Here is a very stout, but yet doable motor, however, this motor would be marginal at best on the street, but for those people interested in optimizing a small bore motor at the track, its a pretty nice set-up using in-expensive off the shelf parts.

This build-up was featured in the Hot Rod Engines Special Edition.... that was released earlier this year.

This top-end package was put together by Joe Sherman of Sherman Racing Engines. The short block was just a low cost crate engine from Coast performance.

383 sbc
2 bolt 30 over block, cast crank, forged 5.7" I beams and forged pistons
AFR 195's off the shelf (non cnc ported)
Competition cams solid roller 287TKR-6 grind
(259/264 @ .050" .645/.630 lift 106 lsa)
Jesel shaft mount rocker system
1 3/4" Headers
3" Aerochamber mufflers
MSD 6A
Speed Demon 850cfm carb
Edelbrock Super Vic manifold
(They said this motor could be put together for approx $ 9275)

Dyno results:

rpm........Torque.......HP.......
4600.......499..........437.....
5000.......525..........500.....
5200.......528..........523....
5600.......517..........551....
6000.......508..........580....
6400.......493..........601....
6800.......475..........615....
7200.......439..........602....

Pretty nice out of a 383 considering its a nothing fancy 2 bolt shortblock with a cast crank, off the shelf cam, nothing fancy non-cnc'd AFR heads..... about the fanciest thing on this motor was the jesel shaft mount rocker system. Motor hits 500 HP right at 4600 rpm, 600 HP at 6400 rpm with a 615 HP peak at 6800 rpm. Torque hits 500 ftlbs @ 4600 rpm and holds about 500 over 6000 rpm.

If I was on a tight budget and trailered my C4 to the strip instead of driving it, I'd seriously consider this combination. (As a note, with the right converter/gearing in a 3300lb C4, you'd be looking at low 10's at over 130 mph. )

Just thought I would share.....

 

I thought 7200 RPM was too much for a cast crank?

 

Apparently that one can..... but who knows, maybe it blew up the next day.

 

It'd make me crazy knowing I had a cast crank in it, and revving it that high.

 

Wonder if it was a Scat 9000 "cast", those supposedly are fairly strong pieces.

Sounds like a typical Sherman motor, basic parts, good machining, good heads and a crapload of solid cam.

 

I just noticed the cam specs.

 

106 LSA does not make for a happy TPI/LT cam. It also makes difficulty in tuning for emissions. It would need to be opened to 110° (or even 112°) to be happy in one of our applications. But the tight LSA makes for a very "rev happy" engine.
Aaron

 

615HP with the standard port 195s?

I'd like to see that same motor with the Comp Ports, less cam and wider lobe seperation.

Still, very impressive that little 195cc port can support 615HP from a 383 at 6800RPM.

 

Was looking back at some old post. Nice combo. I'd like to know what compression he used.
I found the old article, they didn't mention it. What would be your guesses?

 

Hey Beach. This thing sounds like a qualifying motor. Great hp but short lifespan. I had a well prepped, nitrided cast crank when I ran a 383 but never took it over 6500 rpm. I would think 7200 would be good for that dyno run and that's about it. There goes 9 grand. Willie

 

If I remember that article it was in the 10x compression range didnt have much. Joe is a master at pulling power out of a motor via clearancing/tuning. Spoke with him last yr about it as I was toying with having him do mine wish I had written the CR down.

Sounds very similar to what I just finished only difference is 11.5:1 230cc head cam specs are very very close.

 

Old thread..... my small brain has long since forgotten this subject.

But, going out of memory, cuisinartvette is right, its a pump gas combination. But, not exactly sure on the compression. Not positive, but I recall a thread about this motor over at speedtalk many years ago in which Joe talks about it. You might be able to find it with a little searching over there. Joe is an active member at that site.

Some of Joe's competitors will accuse him of having a happy dyno.... I don't know myself, but I will say, the guy has a few old school tricks up his sleeve considering he won the highly coveted Engine Masters Challenge years ago..... so he knows something. I also used to race against some of his customers years ago in socal.... they always ran fast.

Willie, with the cast crank.... probably. I ran a scat cast crank on my old 383 forever.... I easily had 1000+ passes out of it without a problem, but the highest that motor ever saw was 6500 rpm and was typically shifted down in the 6000 rpm area. Joe's motor above, based upon it holding power so well above the HP peak, you would shift it at least 7200 rpm and maybe even higher if we knew what followed. I wouldn't run a cast crank with that much rpm... just a few hundred dollars more and you could have crank that would laugh at what you're doing to it, thus it would be a no-brainer to upgrade it. I don't think Joe or Coast who built that short-block knew what they were going to do it when it was built. Think they were just using the motor as a mule to do some testing. For his customer motors, I am positive he would use a nice forged piece for that application in all cases.

Rest of that motor is fairly mild including the cam.... very doable combination for a primarily race-only application. (And going carb)

 

Think it was a preproduction head, too.
Joe said the motor could have used a little more head but thats what was available. Interesting guy to talk to.
Dynos everyone I believe...once its off the dyno so is your warranty.
But its tuned to perfection right there