396 BBC Help!

Ok, I have the chance to buy a fully built 396. It was used for drag racing but im going to put it on the street. The only thing missing is the cam but i would put a hydraulic cam in and change the springs anyways...Price is $1500 for block, pistons, rods, crank, heads, and intake...the heads have been machined and nothing requires any work, just pull it apart, clean it, put new gaskets on it, build it, run it...

Input on whether its worth the money or not? I do not know that brands of anything on the motor, i just know that it was a drag motor a few years back and it hasn't been used since it was swapped for an alcohol injected 540 BBC.

Hopper111... Personally I think it is a good deal at $1500, if it is in fact all "New Stuff". I am a diehard 396 fan and have been for years. My '67 El Camino had a moderate built 396 backed with a M-22 4-speed. I only went through the top half on that one and went with a Competion Cams 280H from Summit with a Pete Jackson "Noisy" gear drive. On my '67 Chevelle SS (325hp) I had to go the full monty since it decided to frezze up on it's maiden voyage home! That was four years ago and the parts alone cost over $2000 and that did not include the machining which included turning and balancing the original crank. By the time the engine was back in the car I was close to $6K in the rebuild. It was worth every cent! On the Chevelle I again went with the Comp cam but this time I used the 270H due to the Chevelle having a auto transmission.

I even have a 396 out of a '68 Chevelle SS in my '37 Buick coupe!

A 396 is a very strong and reliable engine and done right will last a longtime, of course depending on how it's used. I don't think you can go wrong at that price. You can get the 270H cam and lifter kit (P/N CCA-CL11-207-3) through Summit for $175.95. The 280H kit (P/N CCA-CL11-208-3) is also $175.95. Either one matches up real well with the 396.

Go for it and have fun!

Greg

Here it is in the Chevelle...

Here's a shot of the 396 in my Buick...

1500 sounds pretty good for a big block, but i live by the saying, "there's no replacement for displacement" I had the opportunity to build a 396 also for cheap but i opted to wait to find a 454 block and make it into a 502 with a different crank and .080 over pistons. I guess waiting is good because instead of paying 300 for the 396 block i got the 454 block for 25 bucks!! turned out they guy that had it races boats and took it out because it was too "small" for what he needed, he needed 632 tall deck blocks for his boat so the 454 was just sitting around collecting dust. 396 is a really good motor and for street use you will probably love it i personally like ALOT of motor, more than necessary thats why i have a supercharged 502 in my monte and am already making preps to build a 540 or even a tall deck something in the area of 600 cubes or more probably in the next year or so.

Every used race motor I ever bought was worn out. Thats the reason most people sell them. if you gonna buy it, core price is all id pay for it. JMO :cool:

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Originally posted by lt1s10
Every used race motor I ever bought was worn out. Thats the reason most people sell them. if you gonna buy it, core price is all id pay for it. JMO :cool:

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Thats a good point also. I never bought a motor and not broke it down and built it myself. in fact i would never buy a motor and just drop it in without taking it apart and seeing whats inside. You can find a 396 block on ebay for a couple hundred bucks and build it from there for relatively inexpensive, probably a little more than what this dude wants for that 396 and then you'll know that everything in there is new.

the 396 402 are good engines but there are some things to look out for. make sure it is not filled the water jacks .some guys do this when boring the hell out of them .some of the old 396 can be bored out to 4.250 but do not bank on it .so you need to know were the bore is and theCR .pistons size are some times as much or more then 454 pistons on old block the cam needs to be cut for oil rear journal of the cam or the cam bearing get this wrong you have low oil psi 65 to 67 blocks i think were like this .never had one this old but watch out for the cam. and by the way i have 402 that will be all done .all new but the block aheads casting new steel crank and new forged piston small hyd roller cam sorry for the plug i need to sell this

I dont think the 396 was taken out because it was worn out, it was taken out in search of the 540 ci alcohol injected motor...The heads that are on the motor have been decked and had valve jobs and port jobs and are closed chamberand the compression on the motor is too high for pump gas. It's a 14:1 compression motor. He has a pair of 454 heads that I think would go well on it. They are open chamber and with the 12:1 piston, they should bring the compression down to pump gas level. I think by taking those heads off and putting the 454 heads on, it will lower the price of the motor. I'm going to do some further investigations on the motor before i get under him for the loan on it.

