I'm looking at a complete 69 model 396 with everything from breather to bellhousing.I believe it is the 325hp.Where I live bb's are getting hard to find.What would be top price I should pay for it.THANKS FOR YOUR REPLYS!!

Unless you absolutely must have a 396, I wouldn't give $200 for one. They weigh as much as a big motor and run like small block. Nevertheless, if it's fresh I've een plenty go for $2000, if it needs to be rebuilt, I don't think they are worth but $600-$800.
REMEMBER, this just my opinion!!

Speak for yourself when you say 396's run like small blocks, mine hauls a$$ smile.gif

I picked up a '69 396 with approx 30,000 miles on it for $900, complete from carb to pan... drop in and go smile.gif

On the last 396 I bought, I paid $600 for the block, crank, rods, pistons and heads. All the machine work had been done to the block, and the heads I had went through (everything)

Hope that helps

I can't speak for a good sale price, but as far as performance potential, I would agree with TonyA. I can definitely say from experience that even just a "decent" 396 runs nothing like a small block. 396 motors make great torque and can also make decent horsepower with minimal work. My 69 is a 325hp 396that makes 300hp and 400ft/lb at the rear wheels. That's not monster power, but it has pushed my 69 (3750 lbs without driver) to consistent 13.15's with a few fluke 13.0's for 8 years now. This is with 3.31 gears and a car that we've run on Power Tour and lot's of other long trips. It has the stock 325hp heads with woefully sunk valves and a basic home port job. A gm performance cam (.540/.540 238/248, 114), performer rpm and headers. Bottom end is stock. It's also a blast on the street because you can pretty much boil the tires at will anytime your rolling under 35mph.

If you can get this motor complete for a really good price, why not? Sure you could hold out for a 454 for maximum cubes, but it all depends what your going to do with the build up. My 396 has spanked plenty of 454's and 502's at the track so the bigger cubes alone don't matter.