My car --> 74 convertible. Original Base L48 engine (198 horse) that is very tired with what i've been told is at least one burned valve causing a lazy idle, original Borg 4 speed manual transmission, a sloppy shifter, a broken speedo, exhaust leak at stock manifold and tired exhaust/mufflers.

My plan --> replace or rebuild engine for a 383 stroker, overhaul the transmission (keep it 4 speed to save costs), fix the shifter and speedo during this time, and install new headers/dual chambered exhaust.

My mechanical experience/aptitude --> Low. I'm learning as much as i can as fast as i can and buying this car and wrenching on it has helped tremendously. that said i know i will need to pay someone to do this for me.

My options -->
1) Steve Schmidt here in Indianapolis builds racing and street engines as well as operates a repair business. They do the work on this car today and are trying to talk me into starting with the stock block and building it to what I want.
2) Buy a 383 Stroker crate engine from BluePrint (or similar builder) and pay Schmidt to install it (they said they would rather put their own in but will do it if i insist).

So here is where you come in if you choose to accept this challenge. As I start to put together a list of specs for this new engine - i'd like to put a checklist together of options so i can compare/contrast options. As example:
1) New block vs re-use existing stock
2) crank - i see references to forged, what are the other options and what is more desirable/expensive ?
3) pistons, rods, heads, - same. what are options and how does cost
compare?
4) intake and carb - what are options without having to replace my stock L48 hood ? what's better than the other ?
5) electronics ? I see mention of HEI upgrade or even fuel injection

i know this is alot to ask and maybe not reasonable here. i'm not looking to race at the US nationals here, but if i'm going to swap the engine i want it to be respectable with a nice lumpy/mean idle. understanding where to spend the money and what the options are as i compare/contrast build vs buy will help me focus on what is important.

 

My advice would be to work with Mr. Schmidt. The two of you should reach an agreement on what work will be done and the price.

 

If Mr. Schmidt warranty's the installation and rebuild it's always safer to have one shop touch your car. No blame game and they would know what was done though the whole process and parts selection.

 

appreciate the feedback so far. Regardless of the approach i take I'm still looking for details on options for the engine. Even if i use my local guy they are still going to want me to tell them what i want in the engine. So looking for basics on engine components options and which i should strongly consider investing in.

 

Schmidt has a good rep, cnc-motorsports.com also does good work for a decent price. Vortecpro454.com is the best bang for the buck and for the price of his big blocks you can save more than enough for the swap.

 

You want a 383 stroker and have an original bur tired engine. I would suggest getting a new crate and keep the original alone in case a future owner wants. Will be worth more if you sell it.

Or build your own engine from scratch. You can find new and used blocks. I would consult the builder for advice on that one. May be money and time ahead to get a new block.

From there forward, have fun. Every part has several alternatives available. I would seek the opinion of the builder. The parts need to be matched to the fianl horsepower.

I am doing the oposite. My engine, L82, is at the performance shop being remanufactured as original. I know they are crap heads but the lower end will be bored .030 over with new pistons and rings. I looked into new heads: vortec, Dart and AFR aluminum. Then looked at new cams, roller and hydraulic lifter, new cam, maybe new intake. When I tallied the estimated cost and compared that to how I drive, all that power would be a waste. So I decided to rebuild as numbers matching stock.

 

Hmmm... You are asking a lot of questions, I'd suggest you do as much research as possible to help inform your decision. My thoughts, but others may disagree with various points:
- Seriously consider swapping in a different gearbox if that's what you want. No point spending money rebuilding yours when that money could be put towards what you want, especially if you're paying labour to have it taken out and installed. Also consider whether the box will be up to whatever power level you decide to build the engine to.
Engine wise:
- Heads are where you want to spend money for performance. Any decent name brand head will be miles better than stock heads.
- Scat 9000 cast crank is a good option, cheap and proven to 600+hp, for your goals I don't think the additional $ for a forged crank is necessary.
- going to 6" rods will net you a quieter, smoother, longer lasting engine, but minimal power increase. Worthwhile if you want to get a lot of miles out of it, particularly as decent Scat rods are not overly expensive. But if you're only going to do a couple of thousand miles a year, arguably an unnecessary cost.
- Cast pistons a fine for a low to moderate build, but I prefer a decent forging. Again, there are good, relatively inexpensive options available.
- Hydraulic roller or hydraulic flat tappet cam - not a huge difference in power, but the roller will be better for power and longevity. A significant cost increase to go to roller though. Again, expected use and budget will factor into your priorities here.

I would definitely be inclined to follow the advice in most cases for your mechanic, based on him being recommended as reputable and capable. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't research these things for yourself, so that you can have intelligent conversations with him/them and work together to make the best decisions to suit your needs.

Edit: Also, if your car is still driveable, consider buying a core engine to rebuild in order to minimise downtime without the car, assuming having the matching numbers engine installed isn't a huge issue to you.

 

You'll get more power and more torque for less money with a new engine especially if you're dealing with a block that comes with a roller cam.

Having said that, although the Scat cranks come highly recommended, Lunati's got a decent deal on a 383 conversion kit these days: http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=8603&gid=409

Hypereutectic pistons seem to be a great option these days unless I'm missing something.


Adam