So I talked to the guy again today, he said that he would help me get the motor, torn apart, reringed, regasketed, the different heads, a new HEI distributor, plugs, oil, cam, lifters, springs, and plugs for 2200 dollars. What do you guys think? Being new to the hot rodding scene, I wanna know what you guys think. Is this a good deal?

sounds to good to be true ?? are the heads rebuilt resurfaces good valves seal and guides and you get moly rings all new bearings cam rods mains oil pump timming set new cam lifters springs all new and he will builed it and stand be hind it?:whacked:

Well mostly :) The bearings have 3 passes on them. He build the motor, ran it for 3 passes, and put his other motor back in...This is a man that i trust very much considering that he's a) my boss and b) my girlfriend's (of a year) father...

3 passes is not enough to burn out a set of bearings, the cam/lifters/springs/pushrods are all new never used. The heads are a pair that we picked up at a swap meet a few weeks back, they are open port 454 heads...I need the open head because of the high CR pistons...

The motor ran 6.30 in the 1/8 in a Vega on alcohol, his 540 (also alcohol) ran 5.80 so the motor is pretty good. The last time it was ran, it ran a 6.26

Plus he build my th350 for the car today for pretty much nothing (when i say that i mean ill have to do some private favors like mow his grass a couple times or do some engine work on one of his race cars) So for 2200 bucks Id get the motor, the th350, and all the tools i need to make and install these components.

The rings are file fits, and the motor doesn't have enough time on it for an oil pump, bearings, ect. to need replaced.

Also I'll have to tear down and build the motor BUT I'll do it at work so I'll get paid to build my own hot rod :)

so why ask????????? sounds like the deal is done?:confused:

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Originally posted by Hopper111
So I talked to the guy again today, he said that he would help me get the motor, torn apart, reringed, regasketed, the different heads, a new HEI distributor, plugs, oil, cam, lifters, springs, and plugs for 2200 dollars. What do you guys think? Being new to the hot rodding scene, I wanna know what you guys think. Is this a good deal?

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i might be missing something here, but it sounds like he is gonna help you overhaul the motor, throw in a set of rings, cam and lifters, dist. plugs and oil for 700.00 extra. same deal just in a dif. package. 2200.00 is a lot to pay for a motor with used pistons, and a worn block, that just came out of a drag car. JMO

Yea, your missing something :) EVERYTHING on the whole motor was new 3 passes ago, so BASICALLY the motor has 3/8ths of a mile on it...I don't know if I'd even consider that used? Definitely not worn lol :) And the deal isnt really done yet, we are still haggling over it because i want him to come down a little bit. But no one factored in the TRANNY JOB. I didn't have a tranny before he did this, he supplied the case and all the parts/fluid. That alone runs about about 600-800 at our shop. (that is if your a perfered customer)

Im also going to have to sit on my bank account for a little bit to come up with 2200 dollars...I just want to know what a few other people think before i committ to this deal.

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Originally posted by Hopper111
Well mostly :) The bearings have 3 passes on them. He build the motor, ran it for 3 passes, and put his other motor back in...This is a man that i trust very much considering that he's a) my boss and b) my girlfriend's (of a year) father...

3 passes is not enough to burn out a set of bearings, the cam/lifters/springs/pushrods are all new never used. The heads are a pair that we picked up at a swap meet a few weeks back, they are open port 454 heads...I need the open head because of the high CR pistons...

The motor ran 6.30 in the 1/8 in a Vega on alcohol, his 540 (also alcohol) ran 5.80 so the motor is pretty good. The last time it was ran, it ran a 6.26

Plus he build my th350 for the car today for pretty much nothing (when i say that i mean ill have to do some private favors like mow his grass a couple times or do some engine work on one of his race cars) So for 2200 bucks Id get the motor, the th350, and all the tools i need to make and install these components.

The rings are file fits, and the motor doesn't have enough time on it for an oil pump, bearings, ect. to need replaced.

