What will a 325-hp SS396 ’69 Chevelle make to the rear tires? Today we get to find out—and then some.

    Okay, so consider this a long-term teaser like all of those commercials on Fox for the new season of the show 24. Either way, if you look back to my blog on December 11th, you can read about the behind-the-scenes stories of my Dad’s new horse in the stable, a Glacier Blue ’69 SS396 Chevelle. Now I have heard all of the stories, and the one that is most predominate in my mind is the one about the muscle car (be it a Chevelle, a Camaro, a Nova, etc.) being a stellar hot rod right from the factory. While the stories are cool to listen to, I have always been left to wonder just how much power those big-blocks made.
    Today we get to find out. While the full-fledged article will appear in the April 2009 issue of Super Chevy, consider this the teaser commercial. By the end of working hours today, I will get to see what my Dad’s automatic-equipped big-block Chevelle will make to the rear tires with the stock Quadrajet and an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold. As if that isn’t enough, the plan is to swap on a Holley 4150-series 670 cfm Street Avenger carburetor, followed by a couple of 750’s being brought in by a friend of Editor Campisano, “R/T” Dan Foley. “R/T” Dan is also going to play with the jetting of the carbs to get the air/fuel spot on, and maybe we will hit the Rat with a timing light and play with the timing. What will be the final result? My conjecture is 210 horsepower to the rear tires, but only time will tell. Guess you will have to wait until the April issue to find out.
    Now if I could only swap out that anemic 325-hp cam and those heavy iron heads for a set of AFR’s and a lumpy roller…