Mopar Muscle Mag 2006 May 383 rebuild question

[68chargerpilot]

In May 06 MM Mag did an article on a 383 rebuild. My project 68 Charger has a 383 4 brl. I have the original engine so all #s match. This article caught my eye.

The problem is for reasons legit but i wont get into the engine/ trans was outside for the last 35 years. I want to put it all back, so i was hoping to reuse that block if i can get the pistons out? (TBD) If not then i will weight all options.

if you dont happen to be familiar with this article, they stroked a 383 and did some extensive rework on a lot of parts to essentially reduce the rotating mass of the engine making it much more responsive. Thats the general idea anyways. interesting idea and appealing. They listed all parts and suppliers which makes the idea much more appealing. In it they used the term "machined" an awful lot ($$$$$$$). Making it less appealing.

I am a firm believer in the saying "just because you can doest mean you should." As i read about all the "machining" i had that thought bouncing around in my head. Some of those parts were never designed for that app.

So if you are familiar with this article please free to chime in about if it was a good idea or not. OR if you have a better direction for me to take with a 383 rebuild, which i am sure will need to be bored quite a bit over to clean up the pistons, then also chime in!!!


BTW picks of my project will come....some of you have asked for them.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Stroke it, you’ll love it!

 

[moper]

There are certain realities with any rebuilding choice so you need to set some boundaries:
How much do you have to spend?
What is the desired performance result?
What appearance do you want it to have when completed?
How important is it to maintain that particular block long-term?

 

[mopar 3 B]

If you are going to spend all those $$$$$ machining find a 400.

 

[68chargerpilot]

Since its the original block making a true numbers matching car possible, therefore a higher value, I want to use that block. The rust in the cylinder will dictate how much it has to bored over. Rebuilding it opens lots of possibilities. Does stroking it even make since for s street/driver. No garage queen in mind here.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Yes it does. Add up machining costs along with parts, bet it’s real close.

 

[HT413]

A lot of years have passed since that article was published. Since then we have aluminum heads available that years ago none of us would have believed. Stroker, trick flow heads and modern cam grind and I bet you’re easily making more HP than that article in a much more streetable package.

Edit: I just looked at that article again... forgot they did a follow up that did just that - modern heads and a modern cam.... I didn’t see much machining other than crank. I say do it, you’ll love that motor. My 451 is pretty tame by some standards here on FBBO but it hauls the mail pretty darn good.

 

[moper]

Since its the original block making a true numbers matching car possible, therefore a higher value, I want to use that block. The rust in the cylinder will dictate how much it has to bored over. Rebuilding it opens lots of possibilities. Does stroking it even make since for s street/driver. No garage queen in mind here.

Ok - so we wan to use the numbers block. I wouldn't, myself, if this is "no garage queen". I'd bag it and keep it safe. 383s are cheap and easy to find in running condition and the investment now means a guaranty of the over all car value staying high. Remember replacing engines in these cars is very easy. Like less than a day to do with hand tools.
Rebuilding does open a lot of paths. Hence the questions ask but unanswered thus far about performance expectations, actual cash to spend on it, and how you want it to look.
Street cars live at part throttle, idle, and low rpm cruise. That is exactly where a longer stroke gives the most benefit and bang for the buck. But stroking will cost more money no matter how anyone tries to approach it. I've built all these options and I usually double the amount of stroke increase to use as the adjustment for the larger displacement. So 383(3.38" stroke) to 432(3.75" stroke) is about 10%, and the build will go 20% more than a 383-based build. 383 to 496(4.25) stroke is 21%, so the cost will be close to 40% more than a 383-based build. More cost comes from the parts to support the larger displacement, and minor labor to mock up and clearance as needed. Obviously the longer the stroke, the lower the rpm of peak torque, and the higher that peak torque number. Those translate directly into a more fun non-garage queen...

 

[68chargerpilot]

Ok - so we wan to use the numbers block. I wouldn't, myself, if this is "no garage queen". I'd bag it and keep it safe. 383s are cheap and easy to find in running condition and the investment now means a guaranty of the over all car value staying high. Remember replacing engines in these cars is very easy. Like less than a day to do with hand tools.
Rebuilding does open a lot of paths. Hence the questions ask but unanswered thus far about performance expectations, actual cash to spend on it, and how you want it to look.
Street cars live at part throttle, idle, and low rpm cruise. That is exactly where a longer stroke gives the most benefit and bang for the buck. But stroking will cost more money no matter how anyone tries to approach it. I've built all these options and I usually double the amount of stroke increase to use as the adjustment for the larger displacement. So 383(3.38" stroke) to 432(3.75" stroke) is about 10%, and the build will go 20% more than a 383-based build. 383 to 496(4.25) stroke is 21%, so the cost will be close to 40% more than a 383-based build. More cost comes from the parts to support the larger displacement, and minor labor to mock up and clearance as needed. Obviously the longer the stroke, the lower the rpm of peak torque, and the higher that peak torque number. Those translate directly into a more fun non-garage queen...

