I have built many small block and other engines,so I not a novice, I am currently aquiring the parts to build my first big block Chevy. I recently acquired a 1966 396 block, casting number 3855961. I found a pair of heads that came from a 366 truck engine. until I saw the posting and did some research on the web, I had never heard of this engine. What I am wondering is with the proper preparation, or any prep for that matter, will these heads work on a nicely built 396? Also I was told that there is a difference in some of the older big block engines in the way of the camshaft. I was told that on some of the older engines that there is a flat place on the rear camshaft journal to allow for oiling, that is not present on newer engines. Is this true or just a bunch of smoke? This doesnt sound like something GM would do, but you never know.
Thanks,
Billy Ellis http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Billy,
You should give us the casting #'s off the
heads to be sure but the 366 is a truck engine used in buses and dump trucks and the
like.The older 396's had a groove on the rear
cam journal.

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'86 firebird pro street
452 bbc 13.5-1,781 heads,
roller cam,48" Moser 12 bolt,4.56 spool,400t w/brake

Thanks,

I am awaiting the casting numbers from the owner (found them on ebay). With the issue of the camshaft. Is it necessary to use the cam with the slot on my old (1966) block?
Billy

Billy, if those turn out to be "peanut port" heads, and its likely they are,

DO NOT BUY THEM. The ports nad valves are so small you'll never get any decent power out of them.

And yes you'll need a grooved rear cam bearing for the 66 block.

Definitely stay away from the small peanut port heads. Go with some large oval port heads, closed or open chamber. Open chamber 781 heads flow very well. Put in 2.19/1.88 valves and do some home polishing maybe porting and it should run very well. Comp Cams XE 268 is in a friends car and runs top notch. Not too big or too small. Good vacuume for accessories. I have the XE 274 a bit large but also great cam for the $$$.

Keith black hypereutectic pistons are excellent for a budget build while still very strong.

look at http://www.competitionproducts.com for good prices.

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1966 Chevelle Malibu Sandalwood, Gold color
454, .30 over, 870 Holley, Edelbrock RPM Air Gap, 781 oval ports,
700 R4 transmission
12" disks up front and hope to have disks in the rear soon and a 9 inch with 3.70s.

13.575 @ 100.22 mph. Second run ever.

Thanks for all of the replys. You guys are a great source of info. I also found a set of virgin 353049 454 heads. I think they will need pretty much everything, but I can do all of that myself. What do you think about that set?
Thanks again,
Billy

Billy,049 are an excellent open chamber casting..just to remember to maintain any decent compression with an open chamber head,you want a piston with a minimum of a .133 dome

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My 70 SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/mr4speed70SS1)
Engine pic (http://chevelles.com/showroom/mr4speed70SSengine2)
My Black Cherry 70 SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Photo0031.jpg)
The launch (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/CClaunch.jpg) 13.13 @ 101.490/1.92 60 ft. with radials,2.73's,and thru the mufflers
1.90 Best 60 ft.
101.84 Best MPH
My Drag Race page and combo (http://www.prestage.com/site/site_display.asp?SiteID=589)
1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible
1973 GMC Sierra 454 p/u
1985 Cadillac Eldorado (daily driver)
Chris Corwel,TC Member # 785
Member # 141 AMCA

Ya done good Billy. Those are much better castings. Make sure you have a shiop Magnaflux ( check for cracks) them before you go any further. Also Billy, while they're checking them, you might want to ask them to measure one chamber off each head to see what size it is. Then you can go piston shopping with the correct chamber size and get your compression right where you want it.

427... Thanks, but I aint done good yet... I havent gotten the heads YET!!! I should be getting the block in the next couple of weeks. I got it on ebay for $100. Hopefully it is good. its coming from a seemingly respectable Supply House in Texas. Im gonna check with them once I get the block and make sure its on the up and up to see what else I can get from them.
Stay tuned as I plan to be asking many more questions from you guys.
http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Billys68SS (edited 12-03-2002).]

I hear ya. Aint done until they're in the back of the truck.

Happy hunting Billy, hope the block checks out mint.

And Welcome to Team Chevelle! Yeah, these guys are great. Just about helped me build an old 67.

[This message has been edited by 427L88 (edited 12-03-2002).]

Is the Supply House in Dallas that you got your block from by any chance??? pdq67

pdq67... actually it is in Spring.. B&M Engines. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

I am looking at an oil pan on ebay right now. It is brand new. Like a small block, is there a difference between the older engines and the newer engines liek rear seals and will all oil pans work the on all BBC's?
Thanks,
Billy

I'm not so sure about going the open chamber 049 route on a 396. I have a 454 with 781s but that's a bigger engine. Why not go with closed chamber heads like 215s, 219s or 063s and go with more of a flat top piston? I think you might like it better.

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1969 SS 396 Camaro/Th 400/355s.(454 now)
Not a Chevelle but the BBC guys are here!

Billy, Definately ace those heads if they are the peanu port.
As far as the camshaft. The rear bearing journal has to be machined with a groove 3/16 wide and 3/16 deep in the center of the rear journal. this is so the main oil galley can feed the lifter galley's through the chamber cut into the camshaft, also need the correct rear cam bearing with 3 holes to feed the oil galleys. The later blocks were machined with a groove behind the bearing to feed the galleys. I had this done when I built my 66 396 L35 325hp eng.(it was more like 450hp when I got done with it.)
Good luck and find as reputal machine shop to do the neede machine work as needed.
All the cam info came from H.P. books How to Hot Rod and How to Rebuild Big Block Chevys.Great source of info in these books.

