I have a 79 Vette, auto trans. I am looking at three power levels. 1. 420hp 2. 440hp and three 475hp. Iam leaning towards the 420hp for street driving. Any thoughts, Al (all 383s)

 

3 days after you drop the 420HP motor in and drive it you will wish you bought the 475HP motor, hope that answers your question.

 

Buy the one you can afford, put the rest in the suspension and brakes.

With all that power, it would suck if you couldn't stop, and you don't want it to float like a boat.

 

Hi-Tech Performance Crate Engine - Chev 383
"EXTREME TORK"
430hp/460t
Balanced dynamically
Bore x stroke 4.03" x 3.75"
Comp. ratio 9.3:1
Block - 4 bolt iron
Pistons - Cast hypereutectic
Connecting rods - Forged I beam steel
Rockers - 1.6:1 ratio
Camshaft - Hyd. roller
Lift intake/exhaust - .540"/.540"
Cylinder heads - Vortec 61cc Hand worked
Manifold - Dual plane/air flow
Carb. - Holley 750

The most important information....yeehaawww I love it!!!...it pulls really hard and strong and on the freeway easily cruising at 70mph @ 2500rpm with lots left to spare to catch anything with attitude...very torquey and acts like a big block but very well balanced and idles really nuts with the cams and hooker side pipes with max-flows...I get a lot of thumbs up on the street every time!!!

I'm still breaking it in but so far I like it very much. It is spinning my 275/35/18's rear tires like it was made of plastic.

Anyway this is FYI and good luck to whatever engine you chose. But remember, "you get what you pay for."

 

If you don't mind my asking, what did you pay for your 383?

 

I can choose anyone of these three 383 engines. a 420hp, a 440hp or a 475hp. $3,988. Who wants to pick a engine and comment on one.

 

Al, Do you have a link to the builder so we can see the components? Seems very inexpensive. Makes me wonder what's in the box...

 

$3988.00... I've got more than that invested in the lower end of my 383. I would look closely at the pieces being used to create this engine. I know cast rotating assemblies can be had for cheap, but are they really worth it in the end. The power numbers listed are fairly good and I can't imagine having 450+ with cast components.

 

I agree, $3988.00 is cheap for those power levels. I would look close at the parts used.

 

Yeah, that sounds way too cheap. It doesn't make sense that all the prices are the same for different configurations.

 

Good Lord, man, what parts are you going to run? You should be able to get a 4340 Scat crank, set of Scat Pro Comp rods and SRP pistons for less than half that. They'll take a lot more abuse than a factory block, there's no need to have totally bulletproof parts when a factory block will limit your power level.
I agree, though - less than 4K for a complete 383, I'd expect some CAT or similar parts in there somewhere.

 

Al,
I have a 383 - 475hp turnkey motor from engine factory.
price of mine was substantially more than the price you have there
so I'm curious what you get for $4000.

........................................ ........................................ .....

The engines you are considering... 420, 440 and 475hp will all be great performers. Having a genuine 400+ hp available will be more than adequate to maintain dignity on the streets against late model cars.

Al, you haven't given any specific details of the torque profiles of these engines.
That is what determines the character of the motor....
whether it pulls like a train off idle, but dies off at 4500rpm,
or has little till 3000, then screams like a banshee to 6500
or whether its smooth and strong across a wider rev bandwidth, albeit with lower peak power.

In most of these less pricey 383 buildups, to gain higher peak power values, either a higher duration cam profile, or a change to a single plane (victor jr style) inlet manifold are used. This will result in a drop off in torque at lower rpm.
Some things to consider :
How are you going to use the vette?
daily driver, street performer, drag strip or circuit racer, boulevard show pony or dyno comp car or interstate cruiser?

If you're like a lot of us, we tend to like to do the lot.
BUT you won't get a motor to do the lot effectively!
Certainly NOT at that price!
You need to decide which characteristics are more important.


