hello,

just started checking things out lots of nice cars to look at, here is my sons car i restored for him on his 16th birthday, he is now 23 years old going to college at UC Santa Cruz comes home on weekends & takes it for a drive once & a while to keep the battery charged. I use to own a 1969 SS396 El camino in high school thirty years ago & sold it it back in 1976 like a dummy & regretted it ever since, but 10 years ago I saw an ad in the paper under auto parts section for a el camino, no motor or trans & went to go look at it & it ended up being the car I use to own 30 years ago. Its been sitting in my dads shop for a while, after being on here for the last couple of days I'm getting the itch the start restoring ithttp://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/markscar.JPG

Welcome to the site. Great job on the restore. I'm sure you'll find any help you'll need here and by the looks of your sons car, I'm sure you will be a valuable asset to the site as well.

Welcome and Sweet 67!!!!

Welcome to a great site. Sweet 16 on that sweet 67.

i think you need to get that 69 el camio of yours back on the road........:)


wambams69ss396

Wambams,

Thats why I'm on this site, for research & getting some info from you guys, really a great site, once I get my questions together, such as block & head casting numbers together, it'll be a start

thanks guys

well lets go over there & get to work. sure we can do something. come on slow poke. theres a chevelle over there what are you thinking. go go go. good luck. rick

big block options ?
I have a 454 block #3999298 bored .060 over. I also have a 454 forged crank & a 396 steel crank. along with (2) sets of heads (1) set #3933148 open chamber ? & (1) set #3931063 closed chamber ? so I'm looking which are the best options & combinations ??? I'm thinking with the 396 crank higher, quicker revs but less horsepower, less torque. the 454 crank, slower lower revs but more horsepower. heads don't know which ones would be the best. I have a brand new set of federal mogul pistons #H661CP teflon coated .060. any ideas ?????

These are heavy vehicles and need torque. The 454 will make plenty of torque.
If you are planning on running pump gas, the open chamber heads would be your best bet.

Go to the engine forum and ask what the compression would be with the 063 heads using the standard flat top 454 piston with the 454 crank. I think you'll find good news !
I'm guessing with a composite gasket, you'll be in the 9.5-10.0 range, which is good !
Welcome !

Welcome ,you'll find this a great place to hang out and ask questions !

Thanks everyone for the information, also Mr69, thanks for the input, guys keep mentioning the 049 heads, I have the #3933148 heads was wondering if there is any difference ??? also if I use the 148 heads would I have to use dome pistons for same compression range????

Welcome to the group Keith, nice car !
Your son is one lucky guy but you were also when you got your old car back.

Thanks Dean, nice chevelle you got there also,can't wait to get back into it again, this is a very informative site

Thanks everyone for the information, also Mr69, thanks for the input, guys keep mentioning the 049 heads, I have the #3933148 heads was wondering if there is any difference ??? also if I use the 148 heads would I have to use dome pistons for same compression range????

Honestly, find a good local machine shop with a machinist who will spend a little time with you to figure all this out.
Depending on the parts you use, it can get pretty specific as to compression ratio. Not to mention machine work done.

the 049 heads are excellent heads. I have heard they are the best flowing cast iron production head of their era. They were used in 1973 only.

The 148 heads were used on the 2bbl 396 in 1969 only. With a 4 bbl and the right cam, they should be good also, but....they are a 112cc chamber.
The 049 heads have a 113 cc chamber=8.25-1 CR.
The 063 heads are 101 cc.