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71 Chevelle 454 best 1/4 time 11.92 @ 112mph
65 Elcamino 4x4 w/36inSwampers 4.88 gears

BBMalibu.... Thaks, I have decided not to go with those "peanut" heads. I think I still my go with the 049s though. I will be doing most of the head work myself, but I will have to get the block done outside. Is there a cam maker that makes the correct cam for that block application? I am currently awaiting the arrival of both of the books you mentioned. I plan to order the BBC Interchange book in the next couple of weeks. Got lots of reading ahead of me. I want this one to last at least as long as my first small block, 9 years and will still pull the front tires. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif
Thanks again guys....

Hey guys, I have another good wone to throw at ya. One of the technicians here has a friend who has a 66-67 427 truck short block he is thinking of departing with. My question is what is the difference in the engine blocks and the truck blocks? I know from what I have read and heard that the block on the trucks is a taller block. What does that mean? An actually taller block? Longer rods? Taller Pistons? All of the above? He has a complete rotating assembly that he wants to get rid of and maybe trade for a 396. One more question on this topic. What is the application difference, if any, if I wanted to put this engine in my 69 Chevelle?
Thanks.
Billy

A little update. I went ahead and got the oil pan, went back and read the posting and emailed the owner. Got a brand new Wysco stock oil pan. Also got How To Hot Rod Big Block Chevys, found most of the info I was loking for on the difference in a standard block and the tall truck block, and I have only read a few pages so far.
http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Which ever heads you go with make sure and check your piston to valve clearance. I had a 396 for my 70 Chevelle and installed a mild .480 lift cam and had the machine shop degree in the cam. I put the motor together and it ran like a 6 banger for about 100 miles and then a valve went through the block. Turned out the intake valves had pounded about an 1/8" dent into the forged pistons. $3500 down the tubes 15 years ago, and it still makes me mad.

Bob... Thanks for the input. I will certainly keep an eye on that. I dont plan on too high compression, but want a big cam... want lots of thumpity thump http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

lots of thumpity....... lots of sleepless nights on why my motor wont run like it should. BIG CAMS are the way of the past, I suggests doing a search on the BSE 396 this combo is a good deal and it will power a 68 very nicely. Im sure there are other ways but, BIG CAM= no torque= slug motor= pissed off builder= 488 gears to make motor work= bad street manners. I can go on for hours, i have done it before, it sucks man. I run a very mild SBC and it can run with the wild bbc that arent built right. That is huge cam and 2.73's or 3.31's.

Monte.... I have always built and ran SBC's. I love the small block and plan to build more of them in the future,(I have a building full of cores) but this is my first big block and even though I havent absolutely decided what I am going to put it in or exactly how I am going to build it, I am doing LOTS of research beforehand, hence the posts here. It wil take me awhile to do it (budget!!)and I will be relying on some tips from some of you guys here as well as my other research. I thank everyone here for their input and look forward to more of the same.
Billy

What is a BSE? Briggs and Stratton Engine? LOL http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Billy,

You say you built a lot of SB's, did you always build 283's? The reason I ask is that is what you are building here with your 396.

If you didn't already get your block yet, I would suggest going at least the 454 route. Same price but more bang for the same buck.

Remember it will not be fun sitting there saying to yourself, "I should of had a V8, I mean a big glass of 454 V8".

No offense to the 396 owners http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

Thanks Bill

Bill... Yes the 396 is the baby Big Block, but has potential for much more power than the 350's of the world. I mean there is only so much you can do with a 350 block. And no I havent built any 283's, even though I have a complete 1963 283 engine in my building. The 396 is very similar in displacement of the small block 400,(with .031 less bore and .010 more stroke) but of course much heavier. But it can actually be bored out to a 454 with ease and not much risk. The cylinders of the 396 are .250 thick (if my research is correct) Not that I plan to go that far. I wont go farther than .060. My plan isto get good at the Big Block with a few build ups and when my budget is better, build a Merlin 600+ cid powerhouse. I have ambition here... LOL http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Billys68SS (edited 12-08-2002).]

Billy,

The only advise I was trying to give was, you might be better off starting with a larger bore and save your self some money. There are not too many people who buy a 396 so they can bore it out to a 454.

You must be starting with a bigger budget and have more money than me if you intend to (practice) building big blocks at about $4,000 to $6,000 until you get good at it, as you say. This price is especially true if you go at it selecting high guality individual parts as you seem to want to do.

Thanks Bill

Bill...I have a curse, I always want to do everything exactly right. Unfortunately that is why most of my projects sit for years. I am just beginning this one and do not have a lot to start with, money or information, so I am arming myself as best as possible for success(and saving as much money as possible).

Billy

Thx. for the come back.. pdq67

Just a quick note. I got my block in the other day and I am very excited. It is a 66 396. The block looks really good. There is no ridge and it doesnt appear anyone has recently cut it. I am curious about one thing. Earlier in this post I asked the question about the cam having the groove on the last lobe. Well, when the block came in it had a Erson TQ20H cam in it with a date code of 8 95. I pulled it out and it didnt have the groove. Upon inspection I found that the cam had 2 almost perfectly round lobes. I was wondering if this might have something to do with that groove. I wouldnt think the cam should be in this kind of shape only being 7 years old. Anyone?
Thanks,
Billy