Looking for some advice from engine builders. I would like to replace my 350 crate motor. I would like to replace it with a 383 with a round 425 hp and a lot of torque. I was thinking about buying just a 383 block and building it. And then selling my 350.
Do you guys think this is a good way to go or should I just buy a 383 crate motor.

 

I a installing a 383 crate motor this weekend. The motor is arriving tomorrow the 700R4 arrived last week. I am doing this ona forum members 79. It dynoed at 425. HP and has 450+ torque for wide range. It has a Hyd roller cam and should provide a ton of low to mid range. I have built motors and done crate motors. Crates are way easier and cheaper. Building one if you want a high end motor is the way to go but it gets pricey. There are plenty of good 383 425 to 450 crate motors out there for a reasonable price.

 

What rpm do these 383's come on at?
Perhaps mine was just a turd, I hated it, my 327 was badder...the 383 sounded great but you had to be revving the wizz out of it for it to do anything....it had no low end torque,
I swapped it for a 454 and got the torque I desired...the 383 is so popular I guess mine was just a bad one,
If I was gonna buy an engine it would be a crate one for sure...few people can build the same bang for buck cheaper....

 

A small head, long runner intake with a mild cam 327 will be way torquier than a 383 with a single plane, big cam, big heads and no CR... there's a lot in the combo.

 

BUILD!

In my opinion the best part is the planning and building stages. When I built my first 454 I had only the "How To Rebuild Big Block Chevy Motors" book, a few friends that are fellow gearheads and the endless knowledge/guidance of this amazing forum (the forum members deserve at least 80% of the credit). The amount of knowledge I gained along the way is priceless! I developed a better understanding of how an engine works as well as being able to troubleshoot problems. I honestly am more impressed with an engine that is slow; but was assembled by the owner than a 1200hp crate motor that the owner just dropped in(now the person that assembled that motor does impress me ). The feeling of kissing each piston before they go in the block and then later running 12 seconds down the 1/4 is an amazing feeling. My dad always told me "what you don't carry in your head you better carry in your wallet." To relate to that statement my friend decided to one-up me and bought a 514 cobra jet crate motor because he found out I was building a 468. He did beat me by 2 cars down the 1320. I told him that his .700" solid roller cam should be watched closely when it's used on the street and when the lash starts moving on him it's time to change the roller lifters because the needle bearings are being pounded out. I don't think he ever checked the lash and ended up dropping a few valves a year or two later. Build the motor

 

Build it yourself and know exactly what's in it! You do need a plan, but, there are quite a few engine gurus on this forum that will be more than happy to give you a complete list of Summit part numbers to keep the guessing at a minimum. You will still need a local machine shop to prepare the block and such. Cost wise the crate option may seem cheaper (not always), but, that is usually because they haven't used the best of parts. Your labor rate is much less than the shop spitting the crates out the door!

I have just around $4,000 into this little beauty (carb to pan) and I know the tolerances are right on spec with no unknown issues.

 

I'd vote to get a 383 crate engine from a reputable builder that's done many builds and provides a warranty....

mardyn

 

Just did this earlier this year.
Hope this helps.



https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...int-383-a.html

 

I remember when I was pricing 383 and 350 crate motors, it made sense financially to buy a 350 crate motor, but the 383 you might as well build yourself unless you just don't have the time. Having built my 383 it does take awhile to do it right, much longer than I anticipated. And if your not careful, there are some pitfalls to building a stroker motor. At least with a crate motor if it's a reputable builder you have some confidence it was built right.

 

Here's my 383:

 

Nicely done.

 

I'm leaning towards building the engine. Thanks for all the advice.

 

Good looking engine. What kind of horsepower and torque do you think you'll get out of it? Maybe you can give me some good advice on some parts.

 

What kind of hood does the car carry with this engine?

Steve

 

I think the answer lies in if you are competent to build the engine yourself. If you can you may be best to build it yourself to the specs you want. If not and you have to rely on someone else to build it, I would say go the crate motor option.

I chose the latter option myself and bought a 383 from BluePrint engines. 430HP and 450ft/lb of torque. The engines are dyno'd in the factory and are a known product. You know up front what you are getting. I haven't ran mine yet but there is an existing thread on here about these engines and by all reports they deliver the goods.

Good luck!

 

Probably my thread
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...int-383-a.html

I have about 1500 - 2000 miles on it so far....LOVE it
The thing is a beast and when you buy (vs build) you get a warranty

 

I'm hoping the stock 73 cowl hood will clear; everyone on here has said the air gap and a drop base "should" fit. If not I have another airfilter, or, I will go L88 style!

 

I had my original block professionally done to a real nice 383. It uses a forged rotating assy, retro roller cam, RHS heads. Right in there at 435 hp. intake to new oil pan was right at $5k. I know I spent a little more on his labor, but at the time, I was doing a body off restoration and I had other things to work on. And at some point, the reputation of the builder comes in to play. His knowledge and tricks he does to assure a nice running dependable engine out weighs the labor costs.
As for intakes, Im using the edelbrock dual plane air gap performer. I ordered several air cleaner parts separately, the deepest drop base moroso base I could find, a 2X14" k&n filter, and their X filter top. It barely clears the BB/LT-1 hood Im using. I have 1/4" to spare.

This link is for Car Craft magazines dual plane intake shootout. Pay attention to intake manifold height and over all performance. If you want to reuse your original air filter, there are options that will allow this and not leave to much wasted h.p. and torque. Weiand street warrior, for onehttp://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...?__federated=1

 

That beautiful engine deserves an L88 hood!

Steve

 

My main complaint with that manifold is that edelbrock insists on putting the vacuum port right under the rear float bowl of the carb. That is to discourage you from using any other carb but theirs (which clears the port 'coincidentally'). Then there is the hood clearance issues with the vette hood, that is overcome able, which I assumed you figured that one out. Still, if I did it again, I almost would rather give up the few extra HP than deal with the vacuum issue again, that was a real pita.