Customer has a 10,000 projected budget and will go 11 or so prob but i have to make 2500 to 3000 to pull motor, do the work, dyno it, tune it and reinstall it. Alot depends what i find in short block.

well first, the boat has 400hp or less right now. how good a driver is this guy? he is looking for bling and may not be able to handle speed. the last thing you need is an 800hp engine that will end up upside down the first time out.

Motor out on stand, rust in 2 cylinders (basset water injected headers), burnt black stock stamped rockers, 2 different cylinder head castings, one w 113cc chambers, 1 w 105 chambers, plus moyor is a .010 over 402, pile of junk. Called customer before tearing down short block and gave him all the bad news, suggested finding a 454 core, he wants to proceed to bore out this 396/402, stupid idea. Pulling pan today, if cast crank, 2 bolt small rod motor its going in scrap pile. Still wants a 671 blower, with .180 domed new pistons and 119 cc chamber eq heads would be a 8.3 compression motor but would be soggy as hell with 320 cc runners and big valves in my opinion.

That sucks man! I agree, be best to starr with a different block.

Fwiw
My 468 had 319cc runner darts, and made 700 plus ft lbs of torque from 3500 and up, with 6lbs boost, and were very responsive hitting the throttles from 3000- to top speed.

All junk, 2 bolt mains, has steel crank BUT its turned .040 on mains and .030 on rods, 3/8ths rods, just a iron pile as far as I'm concerned. Looking for a core motor now

the 2 bolt and the cut down crank are not that big a deal, nascar guys cut cranks down way more than that, but to be anything useful it would need main studs and new rods which means by the time it is done you still have a 396 so what is the point? my jet boat runs a 2 bolt block and the old motor was 3/8 cast rods and I tried but could not kill it. finally a hyper piston broke but the rods held up. as for the rust in the cylinders it sounds like the water feed is getting too much water at idle. before you let him run it in the boat make sure that it is not feeding any water below 1500 rpm or he will be blaming you for the problems.

Smitty, There is a fresh inexpensive 496 short block at my shop if you're interested.

What did he decide to do smitty ?

Im looking for a 4 bolt 454 block to build, hes talking about buying a turn key blower motor from some al's blower motors in Connecticut. Im waiting to hear back from couple local guys on blocks

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/pts/5492769457.html

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/pts/5498829507.html

https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/pts/5482926415.html

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/pts/5453054416.html

or he could have something not many people have https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/pts/5451931201.html