To me the small block died a while back. The new LS to me is a whole new ball game. While it may share a few dimension and 8 cylinders it shares little with any past engine. It is kind of like Chrysler trying to sell the new Hemi like it was just an update.

While the old SBC was a great engine I think to call the LS a SBC does it a dis service. It is a much better engine and should get some of it's own credit.

But that is just me since I deal with these engines every day and have to convice people what might fit a old 350 will not work on a new LS engine. Yes we get this all the time. LOL!

Congrats All the same Chey. I suspect the 4.3 V6 was added to make sure they did this in the 100th anniversery.

 

congrats to them. im on the fence using the 4.3 to fudge the numbers. back in high school my buddy and i built a performance 4.3 and almost everything we got for it was meant for a 350. but it is missing 2 cylinders.

 

I agree with hyper the real small block died a few years ago. Granted the new ones are very nice , you can not inter change parts, not even the spark plugs.

 

Having one of each, I wouldn't say that's necessarily a bad thing.....

 

4.3 is just like marriage...you put your foot down and nothing happens!

 

 

When was the last real sbc motor built? I know a lot changed in the late 80's.
Wasn't the original LT-1 the last one?

 

Why did Chevy Build so many small blocks?
So Ford guys could have parts too

 

according to the December 2013 issue of Hot Rod magazine the SBC 265 CI was introduced in 1955 and is still available today as a create motor, with the same basic dimensions and weight (50 lbs heavier) as the Ford flathead, but 180 HP for the SBC versus 85 HP for the Flattie, the SBC made the Flat head instantly obsolete.
The LS was a clean sheet found in the Corvettes since '97 the F-bodies since '98 and full size trucks since '99.

 

Until you need to push snow or pull a trailer... I owned 4 and still have 2. Never win in a drag race, but the torque for these small engine still impress me. That's only first hand experience, not from somebody else's opinion off an iPad.

I own 3 pickups; A full size Chevy 4x4 with a 350 SB, an S10 4x4 with a 4.3 and an F150 with a 4.2. Taking into account physical size and torque, I'd rather plow snow with the S10. The F150 is faster than the S10, but I don't use my trucks to race. The 4.3 can pull the boat out of the water with more confidence than the 4.2. The 4.3 seems to be another underrated GM product, but most are these days.