Oldschool V8's - What did they weigh?

**Intrepidman** · 01-19-2011, 11:10 AM

Hey guys, I'm wondering if anyone has info (or knows where to find it) on the oldschool V8's from the 60's and 70's that used to come in F-bodys, Vette's and other hot GM's of the day...like Olds and Buicks.

I can find a lot of info on how to identify and rebuild them, and performance info (both as factory rated, and practically estimated), but I can't find anything about thier "as dressed and running" or even "bare longblock" weights.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I could actually use the same info on the GM manual 3 & 4 speeds and Auto 3 & 4 speeds of the day as well...if anyone knows.

**FasstChevys** · 01-19-2011, 11:13 AM

IIRC I've always thought a big block Chevy was ~700 lbs, give or take a few, and of course, lighter with aluminum intake & aluminum heads.

**redbird555** · 01-19-2011, 11:30 AM

Small blocks fully dressed were around 490-550 depending on aluminum heads and intake while big blocks tipped the scales at 625ish-700 again just depending on what they came with.

**pajeff02** · 01-19-2011, 12:34 PM

550 lbs. is the standby for a dressed SBC if I recall correctly. Lots of good books out there on these engines.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 01-19-2011, 12:58 PM

Elephant motor (426 Hemi) weighed in at around 900 +/- 50 lbs. That's the dressed weight. Y-block design + massive heads account for most of that.

**02ragtop t/a** · 01-22-2011, 05:33 PM

1975 Pontiac 455 complete engine weighed around 800 lbs. Complete: heads, intake, carb, etc. B-W S/T-10 4 spd around 100 w/alum case, 175 w/ iron case.

**Tobynine9** · 01-24-2011, 04:19 AM

Cadillac 472/500 weighed only 625.

Someday, when I'm old and wealthy, (assuming we're not all speaking Chinese by then), I'm gonna build a sleeper '65 Coupe DeVille with a rodded out 500.

**Never-Enough** · 01-24-2011, 07:26 PM

Mmmmmmm old school muscle. I'll take a '70 Chevelle SS w/a big block please.

**Smittro** · 01-24-2011, 08:20 PM

Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick had their own v8's way back when...

They are also the heavier ones too.. The chevy small blocks and big blocks were lighter in comparison..iirc

However if you were looking for torque, the Old's, Pont, buick was the way to go..

They had a wider "v" angle than the SBC and BBC's..

The wider the v, the more/wider torque..

**Intrepidman** · 01-25-2011, 07:24 AM

I actually just read a few sources that claimed Buick V8s were the lightest of thier day (when it came to 454/455). They all stated the reason was that Buick blocks were produced using an alloy that contained more nickle (which makes iron stronger) allowing them to make a block using less material than a Chevy, for example. Other manufacturers, like Chev, had to use more of a weaker material to achieve the same strength....though many of the same sources say Chevy went further and used even more material, making thier blocks even heavier, but also stronger than Buick.

The two articles I read both failed to include weights of the bare blocks or engines, but both states that the Buick 455 would be approximately 150lbs lighter than the 454 (but I'm uncertain to weather part of that 150lbs was attributed to an aluminum intake manifold on the Buick, or if that entire difference was supposed to be attributed to the block itself)

Not sure how reliable those sources were of course ... internet and all.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 01-25-2011, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick had their own v8's way back when...

They are also the heavier ones too.. The chevy small blocks and big blocks were lighter in comparison..iirc

However if you were looking for torque, the Old's, Pont, buick was the way to go..

They had a wider "v" angle than the SBC and BBC's..

The wider the v, the more/wider torque..

Please explain this "wider V" angle thing. As I'm lead to believe all modern V8 engines are in the shape of a 90 degree V.