[Lynn]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Pritchard</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">Tone down </span></span>a 325hp 396??? Are they serious? My 69 Chevelle convertible is a 325hp 396 and I have driven it about 5,000 miles over the past 12 years.....all on pump 93 octane premium and with bias belt tires. Same points, plugs, cap, rotor, etc that I put in it right after buying it. It runs and drives just fine. </div></div>

Have to agree with Bill on this one. Pretty sure you could run that car all day long on 91 if tuned properly. 10.25:1 compression; lift is something ridiculous like LESS than .370. I don't know who is telling you to tone it down, but have to wonder if they ever drove a car with a 325 horse 396.

Pretty sure the only diff between the 325 horse and the 350 horse is the camshaft. That cam would make a good choice and even help fight detonation just a bit. Or.... you could run a more modern cam. Chris Staub has some good bumpsticks for vintage big blocks. The engine would look and sound just like stock, but give you some more umph.

This is one of the few areas I am going to disagree with Verne. Any huge improvement you can make like this that doesn't show in any way, and does not hurt your performance, I am all for it. Having said all that, I too like totally stock restos. That is why I have kept my exhaust manifolds, smog system and stock exhaust in storage. After I am done beating on the Z for a while, I will be fine making it bone stock. I have no problem with bolt ons in the mean time.