Maximum Performance N/A 383 build. Input wanted from engine gurus.

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Thanks for the input y'all.

Looks like I am going to roll with what I have for now and spec a cam accordingly.

I will definitely look into building a big low deck stroker in the future, but since I already have an assembled short block and heads, I'm going to reevaluate my goals and build accordingly.

A 496 stroker with good modern heads and technology seems to be in my future, but I'll see what I can get away with now and see what numbers it puts down.
I wouldn't worry about a specific power number, but try make the best combo out of what you have.
 
yeah, well the car is a factory 383 car so I think it's pretty novel to have the original block, trans, and rear end housing in a racecar and make decent times.

It's not like I'm trying to go class racing or anything, I'd be tickled if it ran in the high 9's/low 10's with a shot of nitrous, and 11s N/A
You won't have the original block for long twisting it to 7 grand plus spray.
 
Trick flow says the 240 heads will not fit on the 383. I wanted to put them on mine but apparently it will not work.
 
Trick flow says the 240 heads will not fit on the 383. I wanted to put them on mine but apparently it will not work.
You sure they don't fit ? I thought it was the 270 tf's that had the recommended minimum bore of 4.32" (stock 440) or a 0.070" over 383. On their website I clicked on what 240 fit and they listed 383, I'd call them to make sure, I imagine if not you might be able to notch the bore to fit.
 
Younggun 2.0 had Trick flow 240 with a Comp .529 lift cam on his 383. As I recall Jim Laroy tested the 240 on a 383 and found no cylinder interference up to .800 lift.
 
Your weak link is the block strength. Study up on that! Every bit of weight you can remove from the rotating assembly will help.if it were my build, i would start by grinding the crank rod journals to 2.1 smallblock chev. Order BME aluminum custom rods in the longest length that would work with an 8,000 rpm effort. (6.760?) Then a custom piston built as light as possible, with the thinnest rings recommended. Obviously this is a hi dollar recomendation, and only if you trully want to go as fast as possible at 388 cubes. With the right cam, heads and intake (tunnel ram?) you will need AT LEAST a 6500 stall comverter, maybe more. Maybe 7,000? Builds like this are not for the faint of heart. EVERYTHING has to be right, or you risk much! But the sound of that combo will be impressive! If all possible is done to make it fly, mid tens are possible. Maybe quicker, depending on conditions.
 
Your weak link is the block strength. Study up on that! Every bit of weight you can remove from the rotating assembly will help.if it were my build, i would start by grinding the crank rod journals to 2.1 smallblock chev. Order BME aluminum custom rods in the longest length that would work with an 8,000 rpm effort. (6.760?) Then a custom piston built as light as possible, with the thinnest rings recommended. Obviously this is a hi dollar recomendation, and only if you trully want to go as fast as possible at 388 cubes. With the right cam, heads and intake (tunnel ram?) you will need AT LEAST a 6500 stall comverter, maybe more. Maybe 7,000? Builds like this are not for the faint of heart. EVERYTHING has to be right, or you risk much! But the sound of that combo will be impressive! If all possible is done to make it fly, mid tens are possible. Maybe quicker, depending on conditions.
For those who might consider such a max effort, the math says you could run a 7.1 long rod, 3.75 stroke, and a piston of 1.18 pin height. That would yeild a rod ratio of 2.11, which some experts consider an advantage. That would get the bob weight way down, and piston speed would be under 5000, at 8,000 rpm.
 
Trick flow says the 240 heads will not fit on the 383. I wanted to put them on mine but apparently it will not work.
I just cleaned up my 346 heads on my 383, I decided that all the aluminum heads are awesome, but they are engineered for a large bore, which inevitably means the Intake valve is shrouded by the bore, notching isn't a good solution, in my opinion.
 
For the engine gurus:

My current project to build a maximum performance B block 383 with the goal of using a stock block. Money isn't really an object but I want to keep it to mostly not one off parts.

Engine Specs:

0 deck 30 over 383 block
forged rods and crank
TRW L2293 Dome Pistons
Super Damper
Fully race prepped 452 heads with near max wedge size intake ports
Harland Sharp 1.5 rockers
Mechanical Roller Cam
Lunati Mech Roller Lifters
Milodon Gear Drive
Milodon External Oil System
Fabbed aluminum oil pan with a crank scraper
Ported Weiand 2x4 Tunnel Ram
2x Holley 750 Double pumpers
Hooker Super Comp Headers
Accel BEI II Ignition



Car Specs:

67 Charger body
4000lbs with driver
Fully built 727 (kevlar clutches, RMVB, deep pan)
Turbo Action 5000 stall converter
8-3/4 Sure Grip with 4.11 Yukon gears
28' Tall tire


Yes I know it is a heavy car with small cubes. The goal is to go the fastest with an all steel 67 charger body with an Iron 383 block and stock stroke N/A.

