Demon 340 vs Camaro 396 (400)

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Our Demons have out run some of the fastest
396 Camaro om the country heads up in class for
the last 30+ years.

Google: John Irving Drag Racer

And my boy: Jon Irving Drag Racer
 
Why "400" in parentheses? The 396 was a big block, the 400 a small block.
 
Many Chevy guys called the BB 402 the 400. GM even put the 400 emblems on some cars. Many also continued to call it the 396. but in 70 GM actually gave the 396 engine a .032 larger bore, thus making it actually 402cu in. It is the same engine Chevy put in the 71 Chevelle SS . I had a 71 BB 402 not too long ago that also had the 400 , 300 HP decal on the air cleaner lid.
 
dibbons said:
Many Chevy guys called the BB 402 the 400. GM even put the 400 emblems on some cars. Many also continued to call it the 396. but in 70 GM actually gave the 396 engine a .032 larger bore, thus making it actually 402cu in. It is the same engine Chevy put in the 71 Chevelle SS . I had a 71 BB 402 not too long ago that also had the 400 , 300 HP decal on the air cleaner lid.
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Really? I've never heard them. Here's how Chevy marketed them. The 396 before 1970 was a 396 in every passenger car and light truck. From 1970 on, they were the 402. The reason for the increase in size was because the then new to the scene small block 400 which had a bore size of 4.125". Rather than continue to make piston ring packs fir the 396 (4.094" bore), Chevy smartly bored the 396 .030" over to 4.125 to keep from making two separate ring packs. From then, all the passenger cars were still marketed with the 396 engine, even though it was a 402 and the trucks were marketed as having the 400 even though they had the 402.

And your imagination is good. Chevy never once marketed the 402 as a 400 in cars.

At least not in America.
 
GTX JOHN said:
Our Demons have out run some of the fastest
396 Camaro om the country heads up in class for
the last 30+ years.

Google: John Irving Drag Racer

And my boy: Jon Irving Drag Racer
Click to expand...
Maybe at the strip, but not on the street.
We're you racing the 375 Hp 396, they weren't no slouch.
 
fishmens67 said:
Maybe at the strip, but not on the street.
We're you racing the 375 Hp 396, they weren't no slouch.
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I wasn't gonna argue. The real L78 had an honest 11:1 and a .520 lift solid cam with huge square port heads.
 
I just watched this one a day or two ago. That demon doing a 13.39 had me wondering if he had a 4" stroker crank in there or something. Pretty amazing time!
 
fishmens67 said:
Maybe at the strip, but not on the street.
We're you racing the 375 Hp 396, they weren't no slouch.
Click to expand...

I made my living and paid for college for 5 years while in College in the 1960's and early 70's
by Street Racing our Mopars in Southern California. Today our 1971 Pink Duster (Pictured in articles) has for many
years run in the 9's @ 130+ with 10.25 Compression /Legal Spec. Iron X heads / Small Thermoquad Superstock.
396 Chevrolet Boys can kiss my ____!!

Street or Strip are very similar except for torque management and driving finesse on the street.
My son still Street Races and drives customers cars for often $5,000. or more a run regularly.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Why "400" in parentheses? The 396 was a big block, the 400 a small block.
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The 70 396 Camaro was ACTUALLY a 402 from the factory.
It was a .030 396 Block from the factory.
The still called it a 396 because of the name recognition
of the SS396 Moniker.
So also was the 1971 SS396 Cars and also the SS396 Chevelle
and El Caminos in those years = really all 402 CID,
I already owned a Car Dealership in those days and still remember
quite a lot from those days.
 
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Doesn’t surprise me none, if they were comparable, stock cars, the demon would have gapped him and probably by a couple of cars.
 
cudavert said:
I just watched this one a day or two ago. That demon doing a 13.39 had me wondering if he had a 4" stroker crank in there or something. Pretty amazing time!
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A 13.39 is nothing special for a nicely sorted 340. It sure wouldn't require a 4" arm or even a cam, just some gears and a tuneup.
 
As I recall my friends Rod Greene 4 speed Demon ran low 13s a few weeks old.
With Headers/ Gears/Blueprinted stock lift cam/ small slicks it set the J/SA NHRA National Record at Fremont Cal track = 11.88 @ 113.32 way back then.
As i recall it was 1972 with lower compression and smaller valves than 70/71 340s
I think he is on here sometimes.
I agree that 13.39 is not special - especially for a car not torn done and NHRA certified legal = Just stock appearing.
 
This might not be comparable. My dad & uncle ordered new barracudas in 69. My dad got his with a 340 4spd & my uncle with a 383 4spd. If i remember right both had 3:55 gears I remember my dad saying how he would beat my uncle in the 1/4 mile every time. Dont quote me on this but im thinking it did high 13s
 
RustyRatRod said:
Why "400" in parentheses? The 396 was a big block, the 400 a small block.
Click to expand...
In 1970, the 396 actually measured 402 CID. Chevy didn't want to change their advertising to confuse people with the by then SS396 moniker.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Really? I've never heard them. Here's how Chevy marketed them. The 396 before 1970 was a 396 in every passenger car and light truck. From 1970 on, they were the 402. The reason for the increase in size was because the then new to the scene small block 400 which had a bore size of 4.125". Rather than continue to make piston ring packs fir the 396 (4.094" bore), Chevy smartly bored the 396 .030" over to 4.125 to keep from making two separate ring packs. From then, all the passenger cars were still marketed with the 396 engine, even though it was a 402 and the trucks were marketed as having the 400 even though they had the 402.

And your imagination is good. Chevy never once marketed the 402 as a 400 in cars.

At least not in America.
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or in canada,never heard of it! you may have gotten a good slap telling a chebby guy his bb was a 400. yes, some canadians aren't always so polite!
 
cudavert said:
I just watched this one a day or two ago. That demon doing a 13.39 had me wondering if he had a 4" stroker crank in there or something. Pretty amazing time!
Click to expand...
The mph is the indicator of power, and that's pretty high for a "stock" 340, but certainly attainable. The ET is pretty good considering the tires, that mph will get You mid 12's with some traction & good shifts.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Really? I've never heard them. Here's how Chevy marketed them. The 396 before 1970 was a 396 in every passenger car and light truck. From 1970 on, they were the 402. The reason for the increase in size was because the then new to the scene small block 400 which had a bore size of 4.125". Rather than continue to make piston ring packs fir the 396 (4.094" bore), Chevy smartly bored the 396 .030" over to 4.125 to keep from making two separate ring packs. From then, all the passenger cars were still marketed with the 396 engine, even though it was a 402 and the trucks were marketed as having the 400 even though they had the 402.

And your imagination is good. Chevy never once marketed the 402 as a 400 in cars.

At least not in America.
Click to expand...
Oh ya. The 366, 396, 402, 427, 454 big blocks and then all the small blocks including the biggest which was a 400. Chevy was all mixed up as to what it should be called. (402) I think the 402 was just a short production stepping stone because they were having issues with the 454.
 
toolmanmike said:
Oh ya. The 366, 396, 402, 427, 454 big blocks and then all the small blocks including the biggest which was a 400. Chevy was all mixed up as to what it should be called. (402) I think the 402 was just a short production stepping stone because they were having issues with the 454.
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Overrated would have been a good name. The 454 is a different story. A decent carb and intake, cam upgrade and set of headers is all you need.
 
The best running 396 (on the street) I ever saw belonged to a buddy of mine many years ago. He had a 66 Chevelle, 396, four speed with 4.56 gears, it had a very healthy cam and was always on slicks. He won a lot of street races with it.
 
I have seen the 402 cars with 400 badges...most recent was a caprice or impala on 187 customs you tube channel
 
I think if the 400 is bold and on the front of the fender it's a BB. If it's small 400 and on the back of fender behind the wheel it's a sb.
 
WAYNE0 said:
This might not be comparable. My dad & uncle ordered new barracudas in 69. My dad got his with a 340 4spd & my uncle with a 383 4spd. If i remember right both had 3:55 gears I remember my dad saying how he would beat my uncle in the 1/4 mile every time. Dont quote me on this but im thinking it did high 13s
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a 100 lbs is a tenth in a 1/4 mile drag race and when its on the nose of a car, it creates traction issues. Where horse power shines is well past the 1/4 mile. And it don’t matter what brand that 100 lbs wears, Chevy, ford or mopar.
 
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