Can a small block beat a big block?

Do small block chevys have to be HEAVILY modified to beat a Big block chevy that for instance is only a little modified? what are the benefits for a small block and a big block? and what are the disadvantages, I have a 383 and people keep telling me "big block or no block" and I was wondering if small blocks are able to beat big blocks.Can a small block beat a big block?
power isn't everything. it's all about having the right transmission and a good power-to-weight ratio. tires and rear axle gears are another factor, so are suspension and brakes(at least on a road course).Can a small block beat a big block?
383's and 406's and even 417's (400, .060over) are the effort the achieve what a big block does without being punched out, large displacement, yes with enough money,tuning,traction,and talent a small block can run with a big block however two things must be considered when you talk about a big block first simple modifications on a big block produce rather huge results, increases in compression are easily achieved with slight over bores, in some cases as much gain as boring and stroking a small block thus smaller combustion heads would not be required on the big block, big block gain horsepower by simple add ons, headers and a good dual plane intake along with a 750 cfm will produce larger gains in HP on big blocks so it stands to reason for about the same money you can stay pretty close to HP ratings for the better built small block, also I will never understand why people think small blocks will out rev a big block I have a 472 BB ford and it pulls 7400 rpm at the big end 22 wks a year and have yet to blow the bottom end, some friends I race with have pulled more than that on a consistent basis with a 72 454 block. I wont say small blocks cant out rev a big block but if they do it isn't by much.
You said block. A lot. Lol

depends on alot.

id your small block is in a gutted ford pinto, with carbon fiber wheels, up against a big block shelby, with two people and all the love, it will beat it everyday. But if its both in the same car, same everything, it comes down too which one put out more (probably the big). But whatever you do to a small block, you can do to a big block. (other than turbo. cuz sometimes you will run out of room in the bay).Can a small block beat a big block?
The year was 1966 and Chevy put the L-79 327 SBC in the Chevy ll Nova body and Bill Jenkins proceeded to kick *** and take names against the vaunted Chrysler hemi (back when a hemi was a hemi...not that name dropper they have now). It's not only about engine size but HP to weight ration that determines how well a car performs.
If the small blocks agility was at least 50% of the big block's agility, the small block would have the advantage because it gets a massive agi boost of 4x that of its own agi, increasing its critical percentage and its flee and dodge count dramtically.Can a small block beat a big block?
what noone has said is THE VISUAL of a bad *** BIG BLOCK,,,,, ITS BIG. there is no replacement for displacment.



Dosent mater how bad your small block is ,,,, its still a small block, so keep winnin over big blocks, it is passable, just don't open your hood. youll lose the visual game. BIG BLOCKS LOOK COOLER.
This is too broad.

It is about power to weight, gearing, and traction.

Big blocks make better low end power usually.

Small blocks can rev up higher.

Then again that's just on average.

Valve-train can change all of that too.
yea.. big blocks that aren't modified are powerful but a small block with some money example - upgrade to higher compression pistons.. can be really fast ...most people i know race small blocks... its just that the potential is higher in big blocks
yes. small block with the right transmission and the right rear gear.. it is the combo .. big blocks are known for high torque but small blocks are underestimated on power that can make ..and small block parts are cheaper than big bock parts ..
if your small block is in a lighter vehicle then yes it can
Chevyracer has a good answer, although there's one thing missing. The axiom is "There's no replacement for displacement", but there's also the dollar-per-hp factor for most of us.



A small block can be built to bury a big block dollar for dollar. If you're looking at prepped stock blocks (aftermarket blocks will overcome a lot of what I'm saying here, because of the added engineering to strengthen them), the big block's primary weakness is generally that you cannot reliably rev them. You build them to produce a lot of torque, and you bring that torque all in by a reasonable rpm, unless you want to spend mucho dinero to bolster the stock block and rotating assembly. A small block can be built more cheaply to rev a lot higher, and produce much higher rpms at the same price - essentially beating it based on budget.



If you're looking at spending only a couple grand, you should build a well thought out 383, since you'll get the best power numbers out of a performance 383 than you would a big block that you were forced to keep mild because of your budget. Most of us do not have bottomless wallets, so we're forced to make sacrifices on the altar of economic constraint!
Yes a small block can beat a big block. It all depends on the engine setup, the trans, stall, rear gears, chassis, suspension, tires, etc. It all has to work together.. Plus what weight the car is.



An iron headed small block weights 575 lbs, iron head big block weighs 685 lbs. So the SBC has a 110 lbs advantage



100 lbs = .10 second ET, .10 second = 10 HP



A well though out, pretty mild alum headed and intake 383 can make 450-475 HP real easy and be pretty cheap to build.



It will weight right around 500 lbs and make 450 HP. That will beat ALOT of stock to mild big blocks in the same car setup.



Put the stock big block in a 2800 lbs car and the 450 HP small block in a 4000 lbs car and the BBC car will own the SB car all the way down the track



Same with gearing too. If you want great results it all has to match.



Yes you CAN make more power with a big block because its a bigger displacement and can move more air, but stock or mild is still stock



We're making 500-700 HP out of N/A 350-406 cid small blocks for racing