I picked up a 396 a few months ago and just got the block and the crank back from the machine shop. Now i'm lookin' for a set up to run. I have the factory pistons ( the block didn't need to be punched) It came with a Torquer intake the Machine shop also balanced the rods for me. what Cam and carb should I run? It also came with heads but stamped on the heads i found the word "truck" I think i'll talk to a friend of mine he has a few sets of the "Hi-Perf" heads maybe i can score a set of them. keep in mind that this will not be a daily driver,so i won't be worried to much about fuel usage. I also read that i need a oil pan fom a chevelle but i don't know what year chevelle. i also need to know what headers you BB guys are running? iw will be and around town car and maybe an occansional short trip but mostly for town and once and a while trailered to the track just to see what kind of time i get. thanks for the info guys

 

Pick up an Extreme Energy cam that will go with the rest of the car combination. Stall speed, rear end gearing etc.

The torquer intake is fine but since you're planning on mostly street use, an Edelbrock Performer or RPM Performer would be better.

All BBC heads are considered Hi-Perf. What's the casting numbers. Even trucks came with good castings.

BBC Chevelles were only in the late 60's. Just buy a generic BBC aftermarket BBC oil pan.

There are very few header choices. The most common used is Hooker SuperComp BBC swap headers. They're the cheapest. You can get other sets from places like LemonsHeaders or Sandersons but they'll cost about twice as much.

 

i'll get the head casting numbers for you tommorrow then you can tell me if there worth using

 

The easiest best heads to use for a street buildup that has to run on pump gas are the 402 heads. They're a small-port, open-chamber, medium compresiion casting. The ones to avoid are the early closed-chamber ones (great heads for power in many cases, impossible to get to run right on modern gas) and 454 heads.

The Torker sux. The Perf RPM will spank it.

Big blocks like lift. But the stock springs are only good for about .400" of lift. You MUST replace everything on top of whatever heads you end up with, with whatever teh cam mfr you go with recommends. I'd recommend a cam with somewhere around 225-230° on the intake, and about 10° more on the exhaust, the steepest possible ramps, and the greatest possible lift.... something about like a Comp XE274.

 

While you're at it, get the suffix code off the block. It will be a number stamped into the pad in front of the passenger side head. It can also be stamped on the small pad above the timing cover.

It will be something like T0204TFV

 

By "small port", I assume you mean "oval" port vs. "rectangular" port. If that's the case, then I agree 402 truck heads are a very good street performance choice. The open chambers will lower the stock 396 10.25:1 (assuming you have a 325 horse 396) somewhat. If you wanted, you could punch the cylinders out to 4.125" and use 402 high compression/open chamber pistons to keep the squeeze ratio up.

I'll second the part about the Torker intake. Single plane, no good below 2500 RPMs. I'd recommend a Weiand Stealth over the Performer RPM, though.

For whatever heads you end up getting, consider Manley Pro Flow-style valves. Also seriously consider a pocket port job (at least) on whatever heads you run. If street driven (unleaded gas), have hardened exhaust seats installed, too (your heads will most likely be pre-1975).

The XE274 seemed a bit too extreme to me. My 396 is mainly strip use (but driven there), I'm leaning towards a Comp solid grind with about .570 lift and in the duration range suggested above. That will require a higher stall converter, though. The valve springs should be replaced with something to match the cam you choose.

The above is what I have planned for my 396 this winter. If I can pull it off, just might break into the 13's at altitude uncorrected next spring.