Thread: newbie question

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OK, recently acquired a Chevy big block, bottom end was disassembled prior to repairing the crank bearings, (rod knock), running block cast bumpers, showed up as a 396. head casting numbers show them as a 427... what should I go by for the rebuild?

Welcome to the forum, Nick. Seems like we've had a bunch of BBC basic build questions lately! You might scan the Chevy-Big Block sub-section in the Engines area, but I expect one of the engine guru's may jump in here, too.

check the bore size---------427 and 454 were 4.250 bore size-------396 was 4.096 and 402 was 4.125----------396,402.427 strkes are 3.76 and 454 is 4.0

With later heads the engine may have been previously "built" and the bores not at standard values. Depending on your intentions a simple rebuild should use the 396 specs for the short block and the head specs for the numbers on the heads. Start by getting a Chiltons book but I'll bet any specific question you have will be answered here by experts. In fact if you mic the bores, measure the diameter of the valves and include the block and head numbers in a reply you can get more specific advise here.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder