Chevy 396

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7duce swinger

7duce swinger

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What does everyone here think of chevy engines in mopars?not good?hate it?i got a 396 on hand.i dont have the funds for a mopar big block,i already have a tranny, as well,everything except for motor mounts,please give some insight on this,i want to drive my swinger badly,maybe i can cloak the block in chrysler blue or somethin.how hard would it be..please if you do not have anything nice to say or anything helpful,dont bother,jus lookin to get my dart going.whats easier mopar big block or chevy big block..thanks everyone.
 
run for cover, the sh*t storm will be starting....
 

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7duce swinger said:
What does everyone here think of chevy engines in mopars?not good?hate it?i got a 396 on hand.i dont have the funds for a mopar big block,i already have a tranny, as well,everything except for motor mounts,please give some insight on this,i want to drive my swinger badly,maybe i can cloak the block in chrysler blue or somethin.how hard would it be..please if you do not have anything nice to say or anything helpful,dont bother,jus lookin to get my dart going.whats easier mopar big block or chevy big block..thanks everyone.
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I'm not recommending this but if you had to go chevy a big block is not gonna cut it. Would require major surgery and basicly ruin that car. I actully like the 396 and have built 3 of them before, but this is not the car for it. You should try finding a complete Sm.Blk mopar that would bolt in easily and get you on the road for the time being.
 
Sell the 396 and buy a Mopar. This is coming from a guy who started off with GMs. Hell I still have my very first car, a 1972 Chevelle SS.
 
That would not be an easy install whatsoever. Oil pan would have to be custom built. I can only imagine trying to get the exhaust manifolds or headers in there. The trans mount and motor mounts would have to be totally built from scratch. Personally, considering all of the work to make that motor fit, you could sell that 396 and pick up a good running 318 or 360 and the install would be WAY easier.
 
Yep, Chevy guy here also. Too much customization, you could also go the 5.2 or 5.9 Magnum route, add a roller cam regrind and call it a day.
 
Before 70,steel crank.If you feed it enough intake port,(stock oval ports go away!) snd a solid roller/flat tappet cam.10 to 1 real compressio,low 12s are a mail in.zIf you can find a Chevelle/Gm a body.
 
If this engine is good enough to put into a car, that means it's worth money

Sell it
 
To bad you weren't closer to Vegas, I'm gonna be taking apart a Ramcharger that has a nice running 360 with an auto trans that I would trade you. I could use that 396 in a 70 C10 that I gotta build for a friend.
 
The 396 is sitting in my dads dually,he bought it in the late80'searly 90's,from panella racing,since then its been bored some,427 vette heads,n intake with work done,n i have tons of carbs here,the big block has cyclone headers (wich will not fit driverside),n he we have super t-10's,borg warner t-10's,other stuff etc..correct me if im wrong i thought a 440 was wider than a chevy big block??i looked today doesnt seem to wide,i know how to weld,a few of my uncles are mechanics,exactly how hard would it be to cram this engine in there?ive made a deep sump oil pan,fro 2 n some metal,from osh..so i can do that part,would fenderwells work?so what im hearing is its not gonna happen?
 
Please read! I am not out to break your chops, make fun of you or anything.
BUT do re-read the above posts.

It is is not that the job is impossible or beyond your skill level. It is a big job to re-engineer everything involved. Selling the 396 to someone that can use it and roll the money over into a 360 makes good sense. Easy installation is the first thing. Next would be ease of parts. No trick or custom building of headers, mounts, oil pans. No trial and error of fitting parts.

Why knock yourself out for this build when ready made parts are on a shelf awaiting you?

If you insist on doing a BBC into a MoPar, there is no "cloaking it" in anyway. The only person who will not know would be someone not into cars at all.
I'd also rather not be the subject of scorn and ridicule.

Surely a Magnum drive train (engine/trans) can be picked up for a reasonable price.
These engines have excellent longevity. A few fellas here have torn down a Magnum engine with over a 100,000 miles and just simpley buttoned it back up. Proceeded right to camshafts and headers etc....

While in the end, U will do what U want to do, IMO, this would be something I would not bother to attempt. However, I would try to put that 396 in a old Jag or VW bug.
 
