How much HP does a 396 big block have?
375 bhp
396 and 402. The 396 cu in (6.5 L) V8 was introduced in the 1965 Corvette as the L78 option and in the Z16 Chevelle as the L37 option. It had a bore x stroke of 4.094 in × 3.760 in (104 mm × 95.5 mm), and produced 375 bhp (380 PS; 280 kW) at 5600 rpm and 415 lb⋅ft (563 N⋅m) of torque at 3600 rpm.
Was the 396 a good engine?
The 396 is a good revving engine, so you’d want to run a steel crank so it would live at the rpm you’d have to run it to make HP. And probably a roller cam, as flat tappet cams in big blocks have a nasty habit of “going away” relatively easily. I’d wanna throw on some early iron rectangular port heads, just because.
Why is a 396 A big-block?
There are engines with large displacements that are frequently referred to as small block due to the design of the valves and layout of the cylinders of the engine. The Chevy 396 engine is an example of an engine that has a displacement under 400 cubic inches but is considered a “big block” due to its architecture.
What did a 396 come in?
In its first year the 396 was available as the L78 option in Corvettes and full-sized (Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne) models, and as the L37 in the intermediate (Chevelle) model.
What kind of engine is a Chevy 396 big block?
It was considerably more powerful than all the other Chevrolet 396 V8s and it could go toe to toe with some of the best Chevrolet Mark IV big-block 427 and 454 V8s and most of the legendary muscle car engines of the 1960s. Many of the L78’s performance parts were also found on some of Chevrolet’s 427 and 454 V8s.
How much horsepower does a Chevy Z16 396 make?
The Z16 performance 396 with a 11.00 compression ratio produced 375 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 420 ft. lbs. of torque at 3,600 rpm. The 396 with a 11.00 compression ratio produced 360 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 420 ft. lbs. of torque at 3,600 rpm. 00:01 09:12 Brought to you by Leaf Group
How much horsepower does a 1969 L78 396 make?
Manati for this article had a traditional engine dyno test performed on a bone-stock 1969 L78 396 just like Chevrolet would have done back in the 1960s. The test results showed 425 gross horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 445 lb-ft of gross torque at 3,600 rpm.
When did the Chevelle 396 L78 come out?
Starting in 1966 the L78 396 would receive no changes but now was available only in the Chevelle SS and El Camino. For 1967, the L78’s availability was expanded to the Camaro and for 1968 expanded to the Nova. The 1966-1970 L78’s was factory rated at 375 gross horsepower and 415 lb-ft of gross torque.