Chevy Big-Block Engine Parts Interchange: The Ultimate Guide to Sourcing and Selecting Compatible Factory Parts

by John Baechtel

The venerable Chevy big-block engines have proven themselves for more than half a century as the power plant of choice for incredible performance on the street and strip. They were innovators and dominators of the muscle car wars of the 1960s and featured a versatile design architecture that made them perfect for both cars and trucks alike. Throughout their impressive production run, the Chevy big-block engines underwent many generations of updates and improvements. Understanding which parts are compatible and work best for your specific project is fundamental to a successful and satisfying Chevy big-block engine build. In Chevy Big-Block Engine Parts Interchange , hundreds of factory part numbers, RPOs, and detailed color photos covering all generations of the Chevy big-block engine are included. Every component is detailed, from crankshafts and rods to cylinder heads and intakes. You'll learn what works, what doesn't, and how to swap components among different engine displacements and generations. This handy and informative reference manual lets you create entirely unique Chevy big-block engines with strokes, bores, and power outputs never seen in factory configurations. Also included is real-world expert guidance on aftermarket performance parts and even turnkey crate motors. It s a comprehensive guide for your period-correct restoration or performance build. John Baechtel brings his accumulated knowledge and experience of more than 34 years of high-performance engine and vehicle testing to this book. He details Chevy big-block engines and their various components like never before with definitive answers to tough interchange questions and clear instructions for tracking down rare parts. You will constantly reference the Chevy Big-Block Parts Interchange on excursions to scrap yards and swap meets, and certainly while building your own Chevy big-block engine.

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

John Baechtel served as technical editor of Car Craft Magazine in the seventies, executive editor of Hot Rod Magazine throughout the eighties and then editor of Car Craft again in the nineties. He was a GM motorsports consultant for ten years and then opened a race engine testing facility for over a dozen years before retiring early to write technical and historical automotive books and manage a growing group of automotive high-performance enthusiast websites.

He is a Bonneville racing veteran, 200 MPH Club Member, International FIA speed record holder and avid collector of land speed record memorabilia and LSR model cars. He builds his own race engines and is the author of a dozen technical books on engine building and race car construction. He enjoys researching and collecting vintage engines and speed equipment.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received in a giveaway but was interested because a friend and I are working on a 1970 pickup truck. Found the book to be very informative and easy to read and use. It would be great for anyone interested in working on this type vehicle.

[Emily (Heinlen) Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was way too technical for me, but it is set-up in an easy-to-read manner and someone who is actually looking to work on such an engine should find it very helpful.