No he's not saying to use a 496 crank in a 396 block... He's saying to build the 496. Block and all. I'm not even sure u can put a 496 crankshaft in a 396 block...

No a 396 is not a bored out 350. The 396 is a big block. Not a small block.

A 383 stroker can make close to 500 hp because of the parts available for small blocks today. The old saying " there's no replacement for displacement" really, in my opinion, doesn't work anymore. Thats JMO though and i know there are many that would disagree. However, with the new technology and all of the things that you can do now with a small block. They make big numbers and can be made to have fairly large inches. Also, the bigger you start, the bigger you can go. If u start with a 454 you can make much larger numbers than you could with a 350 because you already have 100 cui advantage.

Forged is always better if u have the money to throw at it. But if you have the money for a forged kit for a BBC more power to ya.

Another thing to think about, if your planning on racing this engine, you might think about how much a bbc weighs over a sbc. some say its not worth it, others say it is. Then there's the group that can afford a full aluminum operation