Hello I am pulling my 396 out of my 69 camaro I want to put some horse power in it. Can you guys give me some good combos. It will only be driven on nice summer days but I am looking for some BIG "get up and go" when I want to. I can't afford new heads but can have the old ones machined. Here is what I have: 396 large oval port heads, bored 30 over forged dome pistons, a new edelbroch rpm intake a new holey 750 dp, a little above stock cam, new 350 turbo tranny with stall, 373 in the rear (reason I am pulling thrust, bearing wore out) so might as well put some hp in. They are getting ready to pull it out tomorrow so any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I have the same engine and questions, so I hope there are a lot of suggestions here! http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

Joe

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69 396 w/SS Trim
Badboatdude@CS.com
69 Pics http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1506559&a=11674961

[This message has been edited by Joe G (edited 05-16-2001).]

Guys,
I built a pretty good little 402 that I raced/drove for five years with zero problems.

10.25 - TRW forged pistons
port matched, oval-port closed chamber heads with 2.19 intake
.540/.560 230*@.050 solid(Comp Cam I think)
2" primary Hedman headers
Holley Strip Dom. intake
750dp Holley
MSD ignition
2800rpm stall, T350 trans
3.73 rear gear
This combo ran mid 12's@119mph and I drove it to work daily. I used pump gas and AV mixed.

I have a 408 in my 69 camaro. It has the following items: 12.5:1 forged pistons for closed chamber heads, oval port, open chamber heads which lowers the compression down to 11.5:1, comp cams xe294h cam, weiand x-celerator intake w/ holley 780, manley true roller timming chain, high volume oil pump, 9 quart oil pan, 10" 3500 stall converter hooked to a p.g., 1-3/4 hedman headers w/3" exhaust, holley blue pump.
I have not yet fired up the engine with this new cam, but I did have a 610" solid cam and it ran well, good enough to put my 68 camaro into high 11"s.
bruce

[This message has been edited by bruce69camaro (edited 05-17-2001).]

I have something close. I have 427, with stock cast iron intake, ported heads with s.s. 2.19/1.88 valves. Punched .030 with a 327/309 clevite cam, 9.4 domed hypereutectic keith black pistons, holley 750. The heads are stock too. Breathing with 2-1/8" hooker super comps,3" exhaust. Putting all the power down through a m21 and 4:11 12 bolt.
Beside all the parts, it only cost 2100 to have engine built. Believe me, my 67 has no problems getting up and going...Good luck

I just built a 396 .030 over with the stock forged domed pistons. I had it balanced, line bored. I added a solid 294s Comp Cam, with stock, small valve, 781 open chamber heads, a Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold, 800 double pumper Holley, slightly tweaked., a stock HEI, and 2 in Hooker Competition headers. It is in my 69 with a 4 speed and a 3.90 12 bolt posi. It completely smoulders the tires in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear. It runs extremely hard from 1000 rpm, all the way past 6500 rpm. I normally run 89 octane in it, because there isn't much good gas available where I live. I sometimes have run VP red, and mixed it with 89 or 91 octane. That is over $3 a gallon though. Anyway, I love this combo in my car, except for I thought it would have a much nastier idle, but it has great drivability, and I idle it right around 1000 rpm. For your combo, if you don't like to set lifters all the time, I would run a hydraulic, such as the 280 Comp magnum cam, or the Xtreme Energy 274 from Comp. The extreme energy cams, are designed for all out performance, and they grind them to make more power with stock, or slightly modified engines, to make the engine act like it has more compression than it already has. I would also stay with a dual plane intake for the street. A 750 cfm carb would work fine. With the gear/trans/stall combo, I would stick with a cam that is a little smaller than mine for more low end torque. I hope this helps!

I am building a 496 stroker and the machine shop assures me he can have my stock 049 heads flowing enough to run the 496 through 6500 RPM no problem. He is pocket porting, smoothing the bowls, and installing 2.19/1.88 valves with 11/32 stems. With parts and labor I only have $550 in freshening up my stock heads. I am planning on running comp cams 294S and SRP 10.25 pistons with Edelbrock performer RPM intake and Holley 870 street avenger carb. Hei ignition and MSD 6al control. We are estimating around 550 horses right now, and gobs of torque!!