dgheinen

Just over a year ago I was on here asking for helping spicing up the top end of my 350. I did heads, cam and intake, along with a new carb, and that motor was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, I spun a main bearing and have to do it all over again. Luckily the heads are in good condition, so I can reuse them. I plan on simply buying a 383 stroker short block and assembling it with the new components from my 350 rebuild (new cam obviously.)

The heads I have are 180cc Dart SHP Aluminum Heads with 64cc combustion chambers. The intake is an Edelbrock dual plane 2601 manifold. The carb is a 750 DP Holley, and the cam that I HAD was part no. 60103, with .489/.504 lift, 268/276 duration, 110 LSA, etc.

Now the 383 short block that I'm looking at is this one from Blueprint Engines with a cast steel crank and flat top pistons, but is externally balanced only

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ml...make/chevrolet

They also have this one, from ATK with dished pistons and a nodular iron crank and internally/externally balanced:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hp...make/chevrolet

If I were to reuse these 180cc aluminum heads and aluminum intake, with a good, healthy cam, would I be able to make a decent little 383? Through my reading I know that the 180cc heads are small for a 383, and that 200 is usually the minimum for this application, but I already have the heads and they're almost brand new (just over 600 miles on them). I could have them worked over, but at this point I need some advice on what short block is better, what cam to choose for this application, and what I can expect from it once it's all said and done.

The 350 that I had this all on was a fun little motor, but since it's toast, I figure I might as well just step up to a 383.

Thanks for reading and thanks for the advice! You guys have always been a wealth of useful knowledge.

-Damon

MrJlr

The torque of a 383 is totally worth it!

I have been VERY happy with the Blueprint 383 I bought. I bought a long block because I didn't have the heads.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...post1586503582

Good luck!

REELAV8R

While you have those heads off why don't you cc them and find out what the intake runner size really is.
I also have the 64cc 180 SHP's and found that the intake runner is a lot closer to 200 cc's than 180. When I cc'd mine it came out to as big as 198.6 cc's. In your case this would work to your advantage. In my case it was a 350, so not so much.
If you cc the chamber you may find that it is also more than 64cc's, throwing off your CR calculations.

dgheinen

That's a very good point, and one that I'd forgotten about til now. It was something I"d read when I was buying the heads, but it must have slipped my mind. I'll check it out and see what the real deal is. Regardless, I'll still need to some help on a cam of some type, but I'm limited by the heads as far as max lift is concerned. I'll do some more research and see what I can come up with.

Anybody have any recommendations on which 383 short block sounds like a better deal? My hotrodding book states that flat top pistons are generally better for flame travel and quench, but that block is externally balanced only, and I'm not so sure if I like that. Thanks in advance!

-Damon

StraubTech

ATK or Blueprint are stand up companies and do quality work. I would highly recommend going hyd roller.

MrJlr

X10

diehrd

a 383 makes so little more torque over a 350 it makes it not worth it .. I would rather have a fully forged 355 10.5 motor then that 383 . Using 180 heads ..

Phil Zell

Really ?

put that 355 in 4th gear with a 3.08/1 rear gear at 25 mph and see where your torque is.

diehrd

Yes because we all drive that way and I bet you will just spin the tires with that 383 driving it like that

Unless you spend hard cash most 350 and 383 motors are 420 / 450 hp and 420 to 450 tq .. Period .. I have yet to see a 383 with a modest investment be that much better.

If you want the smile that IMOP is fake for a 383 then spend more and get one. I think the extra money saved is better spent on other parts of the car. And if you want 500 or more hp then build a 427 sbc.

BKbroiler

Where is the extra cost for him to build a 383? He needs a new crank and I would hope he's replacing the pistons. So the 383 is no extra cost - and the added stroke does increase torque & HP.

M-yellow01

I have a 383 from GM Performance in a 69 Chevelle, 373 rear gear. I love the 383. My 2 cents, great decision.

diehrd

The increase is silly . You all can say what you want but 10 or 20 more torque is no gain.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hpe-sp04/overview/

Saves him 600.00 .. IF HE WAS building for power as his main goal then ok go for more cubes but a normal crate 350 and 383 are brothers in power for all intents and purposes.

billla

If the crank needs to be touched...then the cost of a 383 is pretty much a wash. The clearancing is simple and cheap, and the cost of a quality cast 383 crank is about the same as machining a stock crank. If you're buying a crank either way, then again the cost is about a wash.

If you looked simply at CID with an engine making 1 HP/CID then the same engine would make around 28 HP more. That's not a trivial number.

Finally, the longer stroke of a 383 absolutely makes more torque...but more importantly for a street engine it makes the torque at a lower RPM and with a broader torque curve. This is the real value - not the number, but the curve.

There's no reason not to do a 383 if you can afford it.

MrJlr

That's probably why all the major OEMs and builders make strokers ???!!!!!

diehrd

He linked to short blocks.. 1999.00 , 383 . I linked to a 350, 1399.00 . Look at the rest of the things he has , based on that a 350 may better suited to his top end then the 383 everyone else is pushing.


He linked to short blocks not me , also crate motors as an item usually have a 383 and a 350 so close in power that I would never buy a 383 , I would skip it and look at 406. to 434 ...

cv67

10-20? think more, across the range also.
My 383 would absolutely slaughter my old 350 all other components are the same also save for the crank pistons. I did sneak a little bigger cam in.
Its a friggin beast of a small block. Totally worth it!

Wouldnt take much work at all to make those 180 heads come alive either, just need a little work in the right places

PeteZO6

The old saying, "No replacement for displacement" always applies.
I built my 355 in 1989. If I built it today using basically the same components, for sure it would be a 383. No brainer!
That longer arm means more torque everywhere, plain and simple.

Pete

diehrd

You guys can regurgitate all you have herd. The fact is the OP has a top end ,, His top end is better suited to a 350.

HE LINKED to short blocks .. I say go 350 and the rest of you want to debate me on what has more power. W T F .. 383 MARGINALLY BETTER ,,, crate for crate ..

A 383 to me is a 350 unless you spend a lot of cash to get it into 550 or more hp. At that point a 383 is a dumb buy because then the cubic inch rule will rear its head . Might as well build a 427 . .

SO with his parts and hp realities a 350 will be perfect in this case and save a bunch of money and still give the same or better power based on what he has now as a top end.

PeteZO6

We're talking TORQUE here which makes for better drivability.

Take the other direction, would a 327 be as torquey as a 350? NO! How about a 283, or a 265, or even a 302 (Z28)? They all put out nice top end HP numbers, but in the real world drivability is not as good as a 350, because they lack low end torque. When you step up to a 383, or a 406, or even a 427, you're going to have an engine with more torque and better drivability.


Pete

waljr

everyone says the darts are bigger than advertised, i'd measure them & work from there. I'd also stick to internally balanced.