High-Nickel SBC Chevy blocks?

ss wannabee · 03-12-2013, 10:54 AM

Having an argument with a friend. I always thought that they were only available in the Chevy Performance Catalog...usually as a Bowtie block or something like that.

He says that some production-line blocks were high-nickel as well. Never heard of this...checked online...and the banter goes on and on...

Need the straight scoop..First WHAT is a high-nickel block? Isn't it really the percentage of (tin) in the cast-iron slurry at the foundry? Could the Bowtie or similar performance-catalog blocks have percentages of 10% or more?

Did regular cast blocks have a small percentage...(maybe 1, 2, or 3 %) anyway...and did GM adjust this... as needed...for production-line performance or Truck applications?

You machinists out there probably know...I hear these "hard" blocks are tough on cutting bits and stones....

03-12-2013, 10:54 AM	#1
ss wannabee Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 663 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts	High-Nickel SBC Chevy blocks? Having an argument with a friend. I always thought that they were only available in the Chevy Performance Catalog...usually as a Bowtie block or something like that. He says that some production-line blocks were high-nickel as well. Never heard of this...checked online...and the banter goes on and on... Need the straight scoop..First WHAT is a high-nickel block? Isn't it really the percentage of (tin) in the cast-iron slurry at the foundry? Could the Bowtie or similar performance-catalog blocks have percentages of 10% or more? Did regular cast blocks have a small percentage...(maybe 1, 2, or 3 %) anyway...and did GM adjust this... as needed...for production-line performance or Truck applications? You machinists out there probably know...I hear these "hard" blocks are tough on cutting bits and stones....