Hey all, I came upon an interesting big block find on craigslist, it is a 366 c.i. Chevy big block, it is a tall deck block.

Would a tall deck block fit in an 83 Elcamino?

That is I believe a Truck engine. and it should be the same size as a BB 396 or 454. It will go but not a bolt in, lots of changes if I remember right

You dont want a 366 block they are garbage

Probably make it fit, just have to wonder why?

The tall blocks are typical of truck engines. A farmer friend has a farm truck with a tall block 427. Mercruiser Marine uses them too. I believe there is a tall 454 also. The tall block allows longer rods, which are supposedly better for sustained high RPM, with less piston side-load etc. The distributor and intake are different of course.
The old 348 was originally a truck engine before going into cars, and evolved into the 409, from what I've read.

The 366 BBC was an industrial engine and used in medium size trucks (3-5 ton type stuff) They were intended for lower rpm work (idle to 3000-3500) Like Flaminmeano said.. KEEP LOOKING! It's not a performance item by a LONG shot.

The 366 tall deck, is the worst Big Block, Chevy ever made. The bores are very small, and almost nothing interchanges with the other big blocks. When I get them in, I keep the rods (thumbprint), the crank (forged steel), and also the 4 bolt main caps. The rest is scrap metal. It would be hard to find a standard set of headers that would fit as the port location sits higher due to the "tall deck". The intake is a special unit, or .250 spacers need to be used with a conventional intake. The ignition can be solved with an aftermarket unit with a slip ring collar. If a tall deck is what you really think you need, I have a 572 cu. in. with Dart Big Chief heads. Useable RPM range is 4500-9500.
Long story short, don't waste your time with the 366. It is extremely heavy, and the handling of a 5th gen Camino would be compromised. Build a nice light (aluminum heads) small block and be very happy with the way it goes fast, stops fast and will actually glide around corners and curves.

Regards Brian