Any advice on a 396's breathing ability in an 87'??I'll be running headers and probally no CAT. No EGR,AIR,or A/C.Any help would be appreciated.

 

It takes some work, but the payoff is worth it. Unless you already own the 396 for low $$, consider a 454. The parts prices are about the same but you can count on a 50-75 HP increase with similar driveability from a 454. Make sure that you grab all of the accessory brackets and fittings as they are different than small blocks and are becoming harder to find.

 

Like this?


It is not mine, it belongs to a friend. It is a 427 with Hooker SuperComp (I think) headers.



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88 IROC convertible

 

A 396 is not really worth the work unless you have a rebuilt one that is ready to run already. A small block can run head to head with a 396 until the ports start getting so large they out grow the small block foundation. That will never happen with a street engine though, we are talking serious HP racing there. A 396 is also a bit heavier negating any possible benefits. By the time you factor in the conversion costs and difficulties, increased cooling difficulties, hood clearance problems, and just plain irritations like changing spark plugs, the 396 is not a good deal. When you start talking 454, or to some extent 427, then it is more difficult to match the power and reliability with a small block. Bigger CI small blocks can keep up, but the cost of the bigger small block will shift the favor to the big block. So your money is best spent on a good 383 or 400. It is kind of like spending $2000 on a fuel injection system to get another 2MPG of fuel economy. $2000 buys a whole bunch of gas, yet you still don't have all the wires and extra complications to put up with.

And what a shiny engine, I can just see myself now hitting a big mud puddle and splattering the engine. I don't see how some people keep an engine compartment looking that clean and still drive the car. I have had times that I couldn't see orange paint for all the mud and dirt. Then if a valve cover decides to take a leak it turns all black instead of gray. Even for a race car I have a hard time getting up the gust to scrub that hard.

 

Thanks guys, I wanted the BB horsepower but guess I didn't think through the pain it wouldn've caused me.....looks like a 383 or 400 is in my future. Supercharging will have to do.If I can afford it when it's all said and done.