Myth? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68gmcjon · 01-29-2003, 12:09 AM

Is it true that the plant that makes the 396 big blocks flooded one year so they took the blocks and bored them to 402's. I heard this somewhere once and would like to know since i have a 396. Thankx

mikep · 01-29-2003, 12:24 AM

I like the "they didnt want a small block bigger than their big block " theory in reference to the small block 400 that came out the same year.

I had never heard the flood theory until a few months ago.

Longhorn Man · 01-29-2003, 12:36 AM

I think the flood is as crazy a story as the fire which caused the fire ment o hose it all down...resulting in rusted blocks.
I had always heard the small block being bigger than the big block thing myself.
The 400 came out in 70,a nd the 396 grew to a 402 in the same year. I think it is the same inhouse politics that dictate the Corvette has to have the highest out put engine of all the cars. In some of the older models, it had the same internals...cam and all...so they rated it lower in the 'other' cars and said it was restrictive exhaust....
I hate politics...esp where they don't belong.

GreenMystChevy · 01-29-2003, 01:14 AM

Never heard the flood story either, just the one about not being outdone by a little 'ol mouse engine. They just kept the same name in '70 and later because it sold the car.

*67/72junkie* · 01-29-2003, 01:26 AM

Not wanting to have a bigger small block than the smallest big block in 1970 is the correct answer.I read this in a book filled with casting #s and engine specs several years back.It was a GM chevy power catolog of somekind that belonged to my stepfather who was a mechanic a our local chevy dealership.I wish I still had it.It had a ton of info about swapping factory parts to make unique engine combinations for class racers.I took a small journal 327 and installed a 283 crank in it to make a 302 this way.That baby would rev until the small rod bolts gave up.

72shadetree · 01-29-2003, 01:35 AM

never heard the fire story

70 Jimmy · 01-29-2003, 01:39 AM

On the Big Block vs Small Block theory; Why were the cars (Chevelle etc.) still badged 396? That contadicts that line of thinking. I work in high tech manufacturing which leads me to believe that they were just covering up a screw up by boring out the blocks. Damn good job of covering it up!

Longhorn Man · 01-29-2003, 01:46 AM

If yu have an engine that is selling like mad becouse of it's history and 'bad boy immage'...why chanige a good thing?
Look at how the hot rodders didn't accept the 4.6 mod in the Mustang...it put out the same power, and torque, but it wasn't accepted at first.
In the Muscle car times, if you were on top one day, a small chainge like that could slap you to the bottom of the sales chart...and posably never to recover.

01-29-2003, 12:09 AM	#1
68gmcjon Got earplugs? Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winfield, Kansas Posts: 556	Myth? Is it true that the plant that makes the 396 big blocks flooded one year so they took the blocks and bored them to 402's. I heard this somewhere once and would like to know since i have a 396. Thankx __________________ 1968 GMC Original A/C, bucket seats, PS,PB 396 bored to 402, Dynomax cerama-coat headers, Super 40 Flowmasters, 272/284 Crane cam, Crane gold roller rockers, holley 750 cfm double pumper, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, HEI ignition, 9.5:compression Alltogether 411HP and 446ft/lbs Dana 60 w/ 3.54 gears Turbo 400 tranny Why would you have anything other than a big block? HAHA

01-29-2003, 12:24 AM	#2
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	I like the "they didnt want a small block bigger than their big block " theory in reference to the small block 400 that came out the same year. I had never heard the flood theory until a few months ago. __________________ No truck :-(

01-29-2003, 01:14 AM	#4
GreenMystChevy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Woodinville, WA Posts: 513	Never heard the flood story either, just the one about not being outdone by a little 'ol mouse engine. They just kept the same name in '70 and later because it sold the car. __________________ Jeremy '71 C-10 '72 GMC K2500 '72 Nova (Dad's) '70 Chevelle SS '55 Sedan Delivery Attempting to build up this here 4x4...make her real tall and purty...well, maybe just tall

01-29-2003, 01:26 AM	#5
67/72junkie Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NC Posts: 1,129	402 Not wanting to have a bigger small block than the smallest big block in 1970 is the correct answer.I read this in a book filled with casting #s and engine specs several years back.It was a GM chevy power catolog of somekind that belonged to my stepfather who was a mechanic a our local chevy dealership.I wish I still had it.It had a ton of info about swapping factory parts to make unique engine combinations for class racers.I took a small journal 327 and installed a 283 crank in it to make a 302 this way.That baby would rev until the small rod bolts gave up.

01-29-2003, 01:35 AM	#6
72shadetree KEEP ON TRUCKING Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: martinsville va Posts: 2,563	never heard the fire story __________________ 72 cheyenne 2wd lwb 71 k20 sons bassett va

01-29-2003, 12:36 AM	#3
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	I think the flood is as crazy a story as the fire which caused the fire ment o hose it all down...resulting in rusted blocks. I had always heard the small block being bigger than the big block thing myself. The 400 came out in 70,a nd the 396 grew to a 402 in the same year. I think it is the same inhouse politics that dictate the Corvette has to have the highest out put engine of all the cars. In some of the older models, it had the same internals...cam and all...so they rated it lower in the 'other' cars and said it was restrictive exhaust.... I hate politics...esp where they don't belong.

01-29-2003, 01:39 AM	#7
70 Jimmy aka Crusher, Crushergmc Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,834	On the Big Block vs Small Block theory; Why were the cars (Chevelle etc.) still badged 396? That contadicts that line of thinking. I work in high tech manufacturing which leads me to believe that they were just covering up a screw up by boring out the blocks. Damn good job of covering it up! __________________ "KEEP IT DOWN!" 70 Jimmy 454 2wd 56 GMC Big Window "It's funny till someone gets hurt, then it's freakin' hilarious"

01-29-2003, 01:46 AM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	If yu have an engine that is selling like mad becouse of it's history and 'bad boy immage'...why chanige a good thing? Look at how the hot rodders didn't accept the 4.6 mod in the Mustang...it put out the same power, and torque, but it wasn't accepted at first. In the Muscle car times, if you were on top one day, a small chainge like that could slap you to the bottom of the sales chart...and posably never to recover.



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