[five7kid]

Here's a forum where we can talk the good ol' Rat, the King of the Track.

While the SBC has the reputation of being the most hot rodded engine, at the 1/4 mile the Rat really shines. At Bandimere Raceway, they noted recently that around half of the cars that race there have a Chevy engine, and over half of those are BBC's. Since the vast majority of those racing there are amateurs who need to watch pennies, that's a significant statistic.

Personally, I've got the baby of the family - 1966 396 of 325 horse variety, minor mods such as .030" over rebuild, forged TRW pistons, stock closed chamber heads treated to home porting and polishing, 2.06/1.72" valves, around 10:1 CR, General Kenetics 270 hydraulic flat tappet cam, Comp Magnum roller tip rockers, Weiand Action+ dual plane intake, Holley double pumper with 750 CFM Proform mainbody, HEI large cap distributor with Accel box, Hedman hedders intended for the Impala chassis the engine/trans came out of. I've never had it dyno'd, but gross crank HP estimate is in the 400 sea level range. I'd like to get a Comp solid cam and RPM Air Gap type intake sometime in the near future to up the grunt a little. Grunt is the word since it's pushing around 3850 pounds down the track. But, it doesn't complain.

Looking forward to sharing info about our fav rodent!

 

[Daz]

Hey how about posting some proven combos?

 

[1970judge]

Self proven or from a magzine my 396 ran 9 seconds in an 87 camaro.

 

[F-Bobby]

427 and 454 are where its at!

 

[1970judge]

ive done a mild manner 454 build and shit did it cost me money. my 396 cost me too but 454 has a price tag on everything you buy for it.

Edit: never built a 427 yet i almost had me one form a local but he sold it abotu 2days before i replied back to him. was a 427 from a 69 vette

 

[five7kid]

Hmm, it seemed to me that 454 parts were always less than those for 396/427, etc. But, I haven't been looking lately.

My block was used for both 396's and 427's, so I'm considering having it punched out to 4.250" next time it's apart. Certainly the bigger bores breathe better, and if you don't have anything to work with, it makes the most sense to build the bigger engines. These days, a 454 is considered "small".

I'm certainly not running 9's, but it has been very consistent for me lately.

 

[1970judge]

Yes that is exactly why i dont use 454's. I have found them to be very tempermental. Im also a big mopar guy and i have only built 1 440. And it wasnt for me. So i stuck with the 396 less temper and for me it was cheaper maybe i was looking in wrong places. Like i said never built a 427 but would love to one day.

 

[TheRoad64]

What do you mean when you say temperamental?

I'm still somewhere between amateur and knowing something as far as real hands on experience is concerned motor building.

I've thrown together a couple mild small block Chevies from short block on up.

But I still see myself as needing some help when I build the 454 I've got laying in the garage.

Hail to the Rat! Have yet to see a big block car that didnt impress...wait a sec..

I once ran into a Pinto in a small town near where I live in FL. This was when my Elky wasnt a basket case and featured a very mild 350. The Pinto had a 429 in it out of a pickup, and featured headers cobbled into 2in cast iron pipe that they used plumbing old houses. A tired looking Holley double pumper sat on top of the stock cast intake.

I ran him from maybe 20 mph, and he had nothing, and I do mean nothing. My Elky ran a lo 15 at the time (one wheel peel) and I pulled busses on him.

Later in the week he ran at the Gainesville Raceway. I can't believe he got past tech. Maybe they just wanted to laugh at him. The car posted 16s.

 

[Vendetta]

One of my friends just dropped a 454 BBC into his '79 Malibu. He's runnin it now with a TH400 and a 9". We're planning out how we're gonna get the heads worked and the cam grind he's gonna use right now.

 

[TheRoad64]

The 454/TH400/Ford 9inch is a proven combo. I still need the rear end.

 

[1970judge]

When i say tempermental is unpredictable more like it. the 454 i built would always lossen up on timing and usually run real hot. Its a bigger motor making an assload more heat. When you have a 454 you cant be 100% sure itll fire up first try everytime. I sing to the tune of 396 all day. Better platform is you ask me.

 

[pwr2w8]

Hmm, it seemed to me that 454 parts were always less than those for 396/427, etc. But, I haven't been looking lately.

My block was used for both 396's and 427's, so I'm considering having it punched out to 4.250" next time it's apart. Certainly the bigger bores breathe better, and if you don't have anything to work with, it makes the most sense to build the bigger engines. These days, a 454 is considered "small".

I'm certainly not running 9's, but it has been very consistent for me lately.

I didn't think you could punch out a 396 that much. You would have to bore it out .156, I didn't think that gm designed the cylinder walls to be taken out that far.

For a 427 I've always heard to get a 454 block with a 396 crank, since the 454 already has the 4.250 bore.

I've yet to build one, so I could be comletely wrong here. :dontknow:

 

[Vendetta]

The 454/TH400/Ford 9inch is a proven combo. I still need the rear end.

:notworthy

 

[five7kid]

I didn't think you could punch out a 396 that much. You would have to bore it out .156, I didn't think that gm designed the cylinder walls to be taken out that far.

For a 427 I've always heard to get a 454 block with a 396 crank, since the 454 already has the 4.250 bore.

I've yet to build one, so I could be comletely wrong here. :dontknow:

Normally you can't. But, the '66 block casting was the same for either 396 or 427 2-bolt main. The cylinders had the meat to go to 4.250".

I'd have it sonic checked first, just to be sure.

 

[Enthusiast]

Im am personally a big fan of the new small blocks with big block displacement. The SBC 454 and the new LS7 427. I mean you get all the displacement without the weight what could be better?

 

[five7kid]

Having one!

I'm running the 396 because I have it. Building a 427 SBC would be nice, but I can build a 427 out of what I have for a lot less than what it would take to build the SBC - Heads alone would be more than it would cost me to build the BBC version, to match what the ones I have will flow.

But, the new monster SBC's are why any new BBC you might consider getting should be more than 500 CID. And, it's not hard to make the extra power needed to overcome the extra weight.

 

[Enthusiast]

Ever since ive heard my neighbors 1970 LS6 454 running through the sidepipes on tha vette ive been a big block guy. Yah your right about being able to make the extra power on the huge engines to overcome the weight. I never thought of it like that.

 

[Johnnynova]

Enough to get from point A to point B. LOL!!!

 

[Kevin B.]

Enough to get from point A to point B. LOL!!!

Pics of the car? Sweet BB, man....

 

[Johnnynova]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/Johnnynova/FinishedNovaDriversSide2.jpg