Well i posted over on the camaro sight but seems you guys talk about big blocks a bit more and need a little help. I am wanting to build a 396 to put in a 69 camaro. My goal is to get between 350 and 400 hp. Want it to be basically stock with good streetability. I have a 1969 block, bored .30 over with the original crank. Block numbers are 3955272. The heads are the original heads I think and are oval port, open head with 112 cc chambers. Head numbers are 3933148. The heads have been rebuilt to stock specs years ago and have been in storage for the last 15 years with the block.
I am a sbc man so i dont really know what i have or need to reach my hp goals. I could use some advice on component selection such as pistons, cam and lifters, intake, carb, that sort of stuff. Thanks for replying.

3933148....69-84...oval...OPEN...'69 396/265hp, 366T, 427T, 112cc chamber

You've got some decent parts to start with. A new set of pistons , cam, 10:1 compression, no more than a 3310 Holley, small tube headers and you're on your way!

Tell a bit about the car and running gear, and what you're goals are( other than 400hp),sothese rat heads can steer you right.

well its gonna be a weekend cruiser, maybe on the highway for short 100 mile trips. Im thinkin turbo 400 for the tranny and some 3.73 gears in the rear. As for your suggestions if i went with those parts can i use stock for the rest? Not really lookin to be fastest on the street more reliable than anything. I was thinking about building it to the old 396/375hp specs. where could i find those specs and would it really get me 375 hp?

There have been a ton of 396 buildups on here lately so I'd start with a search through some of those recent posts. I'd say right off the top to shoot for 9.5:1 comp. ratio, a nice dual plane like the Weiand Stealth or the Edelbrock RPM and a cam with about 224 @ .050 dur. and .510-.525 lift.

Rod

man you guys are fast. i did several searches but never found what i was lookin for. i will try again. thanks

here just one of the many bbc i have built.

750 carb
.060 over 396
cheap cast pistons, 8.8 to 1 comp
'290 casting heads, with some minor porting
cast iron low rise intake
284 crane cam
summit headers
with 3000 stall and 3.42 gears on street tires........ran 14.000 at 99 mph and not totally tuned in yet on timing and carb jetting.....

get a running compression of something 9.0 to 10.0 to 1, run a stock high rise cast unit (if you are looking at something like this) or just run a eddy performer intake, run 750 vacuum secondary carb.

at least some headers with 2 1/2" exhaust and performance mufflers with either 2 1/4" or 2 1/2" tail pipes (tail pipes are really not that big of a deal because the exhaust is way cooler by the time they leave the muffler, that the pipe after the muffler doesn't need to be as big as the rest)

choose the cam that you wish to match to a stall if any. at least run like a 2100 rpm stall and you could choose a cam in the 220-225 range @ 050 range.


but if you stick to a stock stall speed of say 1800 rpms or so then keep the cam around 210- 220 range @ .050.......really anything bigger then 228 @ .050 you should run a 2500 rpms stall because the bottom end tends to get soggy and the convertor helps to get you in the power range of the bigger cam.


this should be stout enough to run a 3600 lbs car in the low 14's if not higher 13's. and will make for a nice daily driver if you use the 2100 higher stall.

i have ran like the 214/224 @ .050 cams in my bbc 396 motors and they work well with either 1800 or 2100 brake stall they tend to give up about 5200 rpms......they still pull past this point but doesnt give any quicker e.t's or mph.


so i guess what kinda stall would you want to run this would help to pick i higher profile cam for a little more grunt.........its not to fun to have a bigger cam and not enough stall when you sit there and watch the tach climb just to get to your power range........then the tach really starts moving.......


another combo that i built was just as stout as the above combo but had alot of tunning done..........

396 .060 over
7.7 to 1 comp.
stock open chambered heads small valves
272 crane cam 216 @ .050 with 515 lift both sides
stock low rise intake
600 holley
open headers
2.56 gears single spinner
stock stall 1800 rpms

it ran 14.40's at 99.XX mph


another combo i ran was

396 .060 over
9.0 to 1
284 crane cam
eddy intake performer
750 carb
ported heads cc. small valves
open headers
3.70 gears 2500 stall ran 13.60 at around 103 mph this engine a had more tune to the carb and ignition system better dial in this was in a 3600 lbs car.


maybe this might give ya some ideas......

hmm i kinda like the last one. may have to head that way with it.