........................................ ....................................
I chose a 475hp motor, as my objective was performance.
But it is a compromise for street use....
motor doesn't feel comfortable cruizing below 1600 rpm: it "hunts" and doesn't feel smooth, so I drive around city in 3rd gear to bring rpm up into a "sweet" spot at speeds below 35mph.

Motor will pull without complaint from 1000 rpm, but there isn't a big kick in the seat of the pants until about 2800~3000 rpm. Then you better hang on, 'cause the accelleration from 3000 to 6000 is awesome!
It just pulls real strong and quick. Each gear change (I have a 5sp TKO-600) drops right into the same range, so performance is mind boggling at full throttle, which was my primary goal.


Al,

Try and get some more info on the engines being offerred.
What you really want to know, is exactly what is being put in it for that money.
Actual dyno results will give you some basis to make a better choice given what you want to do with your car.
Be wary of high lift flat tappet performance cams, as they are prone to cause wear issues due to reduction in zinc/phosphorous additives in engine oil today. A hydraulic roller cam is a much better option for reliability and performance.

Bear in mind, that more power will mean more cost, even if the price of the base engine appears to be the same. Wear and tear at higher power levels will require stronger driveline components, more frequent tyre replacement and higher fuel costs.
Another important consideration is "How much vacuum is available at idle?" this will affect any vacuum accessories, including power brakes.

What diff ratio do you have.... do you have an overdrive trans?
What stall speed converter have you got?
What you have (or intend to replace) has a strong influence on the engine characteristics you need to achieve your primary goals.

Like I said, anything over 400 hp will put a smile on your face... but the torque profile will dictate the character....

 

I built my 383 to take the abuse that the 250 shot of NOS will put on it. Sure I went overkill but I learned years back when I used to run fuel motors that you always build more than you think you will need because you WILL need it. Or at least it seems I always do.

It just seems very inexpensive for a complete motor and the same money for three different HP levels??? I would think the difference in the top end package alone for the 475 HP level would add $$$ to the base price.

 

Sounds like the NAPA - Hi Tech Performace Crate Engine.

The ~475hp/torque one uses a dual plane intake. There is also a 500hp version with a single plane intake. In addition to several other ~420hp & 450hp versions

12 month 12,000 mile warranty - for parts and a max of $350 in labor

Any that was back while back.

 

Cheap ain't good and good ain't cheap. I'd do some thorough checking into the parts and machine work.

 

This crate engine was $5K and it is worth every penny!!!...I also spent another $3K on additional parts to update and upgrade with the new engine. Investment well spent since I get a ntrlhi every time I drive my vette...instant attitude adjustment and a pretty big smile on my face!

 

Going through the crate engine websites looking around. Found a Patriot Performance website which has several engines. Prices $4-5000 w/ a warranty. Al

 

I'm looking at this engine from Jegs, but I've yet to decide weather to rebuild my original or buy the craate. This jegs crate seem to be priced right and I did talk to the blueprint tech reps: the only issues here are as follows: You will need to buy a weighted fly wheel/flex plate,
intake height about 4.5 "

it does come with the clutch linkage boss...

Good luck selecting

http://www.jegs.com/p/Blueprint+Engines/761056/10002/-1

 

Having just had a 383 built, I would strongly suggest that you check with some local builders before you order. Having your motor built locally can give you the opportunity to work with the builder to customize the engine, and let you get an actual dyno test and tune so you know exactly what you are getting.

 

It appears that there are many performance crate engine companies out there w/ many engines and performance options to pick from. You can buy directly from the builder, most have warranties available from 1 year to over 2 1/2. They offer base engines and complete engines from carb to oil pan. Then you can add forged parts, internal balance, carbs ect. Jegs and Summit also have engines to choose from. Considering the competition from all the parties involved, all of them building and selling hundreds of engines, you can get a real good deal w/ a warranty. Some builders also "hot run" the engine on the dyno to break it in. I think its a good deal for the average guy looking for some affordable performance in the $4-$5000 range. Al