Hey guys, I just joined the forum! I have been looking to rebuild my stock 1977 corvette. The past couple weeks I have been reading almost every forum. Grumpy, on Grumpysperformance, has given me some great ideas. However, some of the setup on the corvette is slightly different. I was wondering what yall thought of this setup for a 383 build. I haven't bought anything yet. Here is what I'm thinking about so far:

Old 2-bolt block bored .30 over (machined and line bored with the new splayed caps).


Splayed caps added $89.95
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...S&autoview=sku


Forged Rotating Assembly $1359.00
Scat 4340 3.75" Forged Crankshaft
-Scat 4340 Premium Forged Pro Comp 5.7" I-beam Connecting Rods w/ 7/16" capscrew
-KB FT Pistons, 11:1 w. 64cc head
Speed Pro Molly Rings
Clevite 'H' series Rod and Main bearings
After looking into all the Rotating Assemblies I wanted something that will not tear up.
NorthernAutoParts


Quadrajet Re-tuned and drilled from old stock motor.


Cam SH3230 $75.00
262-400; intake-duration@.050 lift 230; exhaust-duration@.050 lift 230; intake-lift .480; exhaust-lift .480; lobe sep angle 109
http://www.survivalmotorsports.com/C...etSBcams2.html

Lifters $109.00
Rhodes Solid LIfters
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...8&autoview=sku




Intake $200.00
Edelbrock Performer RPM (1500-6500). I wanted a weiand manifold but the darn hood is limiting me on what I can have and I am not ready to replace the hood.


Oil Pan $200.00
Miloden High volume oil pan


Heads $1107.00
Brodix - * 200cc intake ports
* 64cc combustion chambers
* Phosphorous bronze valve guides
* Valve seats for use with unleaded gas
* End-milled and drilled for accessories
* 2.02 in./1.60 in. stainless steel valves
* Valve springs
* Valve stem seals
* 5/16 in. guideplates
* Rocker arm studs
* Retainers
* Locks

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku


Low Profile Air filter....so that performer RPM will barely fit...

Does this layout and price look about right so far?

O almost forgot...this is for a street performance...that may be taken to the track once or twice a year.

 

You need to cut back on compression with a 230 .50 cam.

Rhoads lifters are hydraulic not soild, you won't need them.

the cam will most likely need to be a small base circle cam.

The Scat Rotating kits your looking at are they internal balanced
so you can reuse your balancer and flexplate or flywheel.

www.flatlanderracing.com

The scat rotating kits when you se a BI on the end of the part number
are balanced internally.

No reason you could not go with one of the 6.00 length rod kits.

Have you looked into all the machine shop costs to redo your block ?

 

It will cost you more to install splayed caps than what you can buy a roller 4 bolt core block for.

 

I think you could save yourself some money on the bottom end
... I'd dispense with the splayed caps and either run studs on
the 2 bolt or find a 4 bolt block. It's fine to want to make things
strong but you don't need splayed caps for that combo... the machine
work for the caps is going to cost you $$... money that's better spent
elsewhere.
Compression is too high... run about 10:1.

 

If you are spending that much money on the rotating assembly, step up to a hyd roller or even solid roller cam.

 

put your stock motor on a stand and baggie it.......buy the 383 from gm with a few other parts and youre in business

 

for about the same price you can get a 396 forged rotating assm. the block will need to be massaged just a little more than the 383 but not much. i have a 2 bolt converted to a 4 bolt splayed cap block. it might be a good idea to check on the price of a 4 bolt roller bolck vs the splayed caps. keep your comp down below 10.5 with a cam in the 230's or go with a cam in the 240's for a comp ratio in the 11.0 range. how you drive the car and your trans + gears will help you decide what kind of power band you will want and how big a cam you will need for your goal. do lots of research before buying anything. ask lots of questions and read as much as you can. look at lots of proven combos and dyno charts to help you decide. some will tell you to build somthing with a huge cam that will rev to the moon but that will not be practical in lots of start and stop traffic. if it is a for fun only car then that might not be so bad.

 

First off, thanks for all the replies and help so far!

I understand the Rhoads lifters are not solid..but apparently they 'tap' like a solid lifter?

