I have a 1970 Chevelle clone. When I bought it from dealer, I didn't get any info on this car! I have a 1966 396ci/375hp engine, originally I think it was a 325hp. It has a TH400 bolted to it. We just replaced the flexplate and starter and it started the first time, but then would not engage again. We tried various shim combinations from none to .060. Nothing helped. We don't want to ruin the new stuff, so am looking for some help. The flexplate we used was a 14" 168 tooth and the starter for a 66 396. Did they use a longer nose at any time? Any help I can get would be greatly appreciated. This is the only thing keeping me from driving it.

energiize the starter while you have it off the car and make sure that the gear is engaging ... Also, inpsect teeth on both starter and flexplate make sure teethe are intact, not partially broken opff ... BTW, did you compare the new parts to the ones you replaced ? post back ...

bendix gear may have gone bad
or possibly the solenoid

I appreciate the two pointers I received, but we have done all of your suggestions. Late yesterday we inspected where the starter bolts in to the block and found that the previous owner had broken the outer hole in the block where the starter bolt goes. They drilled and tapped the hole a little deeper, but with a chunk broken out of the block, there is no support when you tighten the starter bolt and throws everything out of alignment. Does anyone know of a temporary fix to get me through the summer or am I facicing the inevitable of pulling the motor and either trying to repair or replace the block? I've also been told that it is hard to find 396 blocks. This one is a 4 bolt main. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Andy the correct answer is probably to pull the engine, but we all realize that sometimes it is not always a perfect world. Is there enough of the hole left to thread a stud into and then have someone weld it solid to the block?

Billy

Billy, you're absolutely correct. Pulling the engine and trying to find a 396 standard bore block will be my best bet. I'm just not sure how easy it will be to find a block. There is not enough of the hole left for your suggestion, and I want to do this the right way, so I'm now in search of a block. I am looking for a std. bore because I have no idea whether my engine is std. or bored over.