The Canadian Essex's origins are somewhat controversial. A common, but erroneous, belief is that the Essex was based on the 5.0 L OHV V8 engine with 2 cylinders missing, because they both have a 90° vee configuration, are OHV, and that a 5.0 L V8 less two cylinders would make a V6 displacing around 3.8 liters. Though the practice of deriving a V6 from a V8 was not unheard of, several important differences between the small block's design and the Essex's, such as their considerably different bore and stroke, made a common design lineage implausible. It is also important to note that the RWD version incorporated the same bell housing as the 5.0 litre small block V8 engine while the FWD version did not. Often the RWD engines are referred to as small blocks since the transmission mounting flange is the same as the family of small block V8 engines.