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496 or 522

5K views 38 replies 26 participants last post by  Stokerboats 
#1 ·
Looking putting a car together as a driver. I want a 496 with the 4 1/4 stroke and engine guy wants 522 with 4 inch stroke. Car is a 1966 chevelle 2 door hardtop. Just a driver but want it to be a bit of a spirited car that can dip into the 11s if there comes a need. What would you guys do.

RH
 
#6 ·
If you are going with a 522 with a Bow tie or Dart block that would be a nice way to go. I am assuming the 496 is a 454 motor with a crank. The bigger bore unshrouds the valves and it is like having a free 20 cubic inches when compared to 496 (it is worth like 25 hp using a same size engine with smaller bore). Also the ring sealing and block movement under stress when you get to 700 hp is less with a bow tie or Dart Block. A 496 is a good motor but a newer block is better but will also be more expensive too.
 
#12 ·
You and I have similar tastes 😂

Build the most reliable, most tame, easiest to drive package which still runs the number you’re looking to run. I also built mine to run on the tires I intended to run.

With valve springs, we’re talking cams under 0.600” lift and an engine which can drink the fuel you intend to purchase. I built my engine to satisfy all these boxes. I’d have to believe with a set of AFR 265s, my car would be in the 11.6-11.7s with 2.56 gears and stock stall, on 225/70-15, that’s with a 496. Why go for extra expense if you don’t need it?

On the other hand, if you had a big bore block, would you really only want to run 11s? My goal would be 10s with 2.56 gears 😂 I’d build a 565 with AFR290s and a fairly mild cam, and it would lay down serious grunt.
 
#14 ·
If the goal truly is "dip into the 11's" I can't see much benefit in the 522. 496 will easily dip into the 11's and a torque advantage. In a 66 the oil pan can be a limiting factor although I've spun my smaller 499 (than my 565) up past 6800 and run bottom tens. I see no benefit on a driver with the 522.
 
#16 ·
Thank you all. The thing is back in the late 80 early 90s i had a 1966 chevelle ss396 with my tunnel rammed l88 with m22 and 5.13 gears. Car was fast and the rez is 20 mins from town. I put a deposit on a car that is in storage now. Another 1966 chevelle ss. This one is blue. Very nice restored car. Has a mild 396 with 700r4 and 3.73 12 bolt rear. I have been thinking it would be really nice with a 496. I have block sniper efi some intakes. Need crank rods piston heads cam. Now my engine guy was all for it till a friend of his passed and had a 522. It was a complete running engine. Took it apart just to check it over. Has bow tie block scat light weight crank 6.535 rod scat rods je pistons arp head studs dart 320 race series heads with comp shaft rockers. This set up is only 1500 more then a cast scat crank rods wiseco piston deal with rings and bearing. So with heads and rockers it would be much cheaper for the 522 then building a 496. I was just thinking the 496 would have better torque sooner for a driver with overdrive and 3.73s then the 522. But sounds like a mellow 522 would be preferred by other members but usually the cost is more then a 496. This time it is not. Engine guy want to sell me the 522.

RH
 
#19 ·
The 522 sounds like the best deal for sure...much better parts.

Stroke doesn't automatically make TQ.....cubes do regardless of how you get them. The 522 will make more. Cam and heads/intake will determine where that happens with respect to RPM. Cam will make the biggest impact.

JIM
 
#20 ·
The Dart 320 heads wont prefer mellow street duty for sure. 290/305 is the biggest I'd go for something running to 6500, even AT 522 CI. Unless you keep it a bracket motor with deep gearing. You could cam it to use heads with low md lift velocity.

Darts Pro 1 320 on a 509 werent too impressive years back. Alas it could have been the cam choice.

As Jim says, the 522 sounds like the best deal in this case. Tuned appropriately.
 
#21 ·
522 for less windage, slower piston speed and quicker into the meat of the power band after a shift.

Why not step it down one more to a 3.766" stroke? Probably lose too many cubic inches to acheive the goal, but an L88 on steroids holds the attention of a lot of us.
 
#26 ·
Thank you guys for the help. I'm a 427 guy through and through. But at this deal i must have a 4 inch stroke crank. Thought the 4 1/4 would be nice for a street car but can not pass up this. Ez called me and told me this. It is a mark 4 bow tie block. Scat light weight forged crank. Standard on rods and mains. Pistons are 4.565 custom je with a tiny dome. Maybe 50 thou. Heads are dart sonny 320 ported by sonnys and came with ferrra titanium valves and t and d shaft rockers. Bore and crank fine. John wants to deglase bore polish crank new rings and bearings. Total cost as it sits now is about $2560 in your green money. Or $3250 here in canada. I think that is more then fair. Now we might swap heads for a set of flotek 290 with polished rpm air gap. Not sure on that yet as we have a bit of time.

RH
 
#28 · (Edited)
I would rather have a 427 or a 454 with low compression all Chevrolet parts, no Chinese crank or rods. A nice seventies 454 with 781 heads, maybe 9:1 compression a factory cam maybe a flat solid, when was the last time you saw a flat solid wipe lobes out or for that matter a factory hyd grind.
 
#29 ·
Sir stroker. This deal just showed up from the estate of a fellow who passed in the summer. I was really wanting the 4 1/4 stroke as i have a bare block and some rods with a 427 crank. See the bigger stuff just seems so much mellower. I had to stop my rotating kit i ordered just on friday. Finally a really good deal came my way.

RH
 
#32 ·
Sir john seems to find deal on this stuff. This is more then he paid for a complete 632. Blueprint block k1 crank oliver rods. Needs pistons. I had him send me some pictures
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You can see the sar and number for sonnys porting and shaft rockers and the bow tie on the block. I think i got lucky dealing with him.

RH
 
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