Also I'll have to tear down and build the motor BUT I'll do it at work so I'll get paid to build my own hot rod :)

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you're holding out on us Hopper111. if you had of told us this in the first place there wouldnt have been any ?, thats a big dif. in buying from somebody you dont know. if you have a problem he'll be there. :HMMM:

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Originally posted by lt1s10
you're holding out on us Hopper111. if you had of told us this in the first place there wouldnt have been any ?, thats a big dif. in buying from somebody you dont know. if you have a problem he'll be there. :HMMM:

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father inlaw ant cutting you much slack though. :eek: :LOL:

Does it sound like a good deal now? a motor that has travelled 3/8ths of a mile + a new tranny + the security that if i have an issue i can get help?

yea, he's cutting me some slack by doing a free tranny (btw thats 2 that he's done for me now) and he's letting me build my hot rod while im on the clock in HIS shop...He will also stand behind everything that he helps me do. He's the man that taught me how to build an engine.

Either way, i think to get the power that i want, no matter where i go or what i do im going to be into the engine for 2000, so why not do it with some one i know and trust and get a tranny done in the process?

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Originally posted by Hopper111
yea, he's cutting me some slack by doing a free tranny (btw thats 2 that he's done for me now) and he's letting me build my hot rod while im on the clock in HIS shop...He will also stand behind everything that he helps me do. He's the man that taught me how to build an engine.

Either way, i think to get the power that i want, no matter where i go or what i do im going to be into the engine for 2000, so why not do it with some one i know and trust and get a tranny done in the process?

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you keep adding stuff thats all good Hopper111, now its gone from a not so good deal to a great deal by just the things he has done and gonna do. i dont see where you have any other choice now. :cool:

sorry, i dont mean to add things, i just keep thinking about the talk that we had today and remembering stuff...

Bottom line is, im buying a crate motor that im building. And im getting a transmission in the deal because of who i am to him.

Price is $2200 from where it is now (with close chambered heads, no cam/lifters/pushrods) to in the car and being able to run it on the street.

That being said what do you guys think. Keep in mind, i have made no committments and I'm looking for opinions.

After this thread, im seriously thinking about just dropping the whole deal and just sit on all the money i can save up, then when im sitting on a nice nest egg, ill take it all and drop it in front of him and ask him to work with me. No matter what, Im going to be into the engine for 2000 dollars because to make the power that i want out of a 350, id have to spend money, same with any engine...It's just easier to get big power when you start with big inches... I like the 396 and I really think this would be a good setup when it was all said and done.

do what you want to hopper, we dont know all the facts, but if this was from a stranger i wouldnt do it. from you boss i hope he is treating you right. but i can take 2200.00 and build me a nice 454 for the st. my first hot rod motor was in 1961 i had a 56 chevy. and i(why i dont know)wanted a 348 so i went to the junk yrd. and bought one with factory 3-2's i believe 340.00 and put me a little cam in it ,i think i had about 500.00 in it with about 25000 miles on it. **)

I just need to sit on my cash for awhile, then after i actually have that kind of money in my hand, if i still want to do this deal, Ill do it...I doubt the motor is going anywhere with gas prices the way they are.

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Originally posted by Hopper111
I just need to sit on my cash for awhile, then after i actually have that kind of money in my hand, if i still want to do this deal, Ill do it...I doubt the motor is going anywhere with gas prices the way they are.

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you might be right.

Hmm...by waiting and just sitting on my cash i can get all the other stuff done to my el camino before i mess with the engine...it needs floor pans really bad and it needs the bed floor either replaced or channeled. It also needs the hood taken off so that i can weld braces at the weak points. The interior will get stripped when i do the floor. The seat needs to be recovered or new seats found...

Anyone know of any modern seats that will fit into the el caminos? I don't know if like the s10 seats fit or not. Also needs tires.

i like the 93 up trans. am seats. this is what they look like in a s10.

I like the buckets, but i have a sweetheart and i like to be close :) with gm's new style bench that has a fold down middle, i can have buckets when she isn't around. Thats why i wondered if the s10 seats would fit. Does anyone know where a hood clip kit would be sold at? (i mean the pins that will hold the hood on if i were to take the hinges off)