Seriously! As someone says just make the 318 into a 390….
Make the freaking 383 bigger and no one will know.
383 or 318
- Thread starter 300Ronin
- Start date
-
Make the freaking 383 bigger and no one will know.
One of the best benefits of starting with larger displacements is you can get decent performance with less rear gear running a 2.76 behind a 383 would be like 3.55 with a 318 or 3.55/383 is like 4.30/318 etc..
OK now!
As someone that is doing a 318 right now.. (maybe 390) when i look at the cost i could have easily done a 383 or 400 and made easy power even without stroking, and stroking to 500 inch.. yeah i chose poorly 
if you can do the 383 do it.. i mainly wanted to keep my pushbutton trans so i stayed small block
if you can do the 383 do it.. i mainly wanted to keep my pushbutton trans so i stayed small block
So I guess that's a no?
Dan the man
Well-Known Member
Either way he goes I'm sure that he'll have a fun car
Scamp Rhonda
Well-Known Member
383 for all the reasons above. Won't he have to change the K frame to bolt in the 318? Aren't there motor mounts for a big block into a slant K frame? Not sure, just asking.
I did many ridge-ream/hand-hone builds, if it's in-spec, it's in spec. I'm sure the OP will have it checked out. My ridge reamer is a lock-in-bore type with a carbide bit, not the three-flute, turn the whole mess type.
I was definitely not disappointed in the performance of the 383 I did for the '83 ex-Popo Dippy.
No K frame change needed. There are swap mounts for a /6 - B/RB. I’ve used them before. Check Manciniracing.com
Scamp Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Ok, that's what I was thinking, so big block or small block won't be much of a difference in the equation as far as parts and labor goes. Thanks!
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Theoretically if the motor and transmission cost is the same, the cost of the swap is the same with the exception of headers.
I think if the ultimate goal is HP, the big block is the way to go when you factor dollar per HP. I never realized how awesome the second hand market for big block performance parts was until I got my 383.
AbodyTim
Well-Known Member
Many years ago I started out with 340s. Cheap and plentiful. When I bought my first BB car ('69 RR w/ an unknown 440), I was hooked. Of course, 383s were to be left behind where you found them. That opinion changed in '12 when we bought a 383 from Mike McCandless for a song to put in my son's '71 Charger. Out of one of their drag cars with low hours and lightly worked over. My thoughts about 383s changed drastically after the first drive.
Anything can be built to go fast.
As stated many times there is no replacement for displacement!
Why do they make strokers ?
TORQUE !
DISPLACEMENT !
That's my final answer, I already had plenty of help from friends .
As stated many times there is no replacement for displacement!
Why do they make strokers ?
TORQUE !
DISPLACEMENT !
That's my final answer, I already had plenty of help from friends .
Many years ago I started out with 340s. Cheap and plentiful. When I bought my first BB car ('69 RR w/ an unknown 440), I was hooked. Of course, 383s were to be left behind where you found them. That opinion changed in '12 when we bought a 383 from Mike McCandless for a song to put in my son's '71 Charger. Out of one of their drag cars with low hours and lightly worked over. My thoughts about 383s changed drastically after the first drive.
Ummmmm, yea kind of. Considering I’ve done both a couple of times, the performance ceiling and bang for the buck ultimately is in the big blocks favor. The draw back to the big block could be the same depending on what the car started out with or is still capable of. Here is an example of what I’m trying to get across.
If the car was a slant 6, the radiator might be capable of cooling the small block. But more than likely not the big block. Even the small block radiator falls in with this. Then there’s the age of the part and its efficiency. Since HP creates heat, is the radiator in the car enough. In order to cool down some of the hotter HP engines, I used an aluminum radiator from Summit. Cheap and effective. On the big block in the Duster, the later year 400’s have the later style water pumps with the same set up as the small blocks from the later 70’s. Passenger side lower, driver side upper. Then the same with brakes & suspension.
