383 = no love

-
318willrun said:
oh my.....:rolleyes:
If we made a list of the dumbest quotes in 2016, you'd own the whole list no matter how long... (sigh)
FYI, they made a 361 big block. The 383 is a bored out 361. No, the 383 is not the weakest of the big blocks.
And, the 318 is not the weakest of the small blocks. They made a 273. The 273 2bbl had no chance against a 318 2bbl. I've owned both and driven both many times.
Click to expand...

And NONE of them will touch a 340:D:D
 
383 4 speed 68 Road Runner. Milled heads, richened Carb, factory AVS. Headers, Gears, I don't know what ratio, slicks. Low 13's, breaking into the high 12's. Tuned constantly by the original owner for years. All your theoretical BS means nothing. Any Mopar engine will run great if you know what you are doing and can tune it correctly. 170 up to the 426 Hemi. You couldn't give me any Chevy, if I had to drive it on the street.
 
1968 FACTORY SPECS

Engine - Horsepower - Torque
383 --------335 --------425 @3400 rpm's
340 ------- 275 --------340 @3200 rpm's

I think all would agree the 340 had more hp than the 275. I would think 310 would be more accurate. But still......
 
Last edited:
318willrun said:
FACTORY SPECS

Engine Horsepower Torque
383 335 425 @3400 rpm's
340 275 340 @3200 rpm's

I think all would agree the 340 had more hp than the 275. I would think 310 would be more accurate. But still......
Click to expand...

Look at NHRA factored HP, although the 340 and 383 were severely penalized.
 
318willrun said:
Seems that way. They either turn them into a 451 or they don't use them.
I only know what I experienced. I think the 400 is just a load of potential waiting to be released. I took a 400 2bbl and threw it in a D150. I didn't rebuild it, nor did I even check it out to see what the compression or anything was. I just threw a 4bbl and headers on it when I installed it.
I ran 14.50 with it. Yes, that's right! See how many factory muscle cars ran faster, including the beloved 340 Dusters. And I put it in a truck, not a Duster....

:eek:Wait, not a D150 with 3.21's and a LC 400 2bbl motor that the long block had never been taken apart? Your talking the lowest compression (factory), a broom stick for a cam, untouched 452 heads, 3.21 gears. :eek:

If I would have cleaned up the heads, put a little healthier cam in it, and raised the compression, this truck would have been a rock'n and a roll'n. Not to mention if I'd of added gears.... or a decent converter.
Click to expand...


There's 2 ways looking at engines potential. 1st is what the average guy is gonna get from it. 2nd is its ultimate potential.

Us average guys that turn under 6500 rpms
the bigger the better especially if we use the average gearing 3.55:1. Cause the bigger the engine the more torque per rpm (hp) it will make and at 6500 it's unlikely the bore size is overly effecting your engines breathing.
Eg. If you got 273 and a 540 both making peak power at 6500 the 540 will basically make double the power.

But the other way of looking at it especially if your willing to gear it cause gear will make up any torque advantage of a larger displacement. That's why I say if you "willing to gear it build it". Now you can't turn a 273 high enough to over power a 540 but it's not cause of its displacement but it's bore size. Which is the ultimate limit to power cause it ultimately limits valve size which limits breathing. In other words anything under a 383's 4.25" can't spin high enough to out do a 383 you can always turn up the rpms of a 383 to out do anything with a smaller bore. So that just leaves 400/440 but since there only slightly bigger they only have so much advantage probably 50 hp or so for an all out build. But since not everything is taking to the max they all have pretty much the same potential.

To put it another way look at 400/406 and 400/500 both same block and bore the difference being the stroke. So if you use similar quality rotating assembly in both there's a certain amount rpm (pistons speed) before they will grenade. Which will also about equal the rpm difference to make the same power. Yes there's other variables that come in to play but for the most part they would be equal power. So eg. If you turned the 500 to 7000 rpms the 406 would needed to be turned to 8600 rpm and if geared and setup right both should be close to equal.

So basically no matter what you stroke your small block to a 383 can always turn more rpm to make up and exceed the power level of larger cid small block.
 
Last edited:
Every response to "383" no love has been in regard to power production and a 335 hp 383 might not be enough for a heavier b body.
.. it may be a bad choice for a stock a body as well for some, but for other reasons..extra weight and poor weight distribution,no power steering,poorer handling and braking.I think i read somewhere even changing plugs in a 383 A body isn't easy.
 
well you must go at them from the under side with a wrench , that what worked for me and an 69 a body dart , pb n ps .

DSC06103.JPG


DSC06104.JPG
 
Stock original factory vs stock original factory, both tuned by me, I'd take the 383 4bbl every time. In any chassis. With any combo of gears and transmission.
 
moper said:
Stock original factory vs stock original factory, both tuned by me, I'd take the 383 4bbl every time. In any chassis. With any combo of gears and transmission.
Click to expand...

are you saying stock factory 383 B body against stock factory 340 A body?
 
ir3333 said:
are you saying stock factory 383 B body against stock factory 340 A body?
Click to expand...

If your assumption is I was referring to a race against each other - you misread the intent of the thread and what I wrote. The thread is about "no love", or rather what I would choose. Not head-to-head performance.
 
moper said:
Stock original factory vs stock original factory, both tuned by me, I'd take the 383 4bbl every time. In any chassis. With any combo of gears and transmission.
Click to expand...
Me too. There is something about the feel and sound of the 383. To me, it was a monumental engine from Chryslers heyday. My favorite mopar engine hands down.
 
moper said:
If your assumption is I was referring to a race against each other - you misread the intent of the thread and what I wrote. The thread is about "no love", or rather what I would choose. Not head-to-head performance.
Click to expand...

Actually you could pull this off either way, just tune the one you want to lose poorly...lol
in this hobby we all just have our favourites,and for most of us our favourites back in '69
are still our favourites today.
 
There is a reason they put 340's in abodys. Because they didnt do much in other cars. Simple
 
back in the performance days of old , lol . i got a chance to drive a 71340 rr 4spd and a 71 ss chevelle 350 4spd . sorry that was not a great day for 340's . maybe if it had a 6pck . now same days , had a 64 imp ss 327 4spd , raced my bud in his 71 nova ss lt1 350 , dead even . i raced my buds boss 302 stang , dead even with the 64 ss . raced up my buds boss 302 with my 69 rr 383 auto , dead even . ( rr was faster if i pull up behind him an drafted him into the weeds ) raced the lt1 nova with 69 rr , dead even . also raced the ss nova with my 69 gts 340 , even steven . 383 isn't not a monster motor , but they don't give anything up . oh ya , i could beat the 64 ss with the 69 rr . think it might have something to do with a loose nut behind the wheel , lol .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top