i have never built a bbc but read about the 396, and wonder why
this block out of the factory came with 11 to 1 comp. on pump gas,
this was using a short stroke, and it came with closed chamber heads,
again, premium back then was racing fuel. the hspwr was close to 400
but cepx is right, you would get to 500 quicker with a 454, my first
bbc is a 496, which im building now, and its my first bb, but that
396 built to factory specs and then using a bigger cam, it would
work nice on a daily driver, good luck bud :wink: