remytherat
Well-Known Member
It’s an opportunity for content and to get people like you guys talking and spreading the video. That’s all.
Nicks Garage 383 build
- Thread starter RAMM
- Start date
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The more people watch and possibly subscribe to his chanel, the more money he makes.
Bighead440
Well-Known Member
Nick says the pistons are .050" in the hole, replacement forged pistons (TRWs?). He milled the heads .020" and used shim head gaskets to bump the compression some, but zero decking (or even positive deck piston crown, like some '69HPs are) would have really helped. I didn't watch it thoroughly, but I didn't hear what the cranking PSI numbers were. The cam is an improvement over stock, although I'da liked a 108LSA and maybe more exhaust duration split with the manifolds (224/234*?). With more static compression and some more overlap, I think they'da got better numbers. I ran a shelf 219/235* @.050" on a 110LSA cam in my low compression '77 400 with .060" milled 906's, DP4B-750 AFB, HP manifolds with true 2.5" H-pipe duals and Hooker turbo mufflers, and it was way strong. Never dynoed it but it was pretty damn quick in a '70 Challenger R/T with 3.23s and a 11" converter.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
my mistake, i had you confused with another member who builds and dynos engines.
if you do happen to build a 383/400 i know we'd all be interested in the process.
Bighead440
Well-Known Member
OH and I like the "B" motors just fine. We ran 8.65 in the 1/4 in the heat with our old nostalgia rail with an all-iron 383 back in the 2000s, TRW dome pistons, 915 440 heads with Pontiac 2.11x1.78" 11/32" stem valves, Lunati solid FT cam, 265/271*@.050", .576/.562" lift, Crane gold roller rockers, Offy TR and 2x660 center squirters and zoomie headers. We ran a PG trans with an 8" 5000 converter, 4.30 geared 8-3/4" rear and 33" slicks. We shifted at 7200rpm with prepped stock rods and a heavy bobweight!!!
I heard the next engine challenge is for big block builds under 400 ci. 
The smallest FE Ford big block made was a 330. How bout THAT?I heard the next engine challenge is for big block builds under 400 ci.
Have you ever had a surprised customer? You know the extra mile their not aware of, there are secrets ya know.
replicaracer43
Grumpy Old Man
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2008
- Messages
- 6,099
- Reaction score
- 8,070
Nick is not a engine "builder" he is a engine "assembler" and there is a difference. He has figured out how to take 10 minutes of content and stretch it out into 45 minute videos. That's how he makes money
Welcome back, buddy. We've missed you.
He's got around 65 million views in 8 years that's around 300-400 thousand dollars American before taxes, even if most of that's from the last 4 ish years that's still less than $100 thousands a year. Not bad but nothing crazy, that video only has 26k views so far probably not even making a couple $200 so far even if the views double that's a fair bit of effort to make $300-500 dollars.
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
Yes. But usually when they let me do what I want or at least think what they want.
Bubble gummers will always be bubble gummers. Not much you can do about that.
I had a Pontiac on the dyno a year or so ago.
If the dude who owns it would listen his life go a lot better.
I set it up with 18 initial and a creeping curve to about 3200.
At any rate, with a timing light on it it had 45 initial and over 60. No wonder it ran like ****.
Of course, the shop gnomes stopped by and moved the distributor because he didn’t move it.
That’s the way it goes. And I built this guy way less than I normally would have.
I guess I should have dumbed his **** down even more.
PRH
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I don’t mind 383’s at all.
The few I’ve built have turned out pretty well imo.
My view on a stock type rebuild is this……. You’re not really serious about wanting power if you’re not willing to upgrade the main items that are holding your particular combo back.
In most cases that means an intake, headers, cam.
A basically stock engine will end up behaving like a basically stock engine……..that’s no surprise.
I was going to watch the video……..but, 1hr & 25mins?
I don’t need to see it that bad.
The few I’ve built have turned out pretty well imo.
My view on a stock type rebuild is this……. You’re not really serious about wanting power if you’re not willing to upgrade the main items that are holding your particular combo back.
In most cases that means an intake, headers, cam.
A basically stock engine will end up behaving like a basically stock engine……..that’s no surprise.
I was going to watch the video……..but, 1hr & 25mins?
I don’t need to see it that bad.
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PRH
Well-Known Member
When you’ve done enough to a 383 to make a big improvement in power from stock, the factory 301 intake is a pretty noticeable cork.
When I tested that on mine in 2002 I think it was like 35-40hp better with an RPM.
But I was already in the 420hp range with the stock intake(big SFT cam, headers, 10.6cr).
When I tested that on mine in 2002 I think it was like 35-40hp better with an RPM.
But I was already in the 420hp range with the stock intake(big SFT cam, headers, 10.6cr).
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PRH
Well-Known Member
Unported 906’s with SBI replacement valves, good valve job with bowl cut, milled to about 77cc, dual springs.
Flowed low-230’s.
TRW pistons at +.020, with flycuts, steel shim gaskets, stock rods, stock cast crank from a 400(still externally balanced).
Comp SFT, 256/262-106, isky rockers, RPM, various DP carbs.
460tq/480hp
11.26@119, 3670lbs, flat hood
11.18@123, 3550lbs, upgraded fuel system & 6bbl hood
Moparts on the Web - Main Index
With the stock intake and stock AVS carb, a swap to the RPM was a 26hp gain.
An HP750DP was worth nothing over the stock carb on the factory intake.
With the RPM the HP750DP was 13hp better than the stock carb(39hp over the stock intake).
Flowed low-230’s.
TRW pistons at +.020, with flycuts, steel shim gaskets, stock rods, stock cast crank from a 400(still externally balanced).
Comp SFT, 256/262-106, isky rockers, RPM, various DP carbs.
460tq/480hp
11.26@119, 3670lbs, flat hood
11.18@123, 3550lbs, upgraded fuel system & 6bbl hood
Moparts on the Web - Main Index
With the stock intake and stock AVS carb, a swap to the RPM was a 26hp gain.
An HP750DP was worth nothing over the stock carb on the factory intake.
With the RPM the HP750DP was 13hp better than the stock carb(39hp over the stock intake).
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Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
So what do you guys think about Uncle Tonys MI 318 recipe...? you know cork intakes and 2 barrel carbs and what not...
PRH
Well-Known Member
I think it would be interesting to “upgrade” the things on Nicks 383 build that are holding it back and see what it would take to put it solidly over 400/400, without going nuts on it.
Intake/carb, headers, real cam(a SFT so it wouldn’t be limited in rpm by the lifters).
Intake/carb, headers, real cam(a SFT so it wouldn’t be limited in rpm by the lifters).
I am currently building a stock stroke 400, and I did quite a bit of research before choosing components. I had read a Steve Dulcich article from 2002 where he built and dynoed a 383 as close to stock specs as possible. I was pretty sure it made the horsepower, but I was surprised when I looked it up to find the torque numbers were almost identical to the video from Nick's garage.
Maybe I'm missing something, but the Holley carb provided by the engine's owner looks like a 600 to me, not a 750. And I'm not sure why Nick didn't try a lighter secondary spring if the secondaries weren't opening all the way at full throttle.
The video was way too long, so I skipped my way through it.
The video was way too long, so I skipped my way through it.
PRH
Well-Known Member
Usually there’s several, “here we goooo……”
I didn’t catch that the carb was a Holley VS.
With a stiff spring, those will def kill off some power.
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