I have a 69 Chevelle SS Convertible that I am restoring. It has a generic 350 in it now and I want to put a 396 to be original. I have never driven a 396 car. I have been told that the 396 doesn't have enough power and that I should go with the 454. I am told that with the 396 I will be left at stop lights trying to catch up. Any thoughts would help.

Same pice to build a 454 vs a 396. More cubic inches. If you have a 396 already rebuild it. If you are looking for a BB, try to find a 454. although there are many strong running 396's out there.

Build what you can find. I've found that the 396's are starting to move up in price because everyone's looking for a date coded block. If they are about the same price I'd build a 454, just put the 396 sticker on the air cleaner.... :)

It'll be the hardest running "396" around....

David

...what David said :thumbsup:

And if you find a good 454 core motor out of a mid '70's/'80's P/U or a Burb that has a bad crank, for not all that much more than a stock rebuild, you can make a 496"...

BUT don't use peanut port heads on it if they are on the core motor..

AND use at least 6.385" longer rods is all...

You can get 550 hp easy outta onna these, "almost like a stock rebuild, but 496 sized", "tow-truck" motors...

pdq67

Building 496" stroker for 1972 Chevelle (convertible also), car is under total frame-off resto at this time. We've "guaranteed" approximately 500HP on pump-gas, using all his external factory parts, for example, the 2 B.M. block, oval port heads, oval port C.I. intake, Q-jet carb, and factory exhaust manifolds. Inside engine however, will be for all-out power, but still totally drivable. These are extremely heavy cars given that we're talking (in this case) a convertible, 4 speed, 12 bolt rear with 3.36:1 gears (I believe). Car probably will come in around 4000# with driver and tank of fuel. Thanks, Gary in N.Y.
PS Many of my original customers are coming "back-in-the-door" with older restorations due to the fact that "factory-cars" are coming through with
"higher" HP numbers and they don't want to be "left-behind". The "average" HP numbers up here (in N.Y.) are as follows: 350SB-360HP, 383SB-450HP, 396BB-425HP, 454BB-500HP, 496BB-550HP, and 540BB-700+HP. These are all 93 Octane compatible. And no problems "battling" high water temps. All of these ass'ys are under 9.75:1 C.R., and most include iron heads, built around certain budget "parameters". As I stated above, these are "averages", we just delivered a 540 Pump-Gas (today) off the dyno with 741 HP @ 6300 RPM with iron heads.