Re: [Chevelle-List] LS - 6 or Clone?

[Capt Crunch]

Well my 396 car wasn't a Chevelle and it was built way more extreme, but I have riden in my friend's 69 Nova with 375 hp 396. It is basically the stock motor with a 3 angle valve job on the heads. Cam was replaced with a different grind, but figure it isn't much nastier then stock. It is a great car and very fun. Not sure on the gears he has, but I would assume 3.73's or 3.55's. But anyways it is a very nice ride with great power. Now since you were looking at a 383 stroker... I happen to have a head up race from last summer. Another guy I work with built a nice 383 stroker. Basically 10.5 to 11 to one compression, pretty snouty cam in it, Brodix heads just out of the box... decent flowers but would greatly benifit from a port and valve job. But anyways... the motor is in a 90 Camaro. It has some puny 3.08 gears. and basically the rest of the car is stock stuff except a TCO th350 and I figure both cars weigh near the same ballpark. Well to get to the point... That 383 spun the tires good off the line and still beat the Nova. I have ridden in the camaro and it has gobs of torque considering he wanted to cam it pretty high and do a few other things to reduce the torque at lower rpm.   From the dyno runs I've seen... 400 ft lbs of torque is pretty much a minimum for a decently built 383. If you are really concerned about the torque... get a 406 motor built from a 400 cid chevy block. I never was a fan of that combo till I saw quite a few cars running awsome times with them. I think the clincher was I saw a late 70 wagon do a wheel stand out at Cordova. Also for the record I have seen many built 350's make very close to that torque range and actually because of the longer strokes in the pontiac and Olds 350's they have been know to put out very similar torque numbers as a 383.   I'd wait till you find a car before you worry about the motor stuff. I would suggest just finding the best body and looking one you can... even if it leaves you with no extra money for a motor. You can always live with a stockish 350 for a while till you get the money to swap in a BBC. Most guys would rather have the car looking good then run a sec faster in the quarter... well except for the hardcore guys like myself... :P Motor first then I'll get better paint sprayed on it :)   Mikey ----- Original Message ----- From: Chad Playso Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 9:11 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Chevelle-List] LS - 6 or Clone?   have you ever driven a 396 SS?  if you have, could you say that the 355 you built is more powerful, or less?  how much torque does your 355 make?  see, i would rather have the HP and Torque of what a 396 had, so im trying to find out what combos make the approx. curve what a 396 made.  also, i was wondering, on that combo page that rodney gave me, the HP and torque, is it like the same with a 396 - i mean, on the page, if it says 350 HP, and 390 Torque, is that 350 HP just like what a L34 produced? (350 HP).  thanks for all your help.