So I was gonna build up a v6 but after looking at cost and whatnot I figure screw that I'm going 8cyl. I'm currently looking at a 350 outta an old bus, I'm gonna do something carbed, hopefully with a nice 6spd. The guy that has the 350 for sale also has 2 396's. I would love to put one of these in but my father in law said it probably won't fit, or will take excessive work to make it fit. Looking for people's opinions on this... I think the largest I've seen is a 383.

 

396 does fit, and parts are made for the swap. Look in the "Engine Swap" section and you'll find threads about installing a big block. They will tell you everything you need to know.

 

I'll give ya mine....

If you're doing the swap with plans on upgrading to a 454 or 572 or whatnot later on, then go for it! I was contemplating using a 500 caddy engine in mine when I first got my car. - And I'm not really a "racer". lol - But a Caddy swap is kinda "apples to oranges" compared to a BB swap.

You'll get lots of torque out of a big block, but if you're doing it you may as well get as many cubes as you can (=more powa)... from a block that's physically the same size as other big blocks... i.e 396 - 454 - 572

-Or swap in the biggest cube small block you can get....

 

I don't think that the 396 has much of a place in a 3rd gen f-bod,if youre building for street driving and handling, just my opinion. If i were you i would built up a 383 or 400, heck even a 355 will power your car well, and still be able to take a corner. my $.02.

 

If your gonna take the weight penalty of a bbc then go BIG block

 

572 isn't in the same catagory.

396, 402, 427, 454 (plus all it's overbore/stroker combinations) and 540 are all short deck BBC blocks.

572, 632 are tall deck blocks. They'll take even more fabrication work to get them to fit. You can get a monster motor super tall deck putting out 700+ CID.

A 396 can be a fun engine but it's also the smallest BBC. 427 isn't really worth the build unless it's a ZL-1 aluminum engine. If you're going to build a BBC, start with a 454 since it will cost the same to build as a 396 will and parts specific to the 454 (pistons etc) will be cheaper.

 

That was the only point I was making, 572 or not.

 

Actually the 366 is.
Same stroke as a 396, smaller bore.

 

I love big blocks, but if your building for a street car I would stay with a small block because of weight and balance of the car, but like they said if your going big block get a min of 427 or the beter choice a 454 w/say 30 over. But you can do a stout 383/406 that would be way better than a 396.