396 big block

[1999corvette]

Guys, I put in what I thought was a 454 and Th400 from a 1974 truck back in 2004.

After getting it in, I found out the engine is a 1968 Chevy truck 396, and the heads are peanut port 427, hopefully that did not make it have a real low compression ratio.

Anyways, I got the setup cheap, the whole running 1974 truck was $160.00 because I worked at the tow company that brought it in(it was a DUI hold for 30 days, and most old cars are not picked up, and sold to Pick N Pull) in California, also used the spindles for my disc brake swap, and the power steering setup.

Have you ever found once you get something, it's not that great to you anymore?

I've been wanting to swap in a LQ4 6.0 engine from a newer truck with a 4l60-E trans, have read when you send the computer off for a tune, the stock 6.0 set to run with premium fuel and the timing bumped up can get near 400 hp, and is injected and runs very smooth!

But, maybe I should play with the 396 first, just now put on a Edelbrock Performer RPM Quadrajet carb, 850 cfm, have a small block HEI as the truck HEI was having issues.

Have not driven it yet with the Q-jet, truck has been sitting for 5 years.

Thought of buying a MSD Street Fire HEI, it has 21 degrees of advance, and I've never played with the weights on the HEI.

Maybe that MSD HEI would wake up the 396, after putting it in the truck, I was never really impressed with the power, but at the time I was running a 600 CFM Carter AFB carb, and that stock HEI might not have a lot of advance.

It might have a performance cam, but I'm not sure, has a little lope to it.

Do you think a 396 is cool in a beat up, rusty, 1965 short fleetside truck?