318 to 383 worth it?

[Jerry Hall]

Well the springs would be changed anyway as one does not put a stock camshaft back into an engine

Any difference between heads or internals on the 2 barrel vs 4?

No difference in heads, as 383 and 440 heads are interchangeable, The 2bbl and 4bbl 383's have different compression ratios. Upgrading from a 318 to a 383 will give you a noticeable HP, and torque bump.

 

[Jerry Hall]

What kind of dog, a Chihuahua or a Rottweiler?

How about a Greyhound!

 

[Curiousyellow71]

My 318 has a 727 behind it. I had read some years came with the 727 so I don't know if it's that or a heavy duty package. I had inquired in another post if the driveshaft would need to be changed but nobody replied.

The 383 in question is actually a 68.

What is the year and model of your car? I didn't see it mentioned..unless I missed it.Lol

 

[oldkimmer]

Another option is a 360 magnum from a 1994 up truck. U would need an oil pan and pickup and a carb and intake. Also a weighted converter or a balanced flex plate. U should be into it first $1200-00-$1500.00 Kim

 

[RR Fan Dan]

U should be into it first $1209.00-$1500.00

You sure it’s not $1209.63-$1500.00.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Only one person mentioned the handling change. You'll have a lot more weight on the front end with a BB. Torsion bar swap is the right way to go. But...that's the start of the snowball process. You can get mounts, but technically SB and BB k-frames are different. Steering. Brakes. There's a lot to change to do it right.

Personally I prefer the SB. Had a 360 crate motor in my satellite wagon for years - 727, 3.23 sg 8.75...hi 12s/lo 13s all damn day, with 1.60 60' times on pump gas and street tires (love the weight transfer in a wagon!). 340 bits bolt right up to an LA 318 - heads, cam, intake, etc.

 

[68rrdream]

Well you have to swap the transmission as well to go to a big block and at least modify the exhaust system. You can buy a stroker kit for the 318 and get 392 inches for less than $2,500 so you get the same cubic inches, add a set of decent heads or port your old ones and you may be surprised how good it runs. I have built a lot of 360LA strokers to 410 inches and in street trim they made a little over 400HP.

I mean if i were to stroke an engine it would be a 360 roller, not a 318. Just not worth it imo. Also I think that number is conservative. 2k more or less for the rotating assembly. Still need gaskets, ARP bolts, likely machine work and probably some head work to take advantage of the extra cubes.

Sure I can assemble it, I can port the heads etc. But machine work can add up fast.

 

[68rrdream]

What is the year and model of your car? I didn't see it mentioned..unless I missed it.Lol

Sorry. Car is a 67 belevedere 2 sedan

 

[Budnicks]

of a 318 or a 383,
I'd do the 383, a few bolt on it'll perform great

yeah you can build the 318 LA, I've done several they respond well to mods
I beat many a BB back in the day with a temp mild built
(68) 318 in my 68 Charger R/T (w/5.13:1 gears, 28" N50/15 tires)
while building another 440 or 513 stroker, because the OE 440s had a tendency
to spin rod bearings when pushed hard, past like 5,800rpm on stock rods

but the 383
will have more grunt/torque than any small block stock stroke
unless you do a stroker, might as well build a BBM, B/RB for that price
& they made millions of 383s
(67 closed chamber heads can be decent too, if done properly, especially on a lower compression combo)
the 383 HP in 68-70 are great engine swaps, lots of them out there
383s many, many of them, 383s came in (270?) common 290-335hp ranges,
the 2 bbl 383 or cars with A/C has less HP ratings
the 68-70 RR/Super-Bee or the 383 Magnum all had a lil' more cam
than a normal truck or (A) C-body motors, w/same 906 heads
383ci 335hp RR engines (Super-bee too) had a hotter stock cam,
like 268*/0.468" gvl, give or take, it's the same exact cam as the 440/6bbl is,
& you can always do a camshaft replacement too
(don't go over like 0.510"-ish gvl, or you need to cut down the valve-guides for lift clearances
284*/0.484" is a great street cam for a mild 383, idle well & decent vacuum, good response)
put a set of 1-3/4" headers, 2-1/2" free flowing exhaust,
an Edelbrock Performer RPM 4bbl square bore dual plane intake,
"best intake for the street hands down on any B/RB engine, even at 550hp levels"
buy a decent 4bbl (Holley IMHFO, 7310 VS is near perfect for street & mild 383, w/727)
& a gauze style air cleaner (like a K&N)
a lil' hotter spark/ignition & coil & good low ohm resistance plug wires, to burn the extra fuel
& call it good, maybe a converter & gears
(an OE RR has an 11" converter is a lil' loser than most cars converters,
unless it was a Super Bee 383/335hp)
& install way better gears than what it has now, 3.23:1 at a min.
(lots of them out there cheap-er)
if you go with a taller tire, like a 275/60/16 28" tall
then maybe go to a 3.73:1 or 3.90:1, (needs a 3.55:1 at a min.)
a 383 will like the RPM & help keep in the power band range

a 360 Magnum isn't a bad option either (a lot of them out there)
but a lot of differences in a LA style SBM than a Magnum
most stuff doesn't interchange, some does
so if you go that route do your due diligence/research

good luck

 

[Curiousyellow71]

Sorry. Car is a 67 belevedere 2 sedan

318 poly or LA? 727 I am guessing poly?

 

[erickson]

There’s no substitute for cubic inches just depends on your budget. If you go to the big block, you may have to change the radiator bigger torsion bars
I have both 500 in.³ stroke 440
And a 418 from a 340. Both cost about the same money to do.
My 418 Below 5800 RPMs
526hp
556 torque

 

[Dave6T4]

Put a 360 in it. It will bolt right up to your small block 727. I think the driver side motor mount has to change to 340 style. Change the cam to a 340 one and add a 4-barrel, and you have an easy 300 h.p.

 

[Dave6T4]

318 poly or LA? 727 I am guessing poly?

'67 B-body would have the new 318 LA (Canada had the 318 Poly, still). It would also have a small block 727. Changed to 904 behind 318 in 1968.

 

[Rebelrouser]

I mean if i were to stroke an engine it would be a 360 roller, not a 318. Just not worth it imo. Also I think that number is conservative. 2k more or less for the rotating assembly. Still need gaskets, ARP bolts, likely machine work and probably some head work to take advantage of the extra cubes.

Sure I can assemble it, I can port the heads etc. But machine work can add up fast.

When I build an engine first step is to measure everything and then decide on what machine work is actually needed. The majority of the time boring and cleaning is all that is required. If it needs line bored and decks done for example many times it is just cheaper to find a better block.