Don't be a "Big Block" snob... Small Block Musclecars can be fun, fast and way cheaper to build or restore....

Everyone gets caught up in "Big Block" Fever-and will only consider the premium models-especially if your on a tight budget-this really limits you. A small-block car may be the only way some of us can enjoy a classic muscle machine. Here's some examples. # 1. GM "A" body. There are way more Cutlasses, Le Mans, Chevelles, and Skylarks out there from 1968-77 with 350 cubes under the hood than there are with 396, 400 or 454 or 455. The upside is they can usually be bought way cheaper than their big-block cousins, and with a little help from the aftermarket can be made to really run without a huge investment. # 2. GM "F" body. Disco-era T/A's aside-there are way more 1968-81 350 Firebirds and Camaros than there are 396, 400 and 455 versions. In fact-many '77-79 base model, Esprit and Formula Firebirds might have 350 Chevy or 350 Olds engines as well as Pontiacs. The potential of the small-block Chevy is unlimited. We all know that. You can buy or build SBC's with anywhere from 260-550 hp.  With the 350 Olds and Pontiac motors-with intakes, cams, headers, etc-you just accentuate what the factory did-made big torque at low rpm. You can make 350 hp and 400 lbs of torque with these engines pretty easily. That should put a 3,600 lb "F" body solidly in the 13 s.  Beyond that-you need to swap in a 400 or 455 or get nitrous. # 3. Ford Mid-Size. There are WAY more Torinos and Montegos and Mustangs and Cougars built from 1969-76 with 351W, 351C, or 351M motivation than there are 429 or 460 versions. The upside is-351W's and 351C's both have huge aftermarket support and can be made to really run without a huge investment. The 351/400M motors respond ok to basic hot rod tricks-intakes, cams, headers- but their anemic 8:1 compression and huge head ports limit them. Some guys in the "Engine Masters Challenge" have made 500+ hp with 400M's-but their so big and heavy-and the bellhousing bolt-pattern is the same-and they cost no more to buy or build-that you might as well swap in a 429 / 460. # 4.  Chrysler "B" Body. There is a bunch of 318 powered Satellites,Chargers and Coronets, as well as Plymouth Sport Furys and Dodge Monacos-which are techincally "C" bodies-but similar-built from 1968-78. 318 models make nice drivers and get decent gas mileage-but are really underpowered for serious performance work in these big cars. A 360 is a bolt in swap-and Mopar Performance and other people make stroker kits to turn a 360 into a 408. Blueprint engines sells a "Turn-Key" 408 stroker with 375 hp and 460 lbs of torque and a 3 year / 30,000 mile warranty. That should help live out your "Elwood Blues" fantasies pretty good.  # 5. Chrysler "E" body. We all know there are way more 318 Barracudas and Challengers built from 1970-74 than there were big-block models. 318 models can run surprisingly well with basic hot rod tricks-intakes, headers,cams etc- or the 360 or 360 based strokers are a bolt-in. Junkyards are full of Dodge Trucks and Jeep Cherokees with 1992 and later "Magnum" engines-both 318 and 360 cubes-obviously the 360s are more desirable-but "Magnum" heads breathe better than many aftermarket ones, and Edelbrock sells Performer and Performer "RPM" intakes with a "Magnum" bolt pattern. More than enough power to live out your "Kowalski" fantasies. # 6. Short bed 1/2 ton pickups. Millions of short-bed, 1/2 ton, 2wd pickups were built during the late '70's and because of loopholes about GVW-"Gross Vehicle Weight" nearly all of them ( Except California models ) had Catalyst-free pipes until 1978. 350 Chevys and 360 Dodges have great potential. 360 and 390 Fords have the double-whammy of no power and crappy gas mileage-as do the 351 / 400M versions. But their all cheaper than the 440, 454 or 460 relatives. And with aftermarket help-heads,cams,intakes, etc-a "Muscle Truck" can be a fun sleeper. # 7. 1968-79 Chevy El Camino / Ford Ranchero. These Car / Truck hybrids have their own "cult" following. Again-there's way more more 350 and 351W, 351C and 351M versions out there than there are 390,396,429,454 or 460 versions. With any kind of power infusion-your main problem is wheelspin.  Mastermind