396 Build Up

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
Originally posted by: 69 Post Sedan

One of the reasons I want to run rectangular port heads is they really don't start working until the rpm's get up there. So, I won't be frying the balonies out of the hole...just hooking up. By the time I get the real HP going I'll be moving.

[/ QUOTE ]
Wishful thinking, believe me...our class [and especially the FAST class above us] is the masters of killing bottom end power and moving elsewhere, and those huge ports still make enough grunt down to make things interesting to the 330' mark (and beyond, sometimes!)...

Listen to Eric, he's giving you great advice...with decent tires & hook this should be a no brainer.

[markjohnson]

That's an interesting link that Eric posted and I'd love to see what the 454-468 version would be capable of! I know that it's the correct sum of parts that gets you down the Dragstrip faster than the next guy but if I had to pick one the "magic" part in that comination, it would have to be that Comp Cams XR274R Solid Roller. I've actually had my eye on that very camshaft for an upcoming project and it looks very promising. I've built and owned MANY Big Block Chevys and I've had 9.00 Comp. Pump Gas/Oval Port/Solid Roller motors that would just flat out embarass my 12.5 Comp. Race Gas/Rectangle Port/Solid Flat Tappet Motors. I had the good fortune to talk BBC's with John Lingenfelter quite a bit in the back in the Nineties and he's the reason I'm sold on Oval Ports for applications under 496 CID and .650 Lift camshafts. Your 396 CID would be very happy with a set set of oval port heads with the big 2.19/1.88 valves fitted to them with some nice bowl port work and a Performer RPM Intake Manifold. Don't worry about trying to kill of low-end power with those giant Rectangular ports on such a small CID engine. Make all the power you can.....and then worry about getting it to hook. That's the fun part!

[VintageMusclecar]

There was a fairly well-known poster over on the TC forums years ago who had an exceptionally well scienced-out `68 Chevelle with an oval port 468 in it. (I'm not going to mention any names, and for those who know whom I'm referring to, please follow suit)

The 468 used prepped oval port closed chamber heads, ~11-1 compression, several different roller cams along the way, an Edelbrock Perf. RPM and a ProSystems prepped Holley backed by a TH400 and a 4.10 gear. The car reportedly weighed in over 3800 lbs and regularly ran well into the low 10 second range with 60' times consistently in the 1.30's.

Again...lots of ways to skin a cat, but e.t. is in the short times.

[Xplantdad]

Eric, I think I remember the guy you were talking about. He always had a picture of his Chevelle with the front way up in the air...

[SuperNovaSS]

Isn't there a member here who has a Blue 69 Chevelle with a similar setup? I remember a thread where he was thinking about returning it to L78 specs?


Jason