Auto Racing: 396 big block, chevy muscle cars, blown head gasket

Question
Hi its me again. I met a guy that lives down my street about 6 months ago and he is into chevy muscle cars just like i am. He has a 1971 Monte Carlo with a 396 big block, and i have a 350 small block in my 79 camaro. He is building a 502 and when he is finished, he will replace the 396 with that 502. I was considering buying the 396 to put in my car. Can you give me a general list of things i need to check over on his 396 to make sure i am not buying a piece of shit motor? It looks pretty clean, and seems to have quality parts. It sounds odd to me though, i think what im hearing is a huge ass cam in that motor, but im not sure. This person is not someone that i can fully trust yet, so if you could give me a general list of things to look for before i make this purchase, i would greatly appreciate it! THanks!

Answer
Hi Erik.That 396 should be coming to you at a pretty fair price 396's around here aren't as desirable as other big blocks  ,if not the money you spend can be used in building a bigger(427+ ci engine).check this engine first visually , look at the exhaust ports ,they should be dry medium gray or dark if there's a huge cam ,oily wetness shows it may need giudes or rings , or one or two ports that are very clean,even rusty may signify a crack or blown head gasket ,is there a milkshake in the oil pan ? pull the stick to check maybe a cracked block .listen while it's running any mechanical noises?knock,valve tap?.take a ride if you can ,is it running relativly smooth (all 8 cyls. firing ?) is there any backfire thru the carburetor?(bad cam ,valves ,but ignition can also cause it.Lastly check engine casting numbers ,dates,and vin codes ,you may come across an engine that is more valuable to a restorer and it's sale can fund your dream big block .Good Luck Erik.JM