396 Big Block ?ss
 

Are they worth rebuilding to get any good performance out of them????

I would but thats just me .I am thinking about a big block for my 69. I have the room .

396's are great big blocks. Overlooked a lot fer extra cube pig blocks. With the large oval port heads they will rev to the moon and still have decent manners down low. If the rest of the combination is sound you get good torque and hp. Same as the 427's just a little less hp.

Larry

396?
 

Here's a BB for you! I found it while looking for "Gibbs Penetrating Oil"
428 only $10,500.00 Oh, so sorry, thats a 428CJ Mustang Engine. Oh Well.LOL.


http://www.creativesale.com/ostaleck...ith_border.jpg

I remember when Hot Rod magazine ran an article on the porcupine heads in 1969 or so. Instant popularity! The heads give you a little better flow because the valves aren't side by side. Still not as good as a Hemi though.

You should be able to pull big power with this engine. I don't remember if you can "MixandMatch" cranks for more cubes. Be easy enough to google around find out, or maybe just search Hotrodders knowlege base. This guy says you can "you can take 125 over and make a 427" but that won't leave much meat around the cylinders. I bet some of the guys here would know if thats safe.

If the cylinder walls are thick enough it can be done. If it's a later model "396" that was actually a 402" engine (4.126" bore) the walls are usually thick enough to go 0.100"+ over and be safe. The early blocks with a 4.094" bore aren't thick enough to much over 0.060". There are exceptions, this has just been my experience with them.

A neat one would be a 4" crank in a 396/402 block. Big oval port heads. All the stuff that's getting passed up for big inch parts lately.

Larry

:thumbup: the 396 is an awesome engine, people these days are so into the 502 and bigger. they make the torque but so does a will built 396. i have a 396 going in my 50 Chevy p/u truck. a mild .060 over bore, been checked good for at least .125 over. the great thing is you can find steel cranks on ebay for $ 100 or less, try that for a 454/502 not likely. i bought my 396 short block with steel crank for $80 on ebay lol. again try doing that with 454 or bigger. this 396 will run with the big dogs. go for it.

502 only good for racing man i think gettin a 396 would be a good idea

a buddy of mine had a 396 in a 72 chevelle and he could just about pull the front wheels off the ground, that was more than a few years ago so i don't remember what mods he had in it but it sure could move!!!:eek:

I had a 325 horse 396 SS Chevelle. It was used a little hard and wasn't the nicest car, but was set up for the drags with a stout driveline (4-speed & 12 bolt w/ 4:56 gears), ladder bars, driveshaft loop etc etc etc.... It was a Maple Grove class winner, evidenced from the stickers inside the deck lid! Lemans blue, black vinyl top, black interior and rallye rims with the big and little tires. People loved that car. I wasn't the fastest thing in town but I loved to make noise and a little smoke and the 396 did just fine.