This is the second forum I have joined (also I have a corvette so its cool, lol)...but I was under the assumption that those aluminum heads run a compression of 11:1 and that was fine since they were aluminum (again, from what i've read elsewhere). Hence, you could still get by with 92 or 93 octane. So, I thought the cam was about right.

Also, my dad is going to help me build this(old mechanic) and he had an old 4 bolt block but again I read if you get anywhere near 450hp you have increase chances of the mains walking off...thats why I wanted a strong splayed block....looks like i'm going back to the drawing board for a little while...ugh...some great input though, thanks! I have alot more reading to do....my dad has too many 'projects' to stop and help me with this part, argh!

 

Assuming you don't want to spend the kind of money on hydraulic roller cost instead of a 230 .050 hydraulic flat tappit how about using a solid flat tappit around 238 to 240 .050. drop the ompressionin a below 10.5.

 

http://gmperformancepartszone.com/ba...16-p-5635.html With a 2 piece rear seal adapter, Internally balanced forged, 6"rod, standard piston size assembly. Factory roller cam and lifter kit, Compression 10.5 or under even with aluminum heads. The block saves you machine work clearancing, boring, align boring, decking, buying new caps and accepts a roller cam. Would help to know engine and trans gearing before going further. You came to the right place. We are good at helping you spend your money..............wisely.

 

O I almost forgot Mako....I have a stock 1977...manual tranmission 4 speed on the floor....so it should be in the neighborhood of 3:70 I think. I was going to take the stock 350 out and just keep it for storage.

I understand that buying a block would save money. Except, that its my understanding a splayed block is way stronger if I plan on adding more power to this build later.

 

If you think you are going to make a ton of power or build a 396 or 427 small block later on, start off with a Dart block now. However, your basic 4 bolt block is plenty strong for a 383 even if you add nitrous.

Be careful of all the mis-information you come across on the "web" too. Example is the 11:1 with Aluminum heads you stated, just because they are aluminum makes them anything magical. You'll need come race gas for that compresion ratio. IMHO, I think 10.5 is even a tad bit high but manageable with optimum tuning and careful cam selection.

 

If it is in the budget. More CI is nice too.

 

Well, I have read tons about the block not holding up. Otherwise, my dad has like a 1970's model 4 bolt main. If I knew it wouldn't kill it I would go that way and forget about the splayed caps. I will never take this car fast enough to need a roll cage or anything.

 

There needs to be some clarification on a Roller Cam set up.. and
the money it cost.

Scott M suggested a GM roller cam block... this is the smart way to
go because it allows you to run GM Factory style roller lifters...
This is the most affordable way to take advantage of a roller cam.


Doing a RollerCam conversion on a pre '87 block that did not come with
a Roller cam originally is expensive... the $800 way as mentioned.

You can pick up a 4 bolt roller cam block (87 up) from the junkyard or your local machinist for $100-200 bucks.

 

2 bolt main 383/s are not he hot set up from what we have seen over the years, Adding studs in noway makes the 2 bolt cap stonger like most people think as its still a stock grey cast cpa with better hardware, Like putting new rod bolts in a old set of rods the are not any stronger its still an old set of rods with better hardware.

Adding more stroke does side load the caps more thats why GM made the center caps on a 400 two bolt block wider!!!

Here is a link on a broken cap for this forum
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...ps-1992-a.html

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/advanc...ever-seen.html

Any block that you use have it sonic tested before any thing is done and DON'T GO BY CORESHIFT.

The SHP block is a good choice as we hardly ever deal with the old blocks since the SHP blocks have come out. here is a good link to look over on the SHP block from Dart.
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12112

What ever way you go good luck with your build

 

Ok, if I was in your position here's what I'd do. (I'm assuming money is an issue)

1. Tank, magnaflux, & sonic test your Dad's 4-bolt
2. Punch it .030
3. You want steel caps, fine, put them on & align hone the mains
4. Nice cast, internally balanced rotating kit
5. No more than 10:1 CR
6. ARP stud everything
7. Choke it down & go roller
8. Get a Holley or Demon

Build a nice 355 - you're not going to get 500hp+ from this setup, but that wasn't mentioned as a requirement, and it won't break the bank. You'll have more engine than most people on the road and your engine won't tend to be as finicky. Research the intakes on this forum, I believe you'll find a lot of guys running intakes that aren't supposed to fit, but actually do. Number 8 will cause a lot of yapping as there are a lot of Qjet fans here, but GM put a Holley on all the big combos for a reason. I feel you really need to go roller, no matter what you build. Unless you are restoring I see no reason to ever build a non-roller engine again.

I don't think you'll tear up the cast assembly, from the engine you originally proposed you don't seem to running on the edge.

Now if money isn't that much of an issue then get a Dart SHP, full forged kit, AFR heads & build at least a 427.

 

BTW, are those Ka-Boom (KB pistons) forged or their hypereutechtic ones. I'd be looking to use a nice forged piston since you keep talking HP and more additions in the future. Speed Pro, Mahle, JE-SRP, CP, Wiseco all over some great forged pistons.

 

Well, I am starting to rethink this. I believe I will buy the scat 9000 kit. I kinda agree with you rat, however, I don't want to pay the extra for the roller crossover everyone was talking about. Simply bore the 4 bolt .030 over and get the assembly. Check the block of course.

Rotating Assembly ~$1000 (balanced pistons)
Scat 3.75" Scat 9000 Crank
-Scat 4340 Premium Forged Pro Comp 5.7" I-beam Connecting Rods w/ 7/16" capscrew
-Forged Pistons (dished, 12cc), ~10.1:1 w. 64cc head
Speed Pro Molly Rings
Clevite 'H' series Rod and Main bearings
After looking into all the Rotating Assemblies I wanted something that will not tear up.
NorthernAutoParts


Quadrajet Re-tuned and drilled from old stock motor.


Cam SH3230 $75.00
262-400; intake-duration@.050 lift 230; exhaust-duration@.050 lift 230; intake-lift .480; exhaust-lift .480; lobe sep angle 109
http://www.survivalmotorsports.com/C...etSBcams2.html



Intake $200.00
Edelbrock Performer RPM (1500-6500). I wanted a weiand manifold but the darn hood is limiting me on what I can have and I am not ready to replace the hood.


Oil Pan $200.00
Miloden High volume oil pan


Heads $1107.00
Brodix - * 200cc intake ports
* 64cc combustion chambers
* Phosphorous bronze valve guides
* Valve seats for use with unleaded gas
* End-milled and drilled for accessories
* 2.02 in./1.60 in. stainless steel valves
* Valve springs
* Valve stem seals
* 5/16 in. guideplates
* Rocker arm studs
* Retainers
* Locks

Does this look better?
I had a misconception about the strength of the block and also concerning the compression ratio. I'm not going to be running it on the edge (heck, never had a speeding ticket...and don't race my car). I just want something that I can talk about, lol. Hence, the 4 bolt should suffice like rat said. Furtheremore, I was thinking flat top pistons but the dished should put me down enough and give me the compression i need.

Also, I was wanting to go solid cam but have read you need to adjust it weekly...is this a myth or fact?

 

MY god, stop reading whatever web sites you are visiting. Your new plan sounds very good however either skip those lifters casue they are designed to use a longer duration cam and try to fool the engine into thinking its actually a smaller cam. Noisy and years ago guys had cam wear with them.

NO, an adjusted solid cam will only need some periodic adjustments, once or twice a year depending on you much you drive it. If you don't have the budget now for a roller cam, I'd recommend using a nice solid cam for that build. Something like the Engle 1020 or 1022 are excellent 383 cams.

1020 EP-20 .482" .482" 268° 268° .321".321" 232° 232° 112° $140.00

1022 EP-22 .491" .491" / 274° 274°/ .327" .327" / @ .050" 238° 238° /110° LSA $140.00
Street & strip, 4 speed or 2000 stall. 9.5 to 10.0:1 compression. Powerband 2000-6500.

Those Brodix 200s have very large intake openings and you should port match your intake to them or run the IK180s, AFR 195s.

IMHO, the best budget route to go for performance is find a junk yard, 4 bolt, truck roller engine for about $150 and go that route.