If you could build an engine any way you wanted to

[PxTx]

I would prefer a BBC for my 65. My theme would be 1965-1967 speed parts. I would love to find an 396 with the siamesed cylinders, casting 3855962 I think. Would want a set of 3904392 L88 heads simply for weight but since we are dreaming, they would be date correct for my theme.

I would love to run without a hood, so an early TR2 tunnel ram would be cool. I know it would probbly fail the "which one tested to make the most HP" but I do like making good HP with parts that people tend to write off. I also happend to like the look of that intake and dig the fact that Grumpy Jenkins had done okay with it too.

A 4 speed makes my little 327 lots of fun, but I think I would enjoy a simple TH400 behind this beast. After-all building an engine that would keep breaking 4-speeds isn't very fun to drive
when you're broke down.

I also think it would be cool to listen to the hum of some old duplex fuel pumps, but admittedly and scare to kill the ones I have with the modern fuel. Does anyone run the Dupree/Autopulse pumps? I don't really even know if the fuel would kill them. Seems there are plenty of old SW 240a pumps running modern fuel.



Gearing for me is 4.56 at a minimum, but there is something about 4.88's the seems to be right. I also like hearing form these guys who think you can't live with 88's on the street without OD. With a well tuned distributor and vac advance, I get 12 mpg with my 327 running dual quads (600cfm Holley's) a 4 speed and 4.88. Don't kow what to expect with a BBC for fuel economy, but crusing with the R's around 5 ain't for the faint of heart. The Jersey shore is only about 50-60 miles on the Expressway and I've traveled that plenty with my 88's.

There are a few "newer" items I find it hard to live without. I've always run a Holley Blue pump, which you just have to knw how to maintain it to get it to live. I also love my MSD to help wiht the dual quads. It's an old 7a fomr the 1970's but I trust it over just about all other systems. For a manual trans, the early Vertigate shifter is tops- anything else is...what do the young guys call it...weaksauce?

Some interesting thoughts here Eric. I would love to hear more on what prompted you to ask the question. Seems like you might have a SBC option bouncing around. I would love to hear more on that. One thing that I really like about a old smal block is the look before it went modern. No accessory holes in th heads. Nothing but an alternator. Clean and simple from a time when all sbc had forged cranks.