Thanks very much for your responses. I am so early in this project I am still identifying what is and isn't possible. Budgets are still yet to be determined. I would say the road to completion is being planned now. I live in Spartanburg SC, labor cost are lower here then say the west coast or the northeast. If the block is still sound, holding on to it and NOT using does make since.

I have a built in plan B. Back in the mid 80s when my Dad acquired this car, a family that went to our church had a daughter get T boned in a New Yorker? 1970 model with a 383 in it. Totaled of course with only 49K original miles. That's the engine my Dad decided to devote garage space to. It's never been outside. Tranny as well. Dads idea was to use that motor/ trans combo and not have to do anything at all but drop it in. I wouldn't be surprised if that motor would start as it sets today. So that's the least expensive route.
Would using a new Hemi crate make sense?( Plan C. ) Anyone wanna weigh in on the cost and benefits of those? Some I understand clearly. More reliable, fuel efficient, build by quality is known. Cost, electronics, trans bolt up etc I dont.

 

[moper]

That's cool. The only hard advice right now is, explore the options, but when it comes to the plan, make it, and stick to it.
The only real comment I would make on any Hemi option (2nd Gen, not talking 1st or 3rd Gen) would be to only buy a completed engine, dyno'd, from For Hemis Only or Bob George Racing. I wouldn't trust anybody else on it aside from my machinist but he's in CT. A crate Hemi from any other source including MP would be a source of parts, to ship to either of those two shops to get checked out. I would budget for at least $30K to get a 2G Hemi in the car running with carburetors. If EFI - add a few thousand. You will get value back, but it's a huge expense even for those that have the coin handy.
As for the '70 383 - that's a great candidate for a core block to build a new bigger engine. That's what I'd recommend. I have a 496 that is coming in for freshening this winter. It makes about 570hp and close to 600tq with a mild flat tappet, ported Stealths, and a dual plane intake. It also gets north of 13mpg mixed driving, and pushes it's car to 117mph in the 1/4. It runs pump 91. When it was fresh, and without the bolt ons it has now, it won 1st at Carlisle in Stock Appearing E body. In that iteration it made about 530hp and 550tq through factory exh manifolds and repro exhaust system. That build could be duplicated for about $12K these days.

 

[68chargerpilot]

That's cool. The only hard advice right now is, explore the options, but when it comes to the plan, make it, and stick to it.
The only real comment I would make on any Hemi option (2nd Gen, not talking 1st or 3rd Gen) would be to only buy a completed engine, dyno'd, from For Hemis Only or Bob George Racing. I wouldn't trust anybody else on it aside from my machinist but he's in CT. A crate Hemi from any other source including MP would be a source of parts, to ship to either of those two shops to get checked out. I would budget for at least $30K to get a 2G Hemi in the car running with carburetors. If EFI - add a few thousand. You will get value back, but it's a huge expense even for those that have the coin handy.
As for the '70 383 - that's a great candidate for a core block to build a new bigger engine. That's what I'd recommend. I have a 496 that is coming in for freshening this winter. It makes about 570hp and close to 600tq with a mild flat tappet, ported Stealths, and a dual plane intake. It also gets north of 13mpg mixed driving, and pushes it's car to 117mph in the 1/4. It runs pump 91. When it was fresh, and without the bolt ons it has now, it won 1st at Carlisle in Stock Appearing E body. In that iteration it made about 530hp and 550tq through factory exh manifolds and repro exhaust system. That build could be duplicated for about $12K these days.

I appreciate you sensitivity on the money issue. It's gonna be expensive enough.

How much additional performance could be obtained by new heads, more aggressive cam, better intake, and new headers and pipes. Bssically leave the bottom end alone. Im talking about the '70 383 of course.

 

[moper]

Who knows. You can upgrade the top end, but the lower end is still used and 70s quality. So figure somewhere around 75-100hp? None of the factory 383s have any real compression so you can't go bigger on the camshaft and expect big numbers where you want them (lower rpm). So stay milder, and not from MP.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Street cruiser. Drop the 70 383 in and forget the rebuild. Go out and have some fun or spend a lot of $$ to get to the next stop light a little faster.