Question on a 396

[Srubydo1986]

Im thinking about putting a 396 in my chevelle. But I was wondering if any of you might know a good place to get one. Also what is the difference between a long block and a short block, and which one is better.


My chevelle currently has a 350 2 bolt main, Bored 30 over with 69 corvette heads and a high cam. But thought a big block might be nice to fill that space.


As soon as the rain stops i take some pictures of my chevelle

[krue]

Short block is the block and rotating assembly, long block includes heads.

[87 STEPPER]

Some good places to look for an engine, A complete one is best!

1 Auto trader

2 Local paper auto adds.

3 Local car shows/swap meets

4 Ebay

[benoit454]

Agreed, some long blocks have intakes also and oil pan. Most short block are as mentioned bare block, crank, rods, pistons. Some have an oil pan some don't.

I'd like to have a big block myself short or long, prefferably long, but ppl always snatch them up and want alot for them. I can usually get 350's for free or next to it.

[knightlife]

ebay is god....*nods*

[RustMaster87]

Watch out for the 396 because they also used it in vans/trucks, the numbers on the block are important so make sure you check them online before making the purchase, I had a friend purchase a motor that was a dog compared to what he thought it was.

[Srubydo1986]

cool thx. Right know the cars in peices and i dont know why but a full throttle my car only goes 5 mph and the odmitor says im going 60. I think im 180 degrees off, but first i have to get metal replaced and dash installed before car can ever start again.

[Billla]

396 cores are out there but getting rare. Why a 396 vs. a 454 or bigger? The weight and cost would be about the same, and there's no substitute for cubic inches

I want to be sure we're using the same terms - a "short block" is a block without heads, a "long block" has heads. Generally a long block is a better deal because the bores have had less exposure - even if you sell the heads.

Note that BBCs come in two "flavors" - tall blocks and "regular" blocks. Tall blocks have a 10.2 deck height vs. regular blocks at 9.8. The taller blocks leave room for a longer stroke, but require different intake manifolds.

[Srubydo1986]

I dont know why a 396 i guess cause its closer to a small block and i dont need to be killing myself any time soon. Also i can get a 396 now a friend who has one but id like to do some pricing just for some ideas.

I can also get a 454 right now it out of a winabago and has 56000 original miles for less then 600 bucks. But because it low conpression id have to dismantal the block and rebuild to be a car 454 not a truck 454.

Iv always been into small block i think at my house i have all the major one
(305,307,327,350). So big blocks are new to me and well id like to learn.

Being 21 and a car that has to be better then anything else iv ever owned might have something to do with it. Also it the car my dad got me right before he passed away when i was 16 it a father son project that never got finished/started. At 18 i started the build after 4 year is still in a million peices but i have just about every inportant peice to make the car an ss.

[Billla]

Sorry to hear about your Dad, but it's great that you'll finish this project for him!

If you're really not looking for mondo HP, high-performance BBC stuff costs about twice what SBC stuff does. IMHO, it's not worth the swap but again - that's only my opinon.

$500 - $800 for a long block core is about right; it varies by location a bit but that's in the right range. For the 454 in the Winnie - don't jump to conclusions. If you can find out the casting numbers on the heads and block you may find that with a head change you can get the compression where you want it. With 56K miles I'd sure be looking hard at that if you decide you want a big block. In stock trim it would probably provide plenty of "grunt" without getting you in trouble

[Srubydo1986]

cool think ill take a look at the numbers just got to get to it. it already out off the winnie so all i need to do is put it in my truck bed and take it home.

IM going to have to get a loan to finish this car didnt want to but now body want to buy my cars so ill just get a loan and keep my old cars. I like them better then money anyway

[John39671]

I rebuilt my 396 and wish I had done a 454. I spent over 3500 on mine and I work in a machine shop. There is an old saying, "There is no replacement for displacement". I could have had more cubic inches for the same price.
Aslo there is 2 great web sites to check numbers; www.mortec.com or an even better site is www.nastyz28.com At nasty z28 go to the site map, you have to click it twice, and then go to small block chevy identification, then go to small block suffix codes, that will get you to small block and big block. On the front of the motor under where the alternator would bolt onto the head there is a pad on the block, if it has not been decked off there should be 2 sets of numbers, the first set is the VIN off the original car it came out in, st the end of the second set there should be 2 or 3 letters; CE, CEP, TJP, DTM and so on, find your letters in the corresponding link and you usually can find out HP, 2 or 4 bolt and the original car it came in. Hope this helps.
John

[Srubydo1986]

thx for the site i was alway curious about the blocks around my house.