383 Stroker or 350 beefed up?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
383 Stroker or 350 beefed up?
My son and I are struggling somewhat in making up our mind on whether to buy a 383 stroker or beef -up our LT1-350 which was the original engine in the 71 Verte we have. We can get a 383 Stoker w/ 390-400hp for $2500 or we can beef up the LT-1 350 w/400-425 hp for $2800.
We are waiting to see the parts list for the 383 stroker (e.g. brand name and part#s). I have a talked to the Machine job on beefing up the 350 and I know they do quality work and use good parts. The stroker will probably have a cast crank vs. forged which we already have in the 350.
My son says the stroker will have more torgue and be more fun to drive and we would be getting a whole additional engine for less money.
What are your alls thoughts on this 383 stroker vs. original 350 beefed up ?
We are waiting to see the parts list for the 383 stroker (e.g. brand name and part#s). I have a talked to the Machine job on beefing up the 350 and I know they do quality work and use good parts. The stroker will probably have a cast crank vs. forged which we already have in the 350.
My son says the stroker will have more torgue and be more fun to drive and we would be getting a whole additional engine for less money.
What are your alls thoughts on this 383 stroker vs. original 350 beefed up ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
I guess you have to decide how much having the original motor means to you. Don't let your son decide, when I was a kid I couldn't understand why people even considered small block cars when a big block was available. Joe
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
Go stroker. As someone who has gone the "beefed up 350" as you call it my next motor will be the 383 or 396 stroker. The 350 is fast and fun but torque is what you want on the street. Why not make the 383 about 450 HP. It will be done easier on a 383 vs the 350. My next motor will be in the 500 HP stroker range.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Get the stroker and if you happened to have a little much fun and the eng goes you still have your orig #'s matching eng bagged and stored. Nodular iron cranks are good to 500+ hp, stronger than the old cast cranks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
STROKE IT!!!
seriously, i just upped to a 383 stroker. I had a 350 that ran like a bear.... for the 2000 miles i drove it before it fell apart from the inside. The stroker is a whole new realm....
Joe
seriously, i just upped to a 383 stroker. I had a 350 that ran like a bear.... for the 2000 miles i drove it before it fell apart from the inside. The stroker is a whole new realm....
Joe
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Atlanta GA
Originally Posted by joe73vette
when I was a kid I couldn't understand why people even considered small block cars when a big block was available. Joe
Some of us still can't. . .
But seriously . . . there's no replacement for . . . what was that again?
Big-cube small blocks are a great way to, and a 383 ain't exactly huge cubes, but it's a good step in the right direction, and it should do most everything you can use on the street.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 203
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From: harrisonburg (JMU) va
see, told you dad....this is my dad by the way guys. the 383 we would be getting is through one of my friends and he knows a guy who gets crate motor kits and builds them and sells them, the orig. price on the motor is around 3400, but he can get it for 2500, it comes with a hyd. roller cam and we would be upgrading to a solid roller cam which should get us a little more power. we will be getting the cam through him as well and he will be putting it in for us in order not to void the warranty (i think 6 month, unlimited milage)...this route, like i told my dad, we would be getting the torque, more options later on to pick up some power (the 383 comes with cast heads, maybe go to some alum. later wayy down the road), and we still have the orig. motor, not machined numbers matching IF (big if) we ever decide to sell it which i doubt, since my name will be going on the title once we get it finished right dad? 
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 203
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From: harrisonburg (JMU) va
also, the engine builder that would be building the 383 said the motor should be able to take a 100 shot of nitrous as well (probly even a 150 shot but 100 to be on the safe side) u kno i've always wanted nitrous on a v8 dad...
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1
From: Shore NJ
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Go stroker. As someone who has gone the "beefed up 350" as you call it my next motor will be the 383 or 396 stroker. The 350 is fast and fun but torque is what you want on the street. Why not make the 383 about 450 HP. It will be done easier on a 383 vs the 350. My next motor will be in the 500 HP stroker range.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,045
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From: FL
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Go stroker. As someone who has gone the "beefed up 350" as you call it my next motor will be the 383 or 396 stroker. The 350 is fast and fun but torque is what you want on the street. Why not make the 383 about 450 HP. It will be done easier on a 383 vs the 350. My next motor will be in the 500 HP stroker range.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i did it the other way and went with a built 350...only because it was less expensive......if i could have done a 383 for what i did the 350 for i would have a 383 in the car....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,295
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From: one night in Bangkok you are never lonely
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
i did it the other way and went with a built 350...only because it was less expensive......if i could have done a 383 for what i did the 350 for i would have a 383 in the car....
I went the 350 rebuilt only because importing an engine here is difficult and costly. Go with the 383 or bigger.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 203
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From: harrisonburg (JMU) va
Dustin (the guy who is getting us the 383) said that he believes the heads are CNC ported but they are GM cast heads, hes not sure and will be getting me all of the info on monday but i thought this didnt seem right, im sure they are bowl ported but not sure about cnc'd, what do yall think?
Oh, and also, if we do go this route we will probably need some help choosing a hotter solid roller cam to go with the motor as it comes with a hyd roller and he is willing to swap the cam for the same price and will give us the cam that came with it so we can resell it, what cams are you cast head 383 guys going with (solid roller)?
Thanks for the suggestions so far!
Oh, and also, if we do go this route we will probably need some help choosing a hotter solid roller cam to go with the motor as it comes with a hyd roller and he is willing to swap the cam for the same price and will give us the cam that came with it so we can resell it, what cams are you cast head 383 guys going with (solid roller)?
Thanks for the suggestions so far!