Book Review: Chevrolet Small-Block Parts Interchange Manual

There is no doubt that everyone of us has a little bit of “scrounger” in our blood. We all like to go to the salvage yard and swap meet, and look for a great deal on a used part that will work in our application. If you’re building an engine using previously used parts, looking to make a numbers-matching engine, saving money on repurposing factory parts, or simply looking to see which parts work together, CarTech has a great resource for the budget-friendly builder. Check out this revised edition of the Chevrolet Small-Block Parts Interchange Manual. This book is a must-have addition to your library.

small block parts interchange

This updated edition provides detailed interchange information on crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, cylinder heads, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, ignitions, carburetors, and so much more. Writer, Ed Staffel, included casting- and serial-number identification guides that will help you through the myriad of available parts that populate swap meets and those various ads on the Internet. You’ll learn what parts can be combined to create various displacements, which parts match well with others, what factory parts are best, and where the aftermarket is the better alternative. There is solid information on performance modifications where applicable.

small-block parts interchange

If you’re looking for charts and graphs with real-world information, you’ll find them.

The first- and second-generation of small-block Chevy engines have been around for more than 60 years. A byproduct of the engine design’s extremely long production run is there is a lot of confusing arrays of configurations that this engine family has seen. Chevy expert, Ed Staffel, delivers this revised edition on everything you need to know about parts interchangeability for the small-block Chevy.

small-block parts interchange

For Ed, it all began as a teenager in the 1960s at Atco Dragway in New Jersey. He was surrounded by muscle cars, AA/Gassers, Fuel Altereds, the first factory experimentals, wheel standers, Bill Jenkins small-block Chevy II and the occasional planetary visitations by “Miss Hurst Shifter” Linda Vaughn. The first engine he built was a small-block Chevy 302 for a 1955 Chevy. Then, like many people, came college, marriage, a son, and a 20-year career as a detective. In 1992, he opened Ed’s Engines, a small one-man engine building shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and started racing again with a 454-powered Vega bracket racer.

small-block parts interchange

If you wondered how to distinguish between one- and two-piece rear main parts, the answers can be found in this book.

The 8 1/2 x 11 paperback book (ISBN: 978-1-61325-498-1) features 144 pages packed with 275 color photos and charts. This August 2019 release may be ordered for $29.95 (plus $6.95 shipping and handling for 3 books or less) by calling CarTech at 1-800-551-4754 or by clicking here.

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About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
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