Re: Did Chevy consider Packard V8 BB Design?

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2009/3/4 11:11:53

Big block and small block were handy nicknames for Chev engines. They actually had 2 completely different engine designs, one big and one small.

They did make a 366 cu in big block engine. It was used in trucks and school buses. They also made a 400 small block so in this case, a "small block" was "bigger" than a "big block".

Other makers, such as Pontiac had one basic engine design. But made different versions of it, that spanned the same size range. In that case the names "big block" or "small block" have no meaning. The blocks (engines) are all variations on the same design.

As far as Packard copying anyone, or anyone copying Packard. The Packard engine was not a copy of anything. It was Packard's own design, a development of a theme introduced by General Motors. It was the fruit of one of "Boss" Kettering's last breakthroughs, the modern short stroke, big bore, high compression overhead valve engine. It was called the Kettering engine in his honor.

This design theme was developed in different ways by Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet at GM. It was also adopted by American Motors, Studebaker, Ford, Mercury and Lincoln as well as Packard.

Buick, Chrysler,and Plymouth had V8s that were similar in some ways to the Kettering engine but radically different in head design.

The Packard was most similar to the Pontiac. Experts agree that this was a coincidence. Both were designed at the same time and reflect the state of the art of that time. This accounts for a superficial similarity. But close analysis reveals that the basic design philosophy was quite different.

As far as the Chev big block being a copy of the Packard there is no similarity at all. The Chev is actually a copy of the Chrysler Polysphere.