78Vette-SA

I've got a 396 engine which cast into the back is Hi-Perf Truck/Pass Engine. Don't have the casting and head numbers handy but in general, what if any differences are there between this and a 65 396/425 Corvette engine? Heads, Cam, 2 or 4 bolt?

I'm going to rebuild the bottom end and beef it up a little and on the top end was thinking of something like the Edelbrock 2095 Top end kit. Drop a decent ignition system in there and maybe a 850 Holley and a 5 speed and it should make for a nice C2 cruiser.

Just tossing additional options as per a previous post on engine choices. Other suggestions?

knight37128

No deference between a truck or passenger block. After mid 1970 it would be a 402 (.30 over 396) block.

Watch out with edelbrock, some of those heads need a special piston that only works with their heads.

AZDoug

A truck block, meaning large truck like a C70, not pickup truck, has a taller deck height for a longer rod, and requires a different intake manifold.

If the holes above the oil filter boss are tapped and plugged (for a remote oil cooler or filter), you have a 4 bolt main block. Not tapped and plugged means 2 bolt block.

Doug

78Vette-SA

2 Holes. One tapped and nothing in it and the other is tapped with a fitting for an oil pressure line.

Thanks guys.

DZAUTO

All of the above is good info.
A few added comments.
The truck/pass/hi-perf blocks are essentially the same, regardless of 2 or 4 bolt caps. ONLY the machining process for drilling/tapping the outer bolt holes for 4bolt caps is different, plus the larger, threaded holes for an oil cooler (but the basic block is the same).
The ONLY tall deck big blocks used in trucks are the 366 and 427 tall deck truck blocks. The 396 and 454 were always standard deck height.
They have become kind of scarce now, but the 366 and 427 BBs (ESPECIALLY 366s) from big trucks (dump trucks, school busses, delivery trucks, etc, etc) were ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 4bolt blocks. There was a time when 366 truck engines were a dime a dozen (very low demand for them). Frequently, you could pick up a 366 block for scrap iron price and remove the 4bolt caps and take the caps and your 2bolt 396-427-454 to your machinist and have him fit/machine your 2bolt block into a 4bolt block (same thing GM did at the factory). I've had this done to a couple of BB in the past-----------toooooooooooo easy! I still have more than a full set of 4bolt caps EXCEPT for the rear cap, don't have one of those.

Tom Parsons

Woodie

A 396 Corvette block is different from even a passengers block.

Nowhere Man

a 962 block is a 962 block regardless of application for a pass car.

78Vette-SA

Thanks alot to all.

So if I pick a decent piston, heads, cam and intake, this puppy should have a nice little kick to it is what it comes down to I would say.

paulywannafly

Joe why dont you use that LT1 sm block ? you can use that big block to moor your boat thats all those big piles of scrap are good for

midyearvette

the small block chevy is an incredible hi performance engine. a big block chevy is the ultimate small block..........i'll let the "scrap" comment die by itself....

67L36Driver

Now you're trash taklin'.

I traded a 396 block straight accross for a 454 so I could build a 427. A little while ago (17 years).

paulywannafly

Sorry for the mooring comment but I have been around those slobs for 30 years even owned a couple of them. when they are not cooking the
passengers of the car or squashing the frame with their weight they are inhaling their valves and exhaling theur rods thru the pan

rgs

You would think so, but I have a 3855962 block dated in 65 (can't read the first 2 casting digits) that doesn't have the reinforcement gussetts referred to in the NCRS judging guide. I have owned the block for 20 years and know the history for 10 more years prior so I know it is not a block with the casting numbers altered.

Might that be the difference between a Corvette 962 block and one used elsewhere?

Comp Cam 1

Always thinking of the environment you tree hugger!!

sub006

Just buy or build a 427 small block...best of both worlds.

midyearvette

the 942 block for my 66 is an i-6-5, and it has the gussets on the front of the block. maybe they were corvette specific in early 66 cars with the start of the 427 bore??

78Vette-SA

Thanks all for the interesting replies.

Now how about a little techy specifics. If this 396 Hi-Perf Trk/Pass motor is rated at 350hp and a 65 Corvette at 425hp, whaz' up with dat? Compression/heads/cam/intake/carb differences and if so anyone have any details?

78Vette-SA

You're just saying that so yours will be faster than mine (nah na na na nah na).

78Vette-SA

Casting is a 3902406 with a build stamp of T0214FF. All I could grab in a hurry.

knight37128

Higher compression, better heads, a much better camshaft, better intake, and a bigger carb.

The biggest difference is the rectangle port heads.

3902406....396.......67......2 or 4 bolt