Mr D.

I ran into guy that has a 383 Stroker engine for sale built using a 64 870 block. It has a 3.750 eagle crankshaft that the mains were ground to small journal size with 6 inch Scat I beam connecting rods and Keith black KB 164 pistons.

Any thoughts on this setup? I have never gave much thought about a 383 stroker but it does solve the PVC problem we all have with 350 blocks.

On another note, just what do you gain with a 383 stroker vs. a 327 350hp biuld up?

Hitch

The biggest issue is to create a 383 with a 327 block is that you get extremely close to the water jackets. If he has this already done just remember this issue.

Allcoupedup

You gain a bunch of torque. THeoretically , peak HP will be the same but much lower in the rpm range with the 383 vs. the 327.

MikeM

You gain 56 cubic inches and all the good and bad things that go with it. Chevrolet built 377 cubic inch engines in '63 for racing using the 327 block. Can't think of much bad about it except the fuel milage.

Mr D.

The bore is 4.030 which is just a standard .030 over. Is this what you mean or something else?

Hitch

The bore is not the problem however clearancing for the crank is.

Mr D.

Thanks, now that I would be concerned with.

DZAUTO

Dennis,
This is a VERY straight forward mod to do to a 327-350 block.
Years ago before 350 blocks were readily available for building 383s, I built a couple of 383s and one 350 from SMALL JOURNAL 327 blocks.

For building a 383 from an EARLY, small journal 327, there are two ways to go.
1. Line bore the 327 block to to the same size as a big journal 307-327-350-etc block and cut new grooves for registering the 350 size main bearings. THE GROOVES FOR 327 AND 350 MAIN BEARINGS ARE IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS!!!! Next, turn down the main journals of a SB400type crank to 2.45in----------------just as you would do for building a 383 from a 350 block/400 crank. Let me add here something that many people do not realize. SMALL JOURNAL AND BIG JOURNAL MAIN BOLT SPACING AND MAIN CAP HEIGHT ARE THE SAME DIMENSIONS. I point this out because sometimes some people say that if you line bore a 327 to 350 bore size, you will be too close to the main cap bolts. NOT SO! The SB400 main cap bolts ARE spaced wider and have taller caps.
After line boring the 327 block, and turning down the mains on a 400 crank, the remainder of building the 383 from a 327 is exactly the same as building a 383 from a big journal 350 block (such as cutting clearance notches at the bottom of the cylinders for the 400 stroke rods, etc). Essentially, what has been done is to convert a small journal 327 into a 350 block--------------------------AND YOU HAVE THE HOLE IN THE BACK OF THE BLOCK FOR A ROAD DRAFT TUBE OR A PCV FITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. The second way to build a 383 from a small journal 327 is as already mentioned. Simply cut down the main journals of a SB400 type crank to 2.30in. PERSONALLY, I DO NOT LIKE THIS METHOD-------------------------but it can be done and will work. The remaining building process, again, will be just like building a 383 from a 350 block.

3. Building a 350 from a small journal 327 block is also quite easy. Simply turn down the 2.45 mains of the 350 crank to the 2.30 size of a small journal crank and use the larger 350 rods. EVERYTHING clears.

One last thing to be aware of.
The groove in the rear of the block/cap in a 327, for the flange between the rear main bearing journal and the rear seal, is smaller than the groove in a 350-400 block (this flange on a 350/400 crank is a bigger diameter). Thus, you also need to reduce the diameter of this flange on a 350 or 400 crank to fit into the groove of the 327 block (I don't know the dimensions, you'll have to mic the flange of the 327 crank to know).

Now, here is a kicker.
I have PERSONALLY had this done to the above 3 engines in the past (early 70s). Just recently, I mentioned this block machining process to my present machine shop (builds lots of specialty/performance engines) because I'm considering building a 383 from a 327 for a customer. They said they can't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told them that I've had it done in the past (by a different machine shop) on 2 blocks and it worked fine. They said they STILL CAN'T do it!!!!!!!!!!
Soooooooooooooooooooo, if you want to go with the line boring method, be sure to check if your machine shop can do this.
Oh ya, USE THE LONGER MAIN CAP BOLTS FOR A 350 WHEN BUILDING THE 383 FROM THE 327 BLOCK.

hogan64

Someone posted this sometime ago and I always thought it be cool to have a "period correct" 383.

I guess they sell kits now.

http://www.speedomotive.com/ps-30-8-...3-cid-kit.aspx

Injected Stingray

Strokers run great but a 3.750 stroke and a 6.0 rod will put the oil control ring in the piston pin. If you dont use a special ring you will have on oil control problem.

Hitch

Here is the problem that I described earlier today. The problem with these blocks is that the tolerances were not so great and the water jackets could be a little this way or a little that way..

Injected Stingray

If you run the small jounal rod and a 3.750 stroke do you still have to grind that much material from the block? Looks like that ones a little this way.

Hitch

Is that a question or a statement?

Injected Stingray

Question? What was the stoke and rod combo that you were clearancing?

Hitch

I would still say yes that you have to grind quite a bit. Now with what I posted was with a 870 block. The next try was with a 67 327 block, from what I've been told the 67 block had a little more meat. Dave

Injected Stingray

I think you could weld that with some nickel rod and save the block.

Hitch

The problem is that to have a safe bottom end in the situation we are talking about is that Eagle H beam rods were being used. I guess you could use stock rods but when building a monster you want all the bottom end that you can right? I used the same rods on my 357 I just built but it didn't require nearly as much clearancing.





I'm still curious about the statment that DZ made about line boring the 327 block to 350 mains and using 350 caps? How does that work with the small web mains of the 327 block and caps for the 350 which are much wider? Also how do you account for the difference from the center line of crank to the cam shaft which has a direct affect on the timing chain? DZ I promise that I'm not trying to pick a fight only to find out how if I understand all of the dynamics of this type of build.

Dave

Injected Stingray

When I was looking for a 400 block to build my stroker 4.155x3.832 I would look for core shift by looking at the camshaft boss/hole. If the hole is offset from the boss then its shifted. Also some shift to the thrust side of the cylinder is a good thing but thats a 400 block.

Injected Stingray

I have the Eagle rods to but I used the small journal 2.0 vs 2.1 to afford more clearance for the block and cam.

KyleDallas

Some H beams can be had with the bolt heads on the piston side
.... "reverse bolt rods"..they'll allow you to grind less... there are plenty
of I beams that will handle 600 plus HP... Howards Cams has them.

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Reverse Bolt Rods by R&R Rods