Comments: 1-15, 16-22
Heater hoses & lower radiator hose needed to be replaced after 30 years.
Replaced upper radiator hose.
Replaced valve cover gasket.
Bought 4 new tires for the car's Christmas Gift 2002.
This car has more power than I have ever experienced. I have never owned a big block Caprice before, and the power between my 83 Caprice & this Caprice is like night & day.
The one thing I really like about the instrument panel on this car, the a/c is on the left of the steering wheel and radio is on the right. All within reaching distance. You do not have to reach way over to the center of the dash to change the dial on the radio. Wish they would put it back, they had a good thing there.
For such a big car 221.9", this car handles smoothly, can weave in and out of traffic with ease. You could steer this car with one finger on the steering wheel.
This car's only flaw is, it like to drink gas.
In reference to big blocks, the 400 C.I. Chev engine was a small block, not a big block.
Actually any engine block with a displacement of 400 cubic inches or more is considered a "big block" by the automotive industry.
To the person who stated that the auto industry considers anything 400 ci and over a Big Block is making things up.
Small Block and Big Block are Chevy terms used to differentiate between their two 8 cylinder blocks, one which is larger in exterior dimensions to the other. Small blocks are most commonly 305 ci 350ci and 400 ci with many other displacement sizes depending on stroke and bore like the 383 "stroker" engine especially variable in custom and rebuilt engines. The big blocks are actually bigger in outer measurable dimension and are often 454's etc.
No, the 400c.i. is a "big block." 400c.i. and over are big block engines. The person above was correct. I mean how is 400c.i.s small? The biggest production engine was 505, so how is 400 small?
400ci is considered a large bore. there are 400 small blocks and 400 big blocks. its the physical size of the block.
Coming from Germany and driving US cars since nearly 20 years I never heard of a 400 cu Chevy Big Block. 400 is a small block and e.g. 396 is a big block. As the word says the size of the block matters no the displacement.
I have been the proud owner of a big ol 73 Caprice Classic for the last 15 years. It now has 320,000 miles on the same SMALL BLOCK 400 and the same TH400 transmission. Yea the 400 is nothing more than a 350 CID block with bigger bore, valves, and exhaust manifolds. Just try to interchange parts off of your 400 small block onto a big block 454 and see how far you get, but I can sure interchange almost all parts off a small block 350 onto my 400. Please don't call my 400 small block the same as a big block 454 or 427 cause it is not. I ought to know cause I do most all my work to this old battleship. Been there and done that at the parts store.
My first car was a 1973 Caprice 2 door hardtop... it was built like a tank. Kind of trouble prone, but it was neglected before I got it and I loved it anyway. Mine had a 400 cubic inch engine. Now, about those engines... the 400 cubic inch V8 is a SMALL block engine and was the standard engine on the '73 Caprice. In terms of cylinder displacement, it was until very recently the largest small block engine Chevy made (there's now a 427 small block in the 2006 Corvette Z06). The optional engine on the '73 Caprice was a 454 cubic inch V8. The 454 is a BIG block engine. If you look closely and compare the two engines, you will see that the 400 is quite different from the 454 and the physical size of the 400 engine block is a lot smaller the the 454 engine block. You will also see that there are few, if any, interchangeable parts between the two. Now, there *was* a big block Chevy V8 that displaced 402 cubic inches, but was marketed as a "396" in the Monte Carlo/Nova SS/Chevelle SS and as a "400" in the full size Chevrolets. That particular engine was offered only for the 1970-72 model years, and not available in a '73 Chevy. I think this engine is where people get the idea that the 400 is a big block motor when it really isn't. The "real" 400 (meaning an actual 400 cubic inches, no more, no less) is a small block engine, and was offered in the 1970-76 model years. This small block 400 was the *only* 400 used from 1973-76. It was offered in addition to the big block 402 motor from 1970-72. Hopefully this sets the record straight for everyone.
There is a 396 big block. There is a 402 big block which is a 396 bored 0.030" over. There is a 400 SMALL block. The biggest small block is the 400, while the smallest big block is a 366 (found in school buses etc).
It has nothing to do with displacement. They are two different designs. Apple, and orange.
If you want to tell the diff between a small block Chevy and a big block, pop the hood and look at the exhaust manifolds. If the two middle exhaust ports are "siamesed", it's a smallblock. If all four ports are equidistant, it's a BIG block. Enough said!
The guy from the 5th of November is correct.
I just couldn't resist to respond to the engine size debate. I own a 1973 Caprice Classic Convertible fully loaded with the factory 454, and it is indeed a big block. Back in high school, I owned a 1973 Impala, no accessories, with a 350, and compared to the 454 the 350 looked lost at sea in that engine compartment.
These cars were built solid by todays cars standards. The bumper thickness gives you the first clue, I don't know how many times I hit my shin leaning over the front end, and that hurt, and the car was stationary. Fortunately the only crumple zone you'll encounter if heaven forbid you're in an accident in one these cars is the other car.
What production engine was 505-cubic-inches?
The largest post-war V-8 I've heard of is the '70-'76 Cadillac 500-cu.-in. engine.
Even the Oldsmobile 6.6 Liter 403 V8 is a small block. It shares the block with the 260, 307, and 350. Being Over 400 cubes has nothing to do with the block size. The 403 does hsae the largest bore of any gas postwar V8 in a passenger car, If I'm not mistaken: 4.351 inches.
Actually guys, the Corvette uses a 427 which is considered a small black, it is just bored and or stroked more, can't remember, but either way, the 7 liter Z06 Corvette is a small block. Also, Chevy Performance Parts is getting ready to release a 454 small black, an even more performance oriented small block that is stroked and bored out the ass!! The block is being called the LSX and will be available through GMPP. But back on topic, the 400 standard bore and stroke is a small block. The 396 is a big block.
The 400ci small block is not a big block. Now. I have put a 454 crank in to a small block 400, but it's a small block 400 anyway you look at it. The 400 can't put out the power a big block can without flying apart.