc.....
So now this becomes a second job... more stress on family life.
Even if you have a supporting wife and family, there is only so much she will take, you dont want to find where that is...
All this may sound strange coming from a guy that is trying to make a living building these cars for guys, but over the years I have seen a many that get in way over their heads, lose interest or their families and sell everything off at less than half of what they got into it
I could go on, maybe latter,
Big block? Small block?, doesnt really matter in the end if you got a court order to sell it all off and give it all the the ex for support.....
build smart, race smart and you can have a fun hobby and a happy family life, and stay in this game for years.....
you guys in the posts above are right on with your views of racing......
I always say now to build and race within your budget and be happy with what it runs.
but we can get bit by the "I gotta go faster" bug and these things will turn into a money pit faster than loosing traction and hitting the wall...
When I was racing every weekend, late 70s early 80s, it was for me gotta go faster. The morgage and bills were always paid, but the time and money spent took a big toll on my first marrige. The race car was the "other woman"
Back then you had to race evey weekend to earn points for attending, so you could make it into the bracket finals in the fall. Quite a toll on a marrige when you are married to a woman that thinks all this is stupid and cars are only for going to the mall.
I have seen a few marriges and familys broken up over this drag racing obsession over the years, bankrupcys, and guys in the end having to sell their beloved racecars to pay off the ex wife or divorce lawyer....
I have also seen guys that were very happy with their 13sec, 12 sec 11 sec cars and in no way wanted to go faster. Consistincy was their goal and it paid off with many wins over the years.
And that is really what we need to do, race within our budgets whatever that may be. My idea has been to build a big block, low compression motor, and a car as lite as you can reasonalbly get it.
Low maintenance and consistency is the result, whatever times it runs.
It is no fun to go to the track, pay all that money for tow fuel, admission to get in , just so you can work on the car. I have been there....
These days going 11s or even 10s on a working mans budget is not unreasonable. Cheap to run and one guy can maintain it at the track.
Now the faster you go, the more money and work goes into it, and by the time you are into the 7s money and maintance has gone through the roof for the average guy. Now you need sponsors and buddies to help you with the car at the track . There are always valvesprings and lifters to check and replace, motor tear downs frequently, rings, bearings, rods, ...you gotta replace these things before something comes out of the side of the block.
Not to leave out all the support equipment you need, 1 ton deasil daully truck, big enclosed trailer, full of shop tools and equipment, spare motor, transmissions etc etc.....
So now this becomes a second job... more stress on family life.
Even if you have a supporting wife and family, there is only so much she will take, you dont want to find where that is...
All this may sound strange coming from a guy that is trying to make a living building these cars for guys, but over the years I have seen a many that get in way over their heads, lose interest or their families and sell everything off at less than half of what they got into it
I could go on, maybe latter,
Big block? Small block?, doesnt really matter in the end if you got a court order to sell it all off and give it all the the ex for support.....
build smart, race smart and you can have a fun hobby and a happy family life, and stay in this game for years.....
08-16-2007, 07:09 AM
#88
Administrator
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Greenville s.c.
Posts: 3,236
everything posted HAS MERIT in its own time and place with individuals..No question about it....good info to live by..
but now back to the SBC vs BBC......
I still challange anyone to prove they can build more HP and TQ with a SBC over BBC...for the money....
All of the recent post above have centered around running within your budget and putting important things 1st and being happy with what you run... ( i agree with all of it)....also keep in mind weather your brakcet racing,street crusing or whatever, its based on CARS that have power which places all of us on another level and free's our spirit...if this wasn't the case then everyone would be running 1987 (4cyl) Ford escorts and cutting perfect lights with 10k worth of electronics on board....of course i am being a little funny here ..but DO YOU SEE MY POINT ?
But let me say after reading this ..it just validates ( in my head anyway) why someone would want to run a BBC over SBC......
example"
LESS MONEY more HP and TQ....and you dont have to turn the piss out of it ...
BBC RULE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WISH I COULD VOTE AGAIN.... :cry: :cry: \
Brian
but now back to the SBC vs BBC......
I still challange anyone to prove they can build more HP and TQ with a SBC over BBC...for the money....
All of the recent post above have centered around running within your budget and putting important things 1st and being happy with what you run... ( i agree with all of it)....also keep in mind weather your brakcet racing,street crusing or whatever, its based on CARS that have power which places all of us on another level and free's our spirit...if this wasn't the case then everyone would be running 1987 (4cyl) Ford escorts and cutting perfect lights with 10k worth of electronics on board....of course i am being a little funny here ..but DO YOU SEE MY POINT ?
But let me say after reading this ..it just validates ( in my head anyway) why someone would want to run a BBC over SBC......
example"
LESS MONEY more HP and TQ....and you dont have to turn the piss out of it ...
BBC RULE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WISH I COULD VOTE AGAIN.... :cry: :cry: \
Brian
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Bjuice..
"I'M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY ! "
08-16-2007, 08:27 AM
#89
Member
JUNIOR BUILDER
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 84
I'm one of those guys that is just as happy with my car as the guy with the $100k car, to me it's not about the money invested its that I built it myself. I like to do all the work I can on mine..and If I don't know how to do it I just want to learn....no matter how much I make I will still want to build it myself.
As far as BB/SB if we brake it down to NA mild upgrades nothing too big done , then what would you pick? It's great to see what you guys pick cuz a bunch have had both before...instead of the guys that have never had one..just jumping on the small block cuz they never had a big block..I'm not going to drop any names...
As far as BB/SB if we brake it down to NA mild upgrades nothing too big done , then what would you pick? It's great to see what you guys pick cuz a bunch have had both before...instead of the guys that have never had one..just jumping on the small block cuz they never had a big block..I'm not going to drop any names...
