Men Love The Big Block Engine
May 16, 2008 – 6:04 pmSince the 60’s and 70’s, in the era of the muscle car, the red blooded American male has had a true blue love affair with the big block engine. Gasoline & soda’s was cheap and the times were good! The innate desire by most males for more horsepower under the hood was at an all time high! Powerful big block engines in the muscle cars was enough to turn a boy into a man, almost a first crank. It was like being handed the keys to manhood.
Now I am not going to stand here and say that you should drive a muscle car everywhere you go. Even the most zealous muscle car fan can’t say that driving a vintage muscle car very far is worth it. These days, fuel prices are at an all time high and climbing. People have to save money. It just so happens that even this muscle-head drives a Toyota Prius to work every day. That little dandy car gets over 60 miles per gallon, and a muscle car can’t hold a light up to that. My bank account rejoices!
Saving money is fine and dandy, but when the weekend comes… I am definitely ready to get into my big block Chevy Camaro and tear out to the local race track to see the races! Man, just thinking about the feeling and performance of that big block engine drinking gasoline like water and running like a scalded dog down the road, really makes my adrenaline pump. Not to mention the joy of seeing the pros doing it on the track!
It has to be in the genetic makeup of men. We LOVE our big block classic cars that can flat out haul you know what. Personally I love my Chevrolet big blocks! Shoot, I’d take a big block Fords over a modern day hybrid any weekend! Put me behind the wheel of a Chevy 427 big block any day and electricity seemingly shoots down my back from the sheer excitement! It is unreal. In fact, I have a love affair that my wife can’t understand. I love my Camaro. The roar of the engine, the sheer horsepower that it puts out… I’ll admit, I am a pushover. The growl of that big block Chevy engine at full throttle sounds like heaven! It takes me to a place far, far, away!
I remember back in my day when my muscle car tore up the cruising strip at 2 in the morning burning rubber. To me, it was a natural high like nothing else. Big block engines will always be in my blood, but what I like most is the way they take me back to my teen years. Back then, when drive-ins where the norm, and chicks were all over me every weekend. When I really think about it, a man’s love affair with the big block motor is like a man’s fascination with a certain area of a woman.. Bigger is better!
It is so much easier for the shade tree mechanic like me to work on these big blocks of yesteryear in comparison to the computerized car motors of today. High-tech computer controlled engines are becoming the norm in today’s world, taking all the fun out of souping up a car. In fact, it is nearly impossible to work on a modern car without becoming a professional mechanic specializing in electron systems. I am serious, things are looking that way.
That, of course, is the exact reason why I love my old big block engine cars. I love to crawl under the hood and be able to do what I want to the motor. If I want to bore out the engine and add custom aftermarket parts, like the classic car grease-monkey I am, then it is very doable. Tweaking your classic muscle car to drive and sound just you want is very doable for the DIY mechanic like me.
Working on big block engines is not real expensive or very hard to do. Heck, you learn how to customize your own big block engine; you will be amazed at what all you can do. It gives you a sense of self confidence, and brings out a bit of teenage passion that makes the custom ride with a big block engine all the more enjoyable.
Tags: Automotive & Cars
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