Thread: 396 build up

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okay, maybe it will be hard for a 396, what if i went with a 408? i know it woud be easier to get more power. see guys the thing is i dont want anything bigger. like a 427 is maybe a little to big. and i dont want this thing to be a super gas hog. what would you guys recomend i use if i got a 408? for the numbers i want?

how are 408 made? is it a 400 bored over? because i dont want anything to do with with a 400 sb, or any thing made from em. im scared about the water jackets in em. member guys, anything thats under a 427, ill roll with but i want it to be a big block. is there anything between?

" my goals are for the engine are to pump out 450-500 horse power and as much torque i can get"

"i dont want this thing to be a super gas hog."

I hope I'm not the only one who sees a contradiction here. Sorry hooker, but you can't have it both ways. Make a choice.

Originally posted by mad hooker
okay, maybe it will be hard for a 396, what if i went with a 408? i know it woud be easier to get more power. see guys the thing is i dont want anything bigger. like a 427 is maybe a little to big. and i dont want this thing to be a super gas hog. what would you guys recomend i use if i got a 408? for the numbers i want?

1. Less cubic inches means that your going to have less torque, unless you use nitrous or a supercharger.

2. Yes, with a 408 you will get more power than with a 396 {all else being equal}. 408 - 396 = 10. So expect about 10 more HP & 12 more Ft. Lb's Tq.

3. a. gas milage & big block don' t belong in the same sentence.
b. You will get better gas milage with a 502 & a small cam
then with a 396 & a big cam.
c. Plus mainly how you drive it is going to determain your gas
milage. I once had a 396, 375 HP '69 Nova. I drove it like
I stole it and got around 5 MPG. But THEN gas was 30 cents
a gallon
4. Unless money is no object & you have some sort of 'mental thing' about a 396, go with the crate motor I mentioned......

Originally posted by techinspector1
" my goals are for the engine are to pump out 450-500 horse power and as much torque i can get"

"i dont want this thing to be a super gas hog."

I hope I'm not the only one who sees a contradiction here. Sorry hooker, but you can't have it both ways. Make a choice.

i have attemped to say that. and396 to 408will do much BUT a 396to468or 496 know you are closer to getting what you want but the gas

alright i think its time i get realistic here. i think im looking for too much power. realistically, i dont need all that power. how about this guys, what what if i use a 396 , get arond 420 hp and around 450 ft-lbs of torque? are these numbers more easily exstractable out of a 396?

now you are getting warm

...mad hooker, The reason that there are very few parts for a 396 & that parts are expensive is that very few people use them anymore. Why? The advantage to a big block is more cubic inches, bigger/better heads for better breathing, etc. In it's day {the 60's} 396 cubic inches was big. The small blocks were only 350 cubic inches. Now they have 472 small blocks. Big blocks go out to 750 or more. 396's are obsolete. Big blocks weight more. Why have a 396 cubic inch big block that weights a lot when you can have a 400 + cubic inch small block that weights less? Also less weight means better handleing. Parts are hard to find & more expensive. Unless you have a numbers matching 396 it is better, cheaper, easier & more efficent {sp. wrong} to use a crate motor like a 454 or 502. Why do you thing GM makes 'em? Why do you think everyone uses 'em? NO special one of parts, just everything out of a catalog. And they look like a 396. No one goes out looking for a 396 to build it..... Bill

i have one all fresh and you can not buy much for what i have to sell and this is what the dest top dyno said about it is a409.8 it will make 435 @5000 rpm and504tq @4000 OH this is a roller cam hyd and 9-1/2 to1 not to bad for a small engine

its a 409? those numbers are perfect! did you biuld that same engine? thats what i want right on the dot. if you made please tell how you did.
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yes i will sell it on e-bay 402 block tru-deck deck plate .040 over gm hyd roller cam 483 lift 224 @.050 115 centers 2.190 intake 1.880 ex bowl work gm windage tray professional produts dual plane look at your first post on 396 this the one i told you about

so thats what you used on a 402? bored it out is it all complete? what size carb? can you tell me everything you used on this engine, what heads, and parts?

Originally posted by mad hooker
so thats what you used on a 402? bored it out is it all complete? what size carb? can you tell me everything you used on this engine, what heads, and parts?

402 o port heads the i ran this thur the desktop was 780 cfm i told you what size the valve are and the bore i do not know what you are asking me ?this engine like i said is getting built to sell and like i said look at the you first post it is all there if you are asking if it will come with a carb no it will not it will be from intake to pan no carb or water pump or dist or starter

You need to decide if you are married to an engine size or a power number. The power isn't hard to get. The parts are available. But screwing with the notion that you NEED a 396 is stretching it.

If you want 420 HP, get a small block. It'll take weight off the front end and make just as much power. if you want a big block, forget about mileage. Get a 454 or 502. Parts are plentiful and reasonably priced. Will get you get 20 MPG? Are you you kidding??? But you'll make 450 HP to 500 HP almost without trying.

Another route to go if you don't fear the computer would be a GM Gen III small block. These can be bored and stroke to various sizes depending on your budget. I'm starting with a 6.0L (364 CI) truck block, and using a stroker crank for 402 CI. Normally asperated, the engines can put out well over 400 HP to the 550 HP. And the great part is that they will return reasonable mileage when matched with a decent gear and overdrive transmission.

eh no computer stuff. but i get what you mean. on the forged kits whats it mean when you guys put TRW?