68-383 and $2500.00 where to spend it?

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Longgone

Longgone

John/68 Barracuda & Dart
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
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Location
Newport News, Virginia
Here`s one for you guys. I have a factory 68-383 from carb to pan and a budget of $2500.00 to spend on it.It will be going back in the original car it came out of, a 68 Barracuda. It`s only in need of rings ,bearings,and the standard machine shop work, but I`d like to do a little something to bump up the hp. I was thinking of having the heads worked a little and the valvetrain upgraded since this seems to be where there are some shortcomings. I will probably reuse the stock manifolds intake and exhaust,so the car will appear entirely stock.So here`s my budget, what would you do?You may go as radical or factory as you want as long as you stay within the $2500.00 budget.Thanks
 
Wow ,no opinions? From this group? I guess I`ll save the money and just put it back to stock specs. It`s so completely intact it would almost be a crime to alter it.
 
if you're going with stock parts, especially intake and exhaust, go with a mild cam a little better that factory, and maybe some head milling to eek the CR up a little. upgrade the ignition and cooling system for reliability. i wouldn't go wild on the valvetrain. i am using stock parts in my 400 with a .509 purple shaft and it holds up fine. maybe some slightly better rocker arms...i plan on something a little better there, but that's it for me.
depending on your rear end gearing, you may consider a little more stall in the converter, unless, of course, it's a manual.

i'd spend most of my money on excellent machine work.
 
$2500.00 is post dipping, freeze plugs,cam bearings,oil pump, ridge ream and honing. I`m going to have a new rings and bearings,a valve job done,and perhaps a stage one porting(matching gaskets),rebuild the carb and add an electronic ignition.I thought a mild cam w/lifters like the purple shaft might juice her up a little too. I`ve found stoker kits on the web for $1500.00 that have practically everything, so that`s got me thinking.
 
Hello BBlm23- Love your car , I had a 68, LS23 with the 340 auto in electric blue (best car I ever owned, it would not break!) . The $2500.00 is basically after the machine shop goes through the basics. There are several very good shops here that don`t gouge and probably cheaper then N.Y. prices. After seeing prices on the web for stroker engine kits, I`m tempted to go that route. I`m close to $700.00 and could practically reassemble.I just don`t know what way to go with the engine.About 2 months ago in Mopar Muscle magazine there was a small article about a guy from Ohio who drove the 150 miles to the strip in his 340 stroked Duster,turned mid 11`s with stock exhaust manifolds and cruised home.When you opened the hood of his car,all you saw was a stock 340. That is what I`d like to achieve!
 
Re-ring or rebuild? Pistons, bearings, gaskets, cam, lifters, valve job, bore or power hone, springs to match new cam, mill heads, true deck, balance job, oil pump, timing chain set, fuel pump, water pump...

gears and convertor!
 
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