You need to get a CR calculator going and do a parts search, but I am going to guess you will need a piston with about 25 - 28CC dome with the 112CC heads to get to 9.5/1. Your goal of 375 - 400HP is easily attained. Most of us with the 396/402 motors are trying to push 450HP out of them.

9.5+ CR, flat tappet hyd cam [280+/- advertised], 224 - 230 @.050 on the intake side, dual plane intake, 1.75" headers and 2-1/2" exhaust.

T400 with 2400 - 3000 converter w/ 3.73's out back and you are good to go.

I have basically the same combo sitting in my '69 Chevelle. Ultimately this motor will be replaced with a lot more cubes and set aside. My son wants to do a '69 Camaro with the 408CI motor and the spare T400 in the garage. Same basic setup as what you are looking at.

LOOK AT THE CHAMBER ON THOSE HEADS!

I think the "112" is a typo on the Mortec site. More like "121" cc or bigger in real life. The chamber on MY 148 heads is HUGE.

What is the volume (cc) of the OEM dome used on the 265/325/350 hp 396 piston?

good question novadude

oem dome is .180

.180" height, but have they ever published cc's?

.180" dome is 21cc's.

Charles

Originally posted by rkw1969:
hmm i kinda like the last one. may have to head that way with it. are you interested in alittle more performance? i was trying to give out some combo ideas based on your wanting to keep basicaly stock approach.

heres one of the lastest combos i have built i think is a very good compromise between being to wild and to tame......makes very good hp around the 450+ mark. caculated hp is about 373 hp to the ground based on trap speed and weight of car.

i have built faster street cars but the had more radical idle, got crappy gas mileage, and was alittle more pain to drive.....but hey they was fun and ran hard.

i took a different approach on this motor and very please to say it will run over 107 mph in the 1/4 and there is more to tune out of it.

with proper gears like 4.10 it should would run some low 12's in street trim provided traction was there. never the less it is even fun to drive with 2.73 gears out back and get decent gas mileage.


414ci 396
10.5 to 1 comp.
delta hyd. cam 233/239@.050 with .548/.551 lift 111 lobe seperation, rhoads lifters
'390 ported heads, 2.19/1.88 valves
rpm intake
750 VS carb
summit headers
2500 brake stall
3900 lbs
street tires and full exhaust, factory cold air induction.

runs over 107 mph in the 1/4 and pulls so darn hard to 6500 rpms (shift point) idles at 800 rpms in park and 650 in gear. over 13" of hg at idle.

and just because i tried it idles down even to about 350 rpms.....lol

very tame motor for everyday, with a very nice idle.......

stand on the brake, bring the rpms up to 2000 rpms, let of the brake and floor it......this can light the rear tires all the way thru first gear to 6500 rpms, shift and then burn them thru 2 gear to 6500 rpms, shift and it grabs split sec after shifting.......

runs on nothing but 87 octane fuel.....initial is at 21 degrees, total at 38 degrees, all in by 2500-2600 rpms.......

Originally posted by Schurkey:
LOOK AT THE CHAMBER ON THOSE HEADS!

I think the "112" is a typo on the Mortec site. More like "121" cc or bigger in real life. The chamber on MY 148 heads is HUGE. i have those heads on my drag car....its not a misprint.....with just a head deck clean up and installed 2.19 /1.88 valves with the chambers smoothed...they cc'd out to 108 cc

with the new bigger valves it takes up cc's and the valves sit higher then stock since they are fresh with new seats cut.

dont get me wrong they do look big but if you compare them to the 049 heads you will find the 148 heads have a shallow chamber......the 049 heads are about 1/8" deeper in the center of the chamber compared to the 148. also the 049 heads have less material around the spark plug hole compared to the 148 which is alittle more meaty they have a tear drop shape around the plug hole which is taking up some cc's.......

i cc'd the 049 heads i have at the same time when i did my 148 and i came up with 122 cc on the 049 heads with stock valves and it was on its second valve job....with a clean up on the head surface.