Has anyone had experience with this company and there engines. I am thinking about ordering there 383 or 408
http://www.tandlengines.com

 

Here is a post on them.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...l-engines.html

 

If I wouldn't have built my own I would have gone with them. Would have saved $. Here is a good read.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-engine-6.html

 

383 or 408
I can't decide
I love to drive and drive and drive my car. I would say that streetability is the number one important thing. I have a 3.08 rear and spend 95% of the time off idle to 3500 rpm. I worry that the dyno chart on the 408 dose not start till 3200 RPM's. Will I be giving up an 800 to 1000 rpm idle and 2000 rpm cruse. I want the HP there when I need it but don't want to sell my soul to get it.
What do you experienced guys say 383 A-2 or 408 A-1
http://www.tandlengines.com/chevy_sb...num_index.html

 

You need to call and talk to them they are good people but with your setup 3.08 rear you need to talk for sure. A lot of there engines are set up for more of a gear because of where there rpm range is. A big build engine with a 3.08 rear depending on your trans will be a dog I mean poor performance. I built a 355 with a solid cam and trick flow twisted wedge heads all the goody's around 450hp for my 65 nova and with the stock gear it sucked big time. I installed a 4.11 rear and a 3000-3500 stall and it ran so good! 11.90's @ 117mph in the 1/4 with a power glide.

 

The 408. It does have the next size bigger cam but the extra cubes diminishes that some and also increases your bottom end torque. With your gear and a 4 speed I would go with:
http://www.tandlengines.com/chevy_sb...408%20A-1.html
I am also a fortune teller. I see a Richmond 5 speed in your future.

 

I sent this question to T&L and this is there response.

Both engines have approx. the same drivability. Both idle at 900 RPM. The 408 has more bottom end power than the 383. The dyno chart starts at 3200 because it is very difficult for the dyno to hold the engine at RPMs below that with a wide open throttle. If you want the most power for your $$, I would go with the 408. If you are looking for value and a good strong engine to cruise with, the 383 would be plenty. Any other questions, let us know. Thanks again.

T and L Engine Development
12303-A Renee Ford Rd
Stanfield, NC 28163
Phone: (704) 888-8111
Fax: (704) 888-8114
Web: http://www.tandlengines.com/

 

Your are good.
I'm was looking at Keisler TKO 500. With my 3.08 rear and there 3.27 first gear per there site it would feel like I had a 4.00 rear in first.
What do you think.

 

I think the 383 420hp/460tq or the 440hp/460tq would be strong performers with good street manners. Either of these engines with 460tq in a C 3 would fly! The 408 in my opinion is a little much for street driving, not to mention the stress on the power train ect. Al

 

The TKO has a wide ratio change between 1st and second and again between 4th and 5th. The richmond road race has a 3.28 first and a couple different 2nd 3rd and 4th ratios available with a 1 to 1 fifth. Think it is an easy swap with correct shifter position available. I like close ratio transmissions and with a 3.08 a 1 to 1 fifth is not too bad.
http://www.richmondgear.com/07pdfs/RG24.pdf

 

When you break it you just put something in stronger.

 

Hi all,
I just replied to a pm regarding T&L and thought some of you might be interested too. If you have seen all my posts you know that along the way I had become somewhat dissatisfied with thier service after the fact but that said, they built me a great engine. Thier work is first class. don't buy accessories and such from them and you will be much happier. Things that you could resolve with a phone call to summit took me weeks to resolve. All of these issues were over March pulley's, power steering pumps, etc.I do not like the AED carburator either. It may be great for racing but does not tune well for street driving. I fuel injected mine and the street manners are great. It is so smooth and easy to drive that you never realize the power that you have. My 77 is an auto car. I got into a little trouble with it when I leaned on the gas a little heavy passing a car and kicked the tranny down to passing gear. I got a little sideways at about 50 miles an hour. I took off the passing gear cable, problem solved. This engine has so much torque you don't need kickdown anyway. I have since torn mine down, installed a solid roller setup. The engine is wearing well and should last a long time. In one of my earlier posts I mentioned the Dart "as cast" heads. I was not happy with the quality of these but that is no fault of T&L. They plainly stated that these were as cast assembled heads. Some of you may not care but I could not reassemble the engine with these heads looking as they did and with most valves leaking. If i were doing this over I would use the CNC heads as I am sure they take a little more care with them. I love the 408. It has a ton of power, is very smooth, and has a unique sound that sounds closer to a big block than a 350. I bounce it off of the 6300 rev limiter often and it seems to be OK with this. You will have to spend a little more for headers for this setup as it needs the hooker supercomps or something else with a larger tube than normal but at this point does it really matter?

 

I have the 408 with the AFR's and a tko 500 and 4:11.
It scares the hell out of me. I love it.
They were a huge pain to deal with it but built a hell of a motor. 548 hp and then I threw a 100 shot on top of that.