Chevy Big Blocks: How to Build Max Performance on a Budget

The Chevy big-block has been installed in millions of cars and trucks over the past 50 years, including Camaros, Chevelles, Corvettes, Impalas, and a multitude of trucks. Extracting maximum performance has been the pursuit of engine builders ever since this engine was new in 1964.

As a follow-up title to his How to Build Max-Performance Chevy Big-Blocks on a Budget, master engine builder David Vizard takes big-block Chevy engine building to the next level and shows how to build these extreme high-performance engines without breaking the bank. It goes well beyond basic performance techniques and delves into exceptional detail on each component group of the engine. Vizard shows you how to build the ultimate big-blocks for the street: engines that are up to 850 hp on 91-octane pump gas, which is a monumental achievement.

The Chevy big-block has been substantially under-valved, and the key to getting the best performance from this engine is to deal effectively with this design limitation. Vizard explains how to minimize intake-valve shrouding, reveals the science behind all cam-timing events, and explains how to arrive at the correct valve overlap for maximum efficiency. Vizard also covers the nuances of piston ports, rings, and connecting rods so that the rotating assembly is strong and working at its peak. Finally, a special section presents a number of max-performance big-block sample builds.

This volume includes a huge range of cutting-edge aftermarket parts and advanced tuning techniques. If you're serious about building a max-performance Chevy big-block engine for the street or track, you owe it to your engine and yourself to include this book in your automotive library.

David Vizard is a revered engine builder and acknowledged Chevy big-block engine expert, which is why GM contracted him to develop several engine packages for the Chevy big-block crate program. He has authored more than 30 highly respected engine-building and automotive titles, penned about 4,000 magazine articles, and contributed scores of web articles to popular sites. Often referred to as "Vizard the Wizard," his work is often the subject of blogs and editorial pieces in popular automotive magazines. He currently owns and runs an engine research and development business in Charlotte, North Carolina.