Well anyways, I called up a few cam companies today to spec a custom grind mech roller, and they all told me to make the heavy car with small cubes combo work I would need to be turning 7500-8000rpm. I was then told that I really should get Trickflow 240 heads, H beam rods, and more modern lighter dome pistons. They told me that the TRWs are too heavy to run that type of RPM, Is that true? I know alot of SS guys ran them back in the day... I was also told that I could make the combo of Iron heads and TRWs work if they flowed around 290-300cfm. The cam specs I heard from multiple sources were: 280/280@50 680 Lift 110 LSA

So I have a few questions for any engine gurus here:

Can I turn 7500+ Rpms with the TRW Slugs? I already have the full rotating assembly balanced and blueprinted.
If so can I run them with TF 240 heads, or would there be piston-valve clearance issues?
Is it possible that the worked iron heads flow around the 280-300cfm range? I have big $$$ into them but for the price of getting them on a flow bench it wouldn't be worth it. I was quoted $500 to flow test them.
I will most likely go for the TF 240 heads.
Any recommendations for a modern lighter dome piston that would put the compression at roughly 13-1?

What needs to be done to prep the block to handle these high RPMs?

Can forged stock rods and stock hardware handle 7500? or am I stuck with having to get H beams and full ARP hardware?

I would appreciate any input or further recommendations.
The parts you have are not "max performance" anymore. That might have been a max performance build in 1975, but it isn't today. Just call it "old school" and roll with it. Sounds like you have all the parts except for the cam. PRH can get you the best cam for the combination so talk to him. If this is drag race only with open headers then the cam can be fairly radical. Cast iron heads are pretty crappy in terms of flow so those old engines had a ton of cam duration. Old engines need completely different cams than newer engines with Trick Flow or Indy heads so you need to talk to someone like PRH who understands the difference. I'm not sure that you can make 600 hp with your existing heads. A good set of NHRA legal heads will make that kind of power but those heads are super expensive. You'll just have to put the combo together and find out how good it is. Nobody on here will know anything about it since we have no idea how well the heads have been ported.
 
The parts you have are not "max performance" anymore. That might have been a max performance build in 1975, but it isn't today. Just call it "old school" and roll with it. Sounds like you have all the parts except for the cam. PRH can get you the best cam for the combination so talk to him. If this is drag race only with open headers then the cam can be fairly radical. Cast iron heads are pretty crappy in terms of flow so those old engines had a ton of cam duration. Old engines need completely different cams than newer engines with Trick Flow or Indy heads so you need to talk to someone like PRH who understands the difference. I'm not sure that you can make 600 hp with your existing heads. A good set of NHRA legal heads will make that kind of power but those heads are super expensive. You'll just have to put the combo together and find out how good it is. Nobody on here will know anything about it since we have no idea how well the heads have been ported.
Totally the opposite as to what your recommending. However I have to ask. What's gonna be the best overall " factory head " that " I " can get/find for " my " build. I don't want constant race. Just a decent sound. 1969, 383 punched .070 over.
 
IMO, nothing you are doing is going to produce the reliability and power you seem to be shooting for.
Stock rods, heavy TRW pistons, iron heads, 8.75 rear in a 4000 pound car, to me none of that stuff makes any sense at all.
At least not to be remotely considered a max effort type build.
To me this has the looks of something you are gonna end up driving over at the track
 
IMO, nothing you are doing is going to produce the reliability and power you seem to be shooting for.
Stock rods, heavy TRW pistons, iron heads, 8.75 rear in a 4000 pound car, to me none of that stuff makes any sense at all.
At least not to be remotely considered a max effort type build.
To me this has the looks of something you are gonna end up driving over at the track
It's max effort with what he has
 
IMO, nothing you are doing is going to produce the reliability and power you seem to be shooting for.
Stock rods, heavy TRW pistons, iron heads, 8.75 rear in a 4000 pound car, to me none of that stuff makes any sense at all.
At least not to be remotely considered a max effort type build.
To me this has the looks of something you are gonna end up driving over at the track
Those pistons have to weigh 1300 grams with pins alone.
 
To me, max effort, and what he has don’t jive..lol
Oh I agree, but there's always been people who want to get the most out of what they have. That's all the guy is trying to do.
Same with my engine I did the best I could with what I had, added a few tricks and really there's nothing special there.
 
You said "maximum performance".

BLOWN BIG BLOCK.jpg
 
Oh I agree, but there's always been people who want to get the most out of what they have. That's all the guy is trying to do.
Same with my engine I did the best I could with what I had, added a few tricks and really there's nothing special there.

No, I get that.
But trying to make serious steam with an 8.75 rear behind a 4,000 pound car to me doesn’t make sense. I get the guy has a budget, we all do, to whatever degree, but you also have to your aims be based in reality.
Running that rear, heavy pistons to 8 grand, etc, isn’t reality, no matter your budget or what parts you have to work with.
 
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