Bought another old white Plymouth

Yes, I stand corrected. I know the proper wording is 318 Poly. But, I always heard it referred to as a 318 Wide Block. I figure most people are more familiar with the motor being called Wide Block rather than Poly.

 

I do my part to utilze the proper terminology with regard to the origin. One of my pet peeves is "Posi", which is short of "Posi-Traction", a trademarked GM term for limited slip rear axles. For Chrysler, it is "Sure-Grip". People use "Posi" like people use the term "Kleenex" for all tissue, or "Xerox" for all copies off a machine.

 

Very nice! In my humble opinion, you can never go wrong with a Fury

I have also always referred to the 318 poly as a "wide block" likely because that is what everyone else I spoke to always referred to them as. To each their own I suppose.

Either way, congrats on your new addition.

 

The term itself is misleading. If you were to take a Poly 318 bare block, and an LA318 bare block and measure across the block itself, they are actually the same width. Add the heads, and the Poly IS a tad wider, true.

 

Hmm, I have heard the term "wide block" used with Chrysler engines but not Ford?? So the Poly , or wide blocks, are one and the same. Patrick, which Ford engines are known as wide blocks, the "Y blocks"?

 

Honestly, I have never heard the term "Wide Block" used to Reference a FoMoCo engine.
I know that some folks are quick to point out that there are no "Big Block" Ford motors when someone refers to the larger displacement example as such. Stating that they are instead called "FE" blocks in reference to their "Family".

Realistically speaking, It doesn't really make a bit of difference to me. I figure, a Big Block is a Big Block, a Small Block is a Small Block, etc.

I'm still going to refer to the 318 in my Plymouth as a "Wide Block" simply because that seems to be a commonly accepted term, one that enthusiasts in general understand and accept.

 

I've heard "Y" and "wide" when referencing the "Y"-engines, the "wide" less so.