I am working on a 396 in my garage right now. Block number 3955272. Heads are 3964290. Vin is T1028JO. Am i correct in assuming that this is a police camaro engine build at the Tonawanda plant on 28 october 1969? Also, i believe those are the original heads, any one else know? Any idea what the value of this engine may be? Thanks a lot for any info:-)

 

Someone will chime in with a decoder link but I doubt it's a police Camaro,never seen or heard of a first gen Camaro police car.
I've never even heard of a police 396 engine,most of the cop cars got the 427.

 

Block casting was used for a 396/402, 2 or 4 bolt main, put in Camaro, Chevelle, ChevyII, and Passenger cars.
You are correct about the plant and date info.
The "JO" suffix means it's a 1969 396, 265 h.p. Police engine. Most likely the passenger police car (Impala) application though. There's nothing in those codes that specifies exactly what model car it was in. You'll have to "assume" it was put in the common use police model.
Heads are 1969-70 396/402, 2.06 Intake, 1.72 Exhaust, closed chamber 100.9 cc.
A very nice engine, nonetheless.

 

Do you guys think this is a rare engine that I should try to find a buyer for? Or should I just go ahead and throw it in the 74 blazer that I was planning on putting it in?

 

I don't think it's worth a ton of money. It would be a different story if the engine was part of a 396/SS package that someone was rebuilding. It also depends on why you want to use it for the Blazer...for the sake of having an engine, or if you wanted a big block? Otherwise you'll have to invest in another engine if you sell the 396. Myself, I'd keep it.

 

That'll be a nice torque monster for the Blazo! if your going from a 350 to the 396 Rat get ready to use a lot more fuel though.

 

^ Yeah, cuz a Blazer with a small block is such a gas-miser!
Just keep your lead shoes at home, that'll help.

 

Lol,yeah it'll eat some fuel no mater what but even more with a Rat.
I had a '78 (GMC Jimmy) with a 400 small block,great rig but it was a gas eater for sure,still not as bad as my '78 4X4 pickup with a 454 big block.
Love that big motor torque though.
I'd never go back to a mouse in my truck,love the Rat power.

 

Well I am running a vortec 350 that i built a few years ago, with a TH 350 that is about to die. I am going to go ahead and swap the 396 into the blazer with an SM465 mated to it. The 396 was rebuilt a little less than 5k miles ago, and pushed 504HP @ the flywheel. Should be a fun truck once im done with the swap:-)

 

Do you have a 205 T-case or a 203?
The 205 is a lot tougher,since you are doing the tranny swap I'd do the T-case too if it's not a 205 already.