I inherited my grandfathers car, and my recollection was it was a 496 engine. This seems improbable looking at the internet, He was not a guy who would be swapping engines, is it a possible custom order or is my memory just wrong. It is the car I learned car repair along with my buds, my first car. My grandpa always said if I knew you were going to get it I would have bought a better car. He had spinal cancer and was bedridden after the operation.
I was going to go by my memory, but then used Google. My memory was correct, Olds largest engine in 61 was the 394.
Better car? IMHO, nothing wrong with the Olds.
Just I prefer the styling of the ā59. If limited to 1961, I would have to go with a Chrysler New Yorker.
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The two engines available were the 394 and a 330.
Donāt think any manufacturer ever made a 496 V8. Custom, sure.
Edit - GM made a 8.1 L /496 CID big block from 2001 - 2006 for truck use, so there was one.
Biggest-ever Olds engine was a 455.
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I recall 502? And a 496? Is this like a 396/402 version?
Oldsmobile?
Hereās all the Olds V8 engines:
Oldsmobile V8 engine - Wikipedia
Edit - Chevy sold a 502 big block crate motor, but didnāt put it in anything stock from the factory, unlike the 496.
Chevrolet big-block engine - Wikipedia
Nope. 61 Dynamic would have had a 394.
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GMās Cadillac division made a 500 cid V8 (8.1L) they put in Eldoradoās in the 70ās. Basically an enlarged 472 Caddy V8.
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The 394 was the biggest of the āGen 1ā Olds V8s built from 1949 until 1964 nicknamed the āKetteringā engine.
The 330 was the first of the āGen 2ā V8s introduced in 1964 that carried through to 1990 in a wide range of displacements and the diesel 
version .
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My Sunday school teacher had a 61 olds, bubble back in Honduras maroon. I always loved that car and wanted one when I grew up. Yeah I liked the 59 too. Try as I might, I still ended up with a Pontiac of that vintage. Should have kept it instead of selling it for $125.