Well, This isnt particuarly thirdgen, but it Should intrest most of you and it Is tech.

My friend has a 78 Vette with no Motor. He has a 4 bolt 350 block from some unknown source that came in the car when he got it, with bad rings to boot. Its not the Original L-42(?) the car came with.

Another friend of Mine has a 396 that is supposedly out of a 62 Vette. He is Willing to trade the 396 for the 350 because the 396 wont fit in his *****'s.

Both need rebuilds and are in similar condition, I have yet to see the 396.

Now the Question is, If you had a 78 Corvette That was not a Daily Driver, Wich would you Go with ? Wich would be easier to make HP with. Now were not talking pro street or 10 sec's here or anything, Mostly looking for a high 12 second, streetable Car.


I dont know alot about big blocks, and I know even less about 396's. What is the performance potential of this motor ?

Oh yeah, The Car also has a TCI streetfighter TH350.




------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

62 Vettes didn't come with a 396, which is not to say that the 396 didn't come out of one. But the fact that it came out of a 62 Vette automatically means it isn't a 62 Vette motor.

Big blocks are a terrible fit under the hood of a Vette. There isn't enough height. In fact, even with the special hoods that the big block Vettes came with, they used an intake manifold where the carb flange is actually below the valve cover flange!! The mixture comes down out of the carb, does a 180° and goes back upwards in the runners, then does another 180° to get back down into the head ports. In later years all big blocks came equipped with the "Vette" intake. What a POS. I took the one of those off the 454 in my 74 Caprice convertible, put on a right-side-up 396 one, and gained at least 25 HP by the butt dyno.

Bottom line: I love big blocks, and I love Vettes; but I don't think they're a good match for each other. IMHO big blocks belong in A & G bodies, B-bodies, trucks, boats, and race cars. He should build up a good healthy small block for his Vette, which that 010 (probably) block would work fine for if it's in good shape. The ****** guy should sell his 396 or trade it for some other small block or something. He ought to be able to get a good bit more money for it than a good small block core should cost, so he would come out a little ahead on the deal.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

i'd like the 396 to put in my old car, but i wouldn't put it in a vette. my choice would be a zz4, lt1, zz430 depending on funds, or rebuild the 350 and play with it a little

------------------
ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

 

Well, What if the hood wasnt an issue

------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype