383 stroker
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
383 stroker
I want to stroke my 78 vette to a 383 but dont know much about it. Does anyone know a good place to buy a cheap kit and also would I need to upgrade my cam or heads or anything else? Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
A couple of things, if you go cheap you get what you pay for. Yes a good set of heads will help and a better cam will help. make sure you match all your components. Building an engine is not just throwing parts at it. You might be better off buying a crate engine.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
I know enough about engines to rebuild one and I understand the "stroking" concept I guess what my real question is what to do about my camshaft? I beleive my heads are 175 on there now and that should sufice but as far as matching up a good cam I am lost.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
175?? what are the heads. If that is the size of the runner they are tiny. Not enough for a 383. I run 190s on mine and it is small for my 385 motor. Good enough for 409 RWHP but I have a large solid flat tappet cam. What are your HP levels you want out of the engine. Is it a street car a daily driver weeknd cruiser or drag race car. All this will come into play when selecting the engine components.
Cams are a whole project in itself. Do you want a flat tappet or roller $$$ cam.
Cams are a whole project in itself. Do you want a flat tappet or roller $$$ cam.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
the car is a weekend driver and I am hoping to get around 450 HP. As of right now the only engine upgrades are an edelbrock performer series intake and carb, and all the emissions has been taken off and I am now using hooker headers.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
There are a ton of questions here 
Why have you decided on a 383?
Do you have any concerns about maintaining the originality of your engine?
What's your budget? <- this is really the key question
Why have you decided on a 383?
Do you have any concerns about maintaining the originality of your engine?
What's your budget? <- this is really the key question
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
In that case, go with a kit. I had two pros pick all my parts seperately(both have 70 years combined engine building experience). Heads, Comp cam, pistons, crank, etc. I'm around 425HP with as much cam as we could get. Open glasspack side exhaust, and removal of the clutch fan, now dual electrics, helped to add a few HP too. Great street motor! I really like the results. These guys knew what they were doing and really got into it! Like a couple of West Virginians poking a rat with a stick in the bottom of a trash can while drinking beer!
(no offense to anyone, just the best analogy I could think of)
(no offense to anyone, just the best analogy I could think of)
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Might be best for you to buy a proven longblock thats done.
These days its cheaper to go that route in most cases (coming from a chronic DIY'er)
Too many "rebuilders" will spout off "You should have XX" when done only to find out otherwise after the thing is installed.
Check out Pace Performance, its a start.
These days its cheaper to go that route in most cases (coming from a chronic DIY'er)
Too many "rebuilders" will spout off "You should have XX" when done only to find out otherwise after the thing is installed.
Check out Pace Performance, its a start.
