I am putting together a 30 over 396 for my 64 El Camino and would like some of your thoughts on this combination for a good little street Rat.
396 (+30)
9:1 compression
"148" large oval port heads
219 intake, 188 exhaust valves
bowl blending
Comp Cams XR276HR (224int 230 ex @.050...510 lift)
RPM intake
Q-Jet
stock exhaust manifolds.

Super T-10 4-speed (264 low gear)
331 posi

Any comments on possible tuning and set-up? End results?

Thanks,
Dale H

Sounds like a decent,torquey combo..nice tranny/rear combo too.
What pistons are you using? .180 domed replacements? Are the heads open chamber? What size combustion chamber?

You have chosen a good combination for a street engine. That thing ought to be pretty responsive, and still have good upper rpm power. I would like to see a little more compression though. What pistons are you using, and what is your chamber cc's? I think you could even go with a little more cam. The XR288HR would probably even be ok, as long as you are somewhere around 9.0-9.5:1, but if you are primarily looking at street driving then the 276HR should be just fine. Maybe some headers and an RPM performer intake and you would really have a killer 396, but if you already have all the parts, then get to building it, and I think you will be very pleased.

My 396 is almost identical to yours.
396+.030
XR274R Solid roller
10.25:1 compression
RPM performer intake
Hooker competition headers
Holley 750HP double pumper
390 large ovals with 2.06/1.72 valves
Heads are untouched other than a simple 3 angle valve job and .040 mill to up compression.
I run 2 gal of cam 2 to 3 gal of 93 octane, but with composite head gaskets and 9.5:1 compression it would run just fine with straight 93 octane. It actually will now, but it gets a little hard to start when hot lapping at the dragstrip on a hot day.

Thanks for the replys,

The heads are the "semi closed" chamber 112cc.
forgot the piston number, will dig that out.
Thanks again,
Dale h