QOTD: Biggest You Ever Had?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Let’s keep our minds far away from the gutter, folks. We may be talking inches today, but they’re cubic inches.

Yes, displacement, a unit of measurement that spans the gamut in today’s new vehicle lineups. Thanks to the advent of the subcompact crossover segment and the proliferation of big boy HD pickups, the breadth of displacement choice has only grown in recent years. General Motors can now sell you Chevrolets ranging from 1.2 to 6.6 liters, but Ford has them beat: 1.0 to 7.3 liters.

There’s plenty to choose from out there, but today we’re looking only in one direction.

Simply, what was the largest-displacement vehicle you’ve ever owned?

You author can’t compete with many, if not most, of the eventual replies. A lowly 3.1-liter V6 was the largest under-hood action in his stable. Efficient to a fault.

The same can’t be said for a friend, whose first car was an early ’70s Cadillac sporting (and I can’t believe the detail escapes me) either a 472 or 500 cubic-inch V8. No planet was saved during that car’s tenure.

But what about you? How big did that mill get?

[Image: Ford]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Tankinbeans Tankinbeans on Aug 14, 2020

    When did the measurement for displacememt change from cubic inches to litres and was there a specific reason for it?

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    • JimC2 JimC2 on Aug 16, 2020

      @JimC2 "how long did GM use ‘gages’?" For as long as they had Loyalists on the payroll, I suppose...

  • Flipper35 Flipper35 on Aug 14, 2020

    Most displacement I had was only a 383 in a 69 Coronet convertible. It had nowhere near the horsepower and torque my small block has and the small block is in a 2200lb car which puts me just under 6lbs/hp ratio and right at 5lbs/lb-ft of torque.

  • Moparmann Moparmann on Aug 14, 2020

    Lessee, in descending order & cubic inches: 440 c.i. Mopar (Dad's car) 340 c.i. Mopar 318 c.i. Mopar 305 c.i. Chevy 262 c.i. Chevy 91.5 c.i. Honda

  • Schurkey Schurkey on Aug 14, 2020

    455 + .030 in my '66 Toronado 454 + .030 in my boat. 454 in my '97 K2500 440 Mopar in a three-row station wagon. (sold) Caddy 472s and 500s (engines only) parked in the barn "for later". Pontiac 455 and 400s (engines only) parked in the barn "for later". Buick 455s (Engines only) parked in the barn "for later". Olds 455 (partial engine only) parked in the barn "for later". Chevy 454 (engine and partial engines only) parked in the barn "for later". Got a few small-block Chevies, too. Dear Old Dad had boats with 440 Mopar and 454 Chevy engines; and an ElDorado to pull them around with, having a 500.

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