Well it appears that I have a couple of choices, take a chance of rebuilding my 396/350 (compressn test #55!) or buy new engine. Couple of places tell me that if my 396 has been rebuilt more than once (not sure) it will cost me min. $3k to $4k. i.e. no guarentees, both shops recommend buying crate motr complete package....any advice for a novice who just bought this 69 Chevelle ss less than month ago? I cannot confirm if this 393 was org with car, however have confirmed that it does match with 69 Chevelle SS? Thoughts before I sell one of my kids to pay for repairs?
thanks

If it was a numbers-matching, mostly original car I would at least crack it open to see if it could be rebuilt.

Otherwise, I would buy a crate motor.

It will not cost anywhere near 3000.00 - 4000.00 to rebuild the current 396 motor. It will cost more than that to turn it into a street/strip motor, but a stock rebuild does not have to be expensive. First - do a couple of checks - does it smoke or tap?? Forget the compression test for now [ you did prop the carb open during the test??- choke and primary butterflies] you have to do a leak down test. With the rockers backed off, you get the adapters and fill the cylinder with compressed air and see how long it takes to bleed down - that's the only true indicator of worn cylinders/rings - other than disassembly. Low cranking compression could be the result of a cam installed wrong - ie. too long in duration and/or severely retarded timing, valves adjusted too tight. Cranking compression is an indication of a specific problem in one cylinder to the next. If all the cylinders are coming up the same, you have an assembly component problem to deal with. Make sure the heads are correct for the year - get the numbers off of them and post back. List could go on and on -you may have a stack up of problems - worn/retarded timing chain, long duration cam, along with open chmaber heads. Get some details first.

If you do need a new motor, stop now while your ahead and get a new crate motor!

Harry, same happened here. Bought my 69 with a newly 500 mile "rebuild" motor. Took it out on my 1st drive, w/in 20 mile it was knocking. Flat cam and the complementary shrapnel. Got quoted 5K to rebuild it from a top-notch shop (Joe know them well), and 1800 from a guy that build 3 other motors for me that ran flawless - I had him do it. That motor lasted 120 miles b4 it spun a rod bearing. I broke down, sold a kid, and got a 454HO (thats on the verge of mid 12 sec 1/4 mile times BTW :D )

If your engine isn't a #'s motor, you can sell it and get 500-800. That will offset the cost of the new motor. If you were quoted 3-4000.00, it will definetly be 4000.00, and thats providing you do get the call saying, "We found this and its an extra...."

Been there done that.

I had a 'street/strip' 396/350 done last year...it was alot more than 4k. I put a lot of race parts into it, it needed everything, and I had alot of machine work done, and had it dyno tested and tuned at the end. If you are happy with a stock motor, by all means rebuild it in such a way.

If I had it to do over again, I would order my parts, have the machine work done locally, and build it myself..it would save some $$. But those crate motors are hard to ignore for the money.

One thing to consider, the newer parts you will find in a crate motor do not last as long as the original GM items from the 60s and 70s. I found this out recently when I just replaced my timing chain and had it stretch out in under a week.

Go for a stock rebuild,and just add a mild performance cam to it.Shouldn't break the bank.Realistically,2500-3500 tops is about right unless you need an align bore or have some major carnage.Or,look for a 454

Or for not much more money, I'd buy 70L34's (Tony) complete 427 that he has for sale. :thumbsup:

thanks for all the advice, it is a dilema, I did verity and the VIN on the engine does match the Vin on the car....it appears that crate is the way to go....again hate to break up the set, it is a numbers matching ss

I think crate may be the way to go , #'s matching or not!

Being that it is a matching block, thats even more a reason not to rebuild it and put it aside. You definitely don't want to put a window in that block.

Probably will go with crate, thanks for help, saw a 454/425HP on crateengines.com, anybody have any recommendations ?

I rebuilt mine for a little less than 2K. Pistons included. Bought entire bolt kit, gasket kit, cam kit and about 700 in machine work.

Fwiw, I have $38 to $4000 in my homemade 496" motor!

AND I now know I can duplicate it size-wise for a bunch less!

550 hp at 5500 rpm per D2K..

Cheapest little "big" motor you can build, imho...

pdq67

Since it is numbers matching, put that old motor aside somewhere so if you ever sell it you have the right some of us do not to sell your car as numbers matching motor (more money to you)