It will take more time, money and effort fitting a Chev, big block into a Mopar than it would to just put in a real Mopar engine.

You are not saving anything by going with a 396 you already have.
 
I have an idea, put the 396 in a Nova!

Ok really, a lot to do.
Fabricating:

Motor mounts
radiator hook up and supports
Wiring
Exhaust
throttle cable
oil pan
Trans mount and shifter location
linkages for trans
driveshaft


how many hours and amount of material to do all this?
At least a few 8 hour days, and a few hundred dollars of materials.
getting close to a thousand dollars imo, money that could be spent on a different car or motor.

A freind of mine spent about that much time dropping a 472 Caddy motor in a early 70's chevy pickup. Then blew that motor in a period of a few days...lol.

Either way, it is your car, but I would think the most sensible plan is to use the right engine and trans combo. Even BB Mopar engines are tight.
 
I like the chebbie big motors. You can kinda stand back, chunk um together and they make power....BUT as said, you're gonna be lookin at a lot of fabbin to get it done.
 
The 396 is a stout motor. If you have the resources and skill set to make it work, go for it. Your ride man, do what makes you happy. :toothy8: Just don't pop your hood at the Mopar events...LOL.

Pat
 
Sell the 396 and look for a 360. Lotsa' 360's out there. Save yourself the grief of trying to engineer, fabricate and fit that big block. JMO

Maybe a member here has a 360 for sale in your area.
 
67Dart273 said:
If this engine is good enough to put into a car, that means it's worth money

Sell it
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This is true, i agree........but, today's big cube craze has no boundries as far as make goes and unless you find someone doing a resto type build, the demand for a "little" 396 is not what it used to be.
 
You say you "just want to drive" the car.

Sounds like you want a street car, so you would be better off putting a mopar small block in it.

If you had said 'I just wanna get in to the 10's with it' - I could see putting a big block in.

The only way I would do that swap would be a purpose built car. drop the K member out, put a straight axle in with the nose in the sky & paint the big block chevy orange for everybody to see. Probably put a 9 inch ford rear end under the back of it too, just for added butthurt.

A big block swap on that car even with a 440 mopar is not a weekend job. Once you get the engine in you still need to address the rest of the car. Unless you have already have a 8.75 rear end in the car, you will be replacing that next...

B.
 
7duce swinger said:
The 396 is sitting in my dads dually,he bought it in the late80'searly 90's,from panella racing,since then its been bored some,427 vette heads,n intake with work done,n i have tons of carbs here,the big block has cyclone headers (wich will not fit driverside),n he we have super t-10's,borg warner t-10's,other stuff etc..correct me if im wrong i thought a 440 was wider than a chevy big block??i looked today doesnt seem to wide,i know how to weld,a few of my uncles are mechanics,exactly how hard would it be to cram this engine in there?ive made a deep sump oil pan,fro 2 n some metal,from osh..so i can do that part,would fenderwells work?so what im hearing is its not gonna happen?
Click to expand...


If you have uncles for mechanics they would be the best people to ask. They probably know the car and engine. And would be the best on hand knowledge of the parts you are working with. Also too the amount of fab work and money might just equal a running small block price.
 
OldmanRick said:
This is true, i agree........but, today's big cube craze has no boundries as far as make goes and unless you find someone doing a resto type build, the demand for a "little" 396 is not what it used to be.
Click to expand...

Just one more note and i'm done with the Chebbie talk:D.

For those not as familiar with these engines, virtually no one strokes them. The 396/402 4.09/4.12 bore vs. 427/454 4.25 bore and almost no aftermarket piston support makes it extremely impractical.
 
A 396 should be in a 55 Chevy or a 66 Chevelle with a 4 speed Muncie behind it.
Sell the 396 and pick up a 440 for about half of what you'll get for the 396.
I wish you were closer. I've owned close to 20 Chevy's over the years and never owned a BB. I'd love to keep one on hand for a future car build. 55 Chev & 66 Chevelle are 2 of my favorite cars of all time.

Good Luck, bruther.

George
 
You would have a Dartolet or a Chevrart.

If you can't afford to find a Mopar engine for your Swinger maybe you should try find a Chebby for your engine.
 
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