OT: Going from sbc to bbc in my 72 Nova...tips?

[Jefe]

Looking for someone who might have tips for me. I am taking out my 412 sbc out of my 72 Nova and putting in a 396 bbc. I know frame mounts will have to be changed and motor mounts, probably fan shroud and I am not sure about the brake master cylinder. Anyone has any suggestions or has done this before I would appreciate it...Thanks to the greatest board out there!!

Douglas.

[Randy70C-10]

You may need heavier coil springs in the front.

[JDL]

http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums/index.php?

[toddtheodd]

Say JDL, you wouldn't happen to have a fancy site like that just for 70 chevelles would ya'?
Todd

[JDL]

http://www.chevelles.com/index.shtml

[toddtheodd]

I'm already a member of that one. I was hoping for a message board type thing though. I guess nobody has started one up yet.
If I knew how, (and if I could make money off of it (yeah right)) I would make it myself.
Todd

[68c10owner]

if your still running the heater, the core might be different. they are different on the camaros. the frame mounts should be the same but there is 2 locations on the sub frame for them. one is the small block mount and the other is the bigblock mount. there are some veriations depending on what tranny was used. you can put the bbc on the sbc location but it`s going to be tight agains the firewall. if you put it in the bbc location, your drive shaft may not be the correct length. it depends on how long your transmission yoke is. you will probably need bbc springs and obviousely your brackets will be different as well as your exhaust. your master cylinder should be the same but the booster, if your running power brakes, will be in the way if your running tall valve covers.

i don`t know much about novas or camaros either but alot of my friend had camaros with both bbc and sbc and some swapping around between the two and i helped with alot of it. i know the novas share the same subframe so i`m guessing the same rules apply but i could be wrong.

[miket]

Originally Posted by Jefe

Looking for someone who might have tips for me. I am taking out my 412 sbc out of my 72 Nova and putting in a 396 bbc. I know frame mounts will have to be changed and motor mounts, probably fan shroud and I am not sure about the brake master cylinder. Anyone has any suggestions or has done this before I would appreciate it...Thanks to the greatest board out there!!

Douglas.

Why are you considering this? Doesn't seem logical...

[Jefe]

What do you mean it doesn't seem logical? It's a big block dude! hehe. The small block runs really really well, but I got a free '66 396 just lying around so I'm gonna build it pretty radical and throw it in. And I would love to put that 412 in my black 1968 Pickup with the 4 speed behind it and see what it will do. The 350 in there is getting kinda tired. The 396 if I do it right should put out a lot more hp and not to mention raw torque that you just can't get from a small block. Car only weighs around 2900lbs. We'll see! Thanks for the info guys!!

I will let you all know.

Douglas.

[68c10owner]

you won`t weigh 2900lbs with the bigblock. also, 396 parts are more expensive than the 427 or 454. the chevy mags did a dyno test with a 408 sbc and a 408 bbc a few years back. they tried to use the closes to same parts as possible. the bbc made more power but wasn`t too much faster than the sbc version. i`m not trying to discourage you, just giving you a heads up. also, if your using the 66` heads, they are very small combustion chambers, like 96 cc`s, and will add about a point of compression when used with the 375hp style pistons.

[jimfulco]

Heater core and cover are different (outlets are in a different position to clear the valve cover).

Big-block Novas also used a different transmission crossmember, since the motor mounts offset the motor toward the passenger side. The BBC automatics were all Turbo 400's, & they use a tubular mount that mounts the tranny support farther to the rear. The BBC stick-shift crossmembers resemble the one you probably have, but again the mount holes are offset to the right. Here's a 1st-gen Camaro (same underneath as a '72 Nova) thread that says you can redrill the standard crossmember: http://www.camaros.net/forum/ultimat...=003396#000000
http://www.camaros.org/trans.shtml#Crossmembers

http://www.chevynova.org/BigBock.html has some motor mount pics.

[shuttermutt]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

I'm already a member of that one. I was hoping for a message board type thing though. I guess nobody has started one up yet.
If I knew how, (and if I could make money off of it (yeah right)) I would make it myself.

Team Chevelle has a great collection of message boards. I've been a member for many years. Sure, the signal-to-noise ratio isn't as high as it is here, but there are still a bunch of good folks over there that can help you out with almost anything.

[Dean]

I have to agree that I would keep the 412 SB unless you are just going for the looks of a Big Block 396.

[jorgensensc]

PUT THE BIG BLOCK IN YOUR TRUCK!!!!!!!! (yes I'm trying to get your attention,)
Shawn

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

I'm already a member of that one. I was hoping for a message board type thing though. I guess nobody has started one up yet.
If I knew how, (and if I could make money off of it (yeah right)) I would make it myself.
Todd

Dude, the message board on Chevelles.com is likely the best one on the web. Those guys are hardcore, they don't have many posers over there.

[miket]

Originally Posted by Jefe

What do you mean it doesn't seem logical? It's a big block dude! hehe. The small block runs really really well, but I got a free '66 396 just lying around so I'm gonna build it pretty radical and throw it in. And I would love to put that 412 in my black 1968 Pickup with the 4 speed behind it and see what it will do. The 350 in there is getting kinda tired. The 396 if I do it right should put out a lot more hp and not to mention raw torque that you just can't get from a small block. Car only weighs around 2900lbs. We'll see! Thanks for the info guys!!

I will let you all know.

Douglas.

Let's see you have a Nova that weighs considerably less than the truck. You want to put in a heavier and smaller (by cubic inches) engine in your nova...it doesn't make sense...396 by today's standards of big block sizes is small. Your small block should easily outperform and weigh less than your 396 big block. If you are serious about building a big block...build a BIG BLOCK---something no less than 427/454 cubes---you should be able to make a ton of power and put it in your truck---they need the extra power....thats what I was getting at.

[68c10owner]

i have to agree with miket. leave your 412 in the nova and get some good heads for it, maybe put a bigger cam and compression and have fun with it. i would put the bbc in the truck myself but thats just me.

[Jefe]

The cam that I have in it now is pretty big....I think I just might leave the small block...need to think things over a bit...thanks for the advice though guys!!

Douglas.

[68c10owner]

i was just going by whats in your signature. the comp 292 cam is a great cam but your 412 could use a bigger one without loosing streetability. i don`t know what your heads or compression is but my buddy has a 406 with 9.7 to 1, dart pro 1 heads and a isky 304 mega hyd. cam, .256 duration @ .050 and .525 lift, in a 64 chevelle and it will run in the high 11`s. bigger motors can get away with bigger cams if the rest of the motor will support it.