It’s not a given replacement item but there is the above to ponder and consider a cost to be made and a savings if not spent.
OH! Torsion bars. I see a lot of posts saying the /6 bars aren’t enough. IMO, it’s a personal feel of what you’re willing to or not in living with how the car handles. I lived with /6 bars and the 400 B engine without issue & IMO, it wasn’t bad. The next guy however my state a big LMAO! Then say I’m nutz!
The price of headers are a super small bag of peanuts in the overall expenditure as well as other small parts. The best all around off the shelf header & exhaust system is a TTI set up.
Price differences are laughable. While you could get away very cheaply with a small block exhaust system from Summit with there headers and exhaust system, the same can not be done with a big block and the piper has to be paid a little higher price. For the extra power, the price is worth it.
The other draw back of a big block is weight which can mostly be leveled by aluminum parts to make the big block as light as possible and get it down to about the stock all iron weight of a small block. Not bad IMO. Of course putting the same shoe on a small block just makes it better.
I don’t think ether way is a wrong choice.
If you like scary, big block is the choice in an A-body.
A friend of my dad was a 1970 340 4spd Duster owner, in 1980 I let him drive my 67 Fastback with the 383 Torqueflite and 4.57's.
Within 6 months he bought a 68 Fastback to DROP A 440 in. He is the guy that built me a nice set of motor mounts from a diagram he found in Hot Rod.
He was an old street racer from Cleveland, Ohio in the mid 70's. He never built another small block again.
He's 82 years old now, still has the 440 68 , last time he ran it at the track was 2015 running 9.10's.
A friend of my dad was a 1970 340 4spd Duster owner, in 1980 I let him drive my 67 Fastback with the 383 Torqueflite and 4.57's.
Within 6 months he bought a 68 Fastback to DROP A 440 in. He is the guy that built me a nice set of motor mounts from a diagram he found in Hot Rod.
He was an old street racer from Cleveland, Ohio in the mid 70's. He never built another small block again.
He's 82 years old now, still has the 440 68 , last time he ran it at the track was 2015 running 9.10's.
Scamp Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Lots of more good points to ponder. When I look at an A body I smile when I see a big block in it.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
I 100% agree with that statement. The only exception being @MOPAROFFICIAL 340 Valiant. Pinned me so hard in the passenger seat that it lifted the sheet metal under the bolts. That little motor was wicked.
Nice ! does his passenger seat lean back a little further than the driver seat.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
He told me he fixed it! Tried to blame my big ***, it’s not my fault I’m 260 lbs and that 340 is all torque and no brains!Nice ! does his passenger seat lean back a little further than the driver seat.
stroked340
Well-Known Member
Now some people are talking strokers the original post was 318 or 383 I'll take a 318(can't believe I'm saying this) with the bolt-on's I mentioned above on both a 318 or 383
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
My auto tech teacher told us in the mid 90s " a small block Mopar is a cheap imitation of a small block chevy" keep in mind back then no one loved Mopars except a small group of car guys. And any mopar worth having back then was a big block car LOL! different times for sure. Not saying the shop teacher was correct that was his opinion. thing is mopar has good stuff lik ethe shaft mount rockers...ive seen more issues with stud mounted rockers than Ive ever seen with shaft mount.
I think I've said it before but I'd take the 383 more HP even in early 70s smog form
Must have never had a big block in an a body ?Now some people are talking strokers the original post was 318 or 383 I'll take a 318(can't believe I'm saying this) with the bolt-on's I mentioned above on both a 318 or 383
I love 340's and 360's have rode in a couple nice 318's
But the torque of a big block in an a body is nothing but smiles and pulling hard especially on the street !
Flick of the pedal and you are smoldering the tires.
Can a small block do that , Yes!
Can a stock 318 no way !
Can a stock 383 absolutely in an a body easy 13 second car with traction.
Power to weight all day long !
Now add some bolt on and 12's are right there with traction.
-
