Mild 383 build

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Shorty Thompson

Shorty Thompson

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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Looking for suggestions for a factory 383ci. set of heads. Blocks at the machine shop getting sonic tested and punched out .070". Cam hasn't been bought yet. I'd take suggestions there too! First time BB build.
 
You’re going to have to cough up some details about the intended use and car(gears, converter, exhaust, type of car, etc).
The engine isn’t a standalone piece.

A plow truck doesn’t get the same recipe as a dragster.
 
273 said:
Indy EZ-1 Cylinder Heads and Mod Man Intake - Popular Hot Rodding Magazine

Stage VI Manifold Casting - Mopar Muscle Magazine

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0210-porting-383-440-aluminum-replacement-heads/

Edelbrock Aluminum Big-Block Mopar Heads - Mopar Muscle Magazine

Dyno a 7.5:1 400? Sure, why not?

Engine Masters Ep. 3 Duels a Mopar 383 vs. Chevrolet 383 – Which Churns More Horsepower?

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-1205-383-big-block-engine-build/

The Mopar 383 - Engine Buildup - Hot Rod Magazine

Street/Strip 383 Mopar Big Block Build-up

The Story Behind Roadkill’s Crop 1970 Plymouth Duster 383

Chrysler 383 Engine Buildup From The Bottom Up - Mopar Muscle Magazine

Upgrading The 383 Magnum AVS Carb - Mopar Muscle Magazine

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0209-383-engine-restore/

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0112-rebuilt-resto-stock-383/

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0009-how-to-build-a-blueprint-bottom-end/

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0010-how-to-install-cams-heads-and-induction/
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Here's some link to 383 builds

Magazine Builds
 
I'm curious as to what 383 block you've found that has enough cylinder wall to safely run a 4.32 inch piston...
 
What is mild to you? Do you have a list of compromises it has to built around?
Is running deeper gears, higher stall, higher peak rpm (5000-6000 rpm +) etc.. A problem?

Most have certain range of gear and stall their willing to run, I'd start there a that determines generally how much cam you get away with. Then pick the heads(hp) cr, intake exhaust that's gonna work with those cid cam gears and stall.
 
PRH said:
You’re going to have to cough up some details about the intended use and car(gears, converter, exhaust, type of car, etc).
The engine isn’t a standalone piece.

A plow truck doesn’t get the same recipe as a dragster.
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It's not suppose to. It's a average street thumper. Gears ? I don't ever intend to do more than 4:10, 3:73 - 3:91. Torque converter ,,,,, 3,000 stall tops. Car,,,,, looking at a '73 Plymouth Road Runner, roughly 3510lbs. Exhaust; Long tube headers duals to the bumper. As far as the cam actually goes , looking at something in a 292 area.
 
Shorty Thompson said:
It's not suppose to. It's a average street thumper. Gears ? I don't ever intend to do more than 4:10, 3:73 - 3:91. Torque converter ,,,,, 3,000 stall tops. Car,,,,, looking at a '73 Plymouth Road Runner, roughly 3510lbs. Exhaust; Long tube headers duals to the bumper. As far as the cam actually goes , looking at something in a 292 area.
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Isky makes a good 292 Mega cam.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I'd be surprised if every dang one of them couldn't easily go that far.
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I was concerned about that too!!!!!!! So I contacted Don Garlit's drag racing museum and got a reply from Chuck Garlits. His reply was that they've bored them as far as .125" with no heating issues.
 
Shorty Thompson said:
It's not suppose to. It's a average street thumper. Gears ? I don't ever intend to do more than 4:10, 3:73 - 3:91. Torque converter ,,,,, 3,000 stall tops. Car,,,,, looking at a '73 Plymouth Road Runner, roughly 3510lbs. Exhaust; Long tube headers duals to the bumper. As far as the cam actually goes , looking at something in a 292 area.
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Sounds like you got it pretty much planned out already, like your sense of mild :)
 
Shorty Thompson said:
I was concerned about that too!!!!!!! So I contacted Don Garlit's drag racing museum and got a reply from Chuck Garlits. His reply was that they've bored them as far as .125" with no heating issues.
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Then I would go bigger. That’s like a .055 over 440. That’s way more torque and more hp. Kim
 
Shorty Thompson said:
It's not suppose to. It's a average street thumper. Gears ? I don't ever intend to do more than 4:10, 3:73 - 3:91. Torque converter ,,,,, 3,000 stall tops. Car,,,,, looking at a '73 Plymouth Road Runner, roughly 3510lbs. Exhaust; Long tube headers duals to the bumper. As far as the cam actually goes , looking at something in a 292 area.
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What piston are you using? cylinder head? 292 cam will need some compression.
Gonna need some low end torque to get 3500lbs moving.
 
273 said:
Sounds like you got it pretty much planned out already, like your sense of mild :)
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Guidance is what I'm looking for. I have closed chambered heads. Somehow, I just don't see them being the right way to go. You tell me.
 
Closed chamber heads will only be a benefit [ over open chamber ] if the piston crown comes to within 0.060" [ or less, which is better ] of the head.
 

451 Manifesto | AR Engineering

arengineering.com arengineering.com

and more reading
spend some time on the the threads on the 10, 11, 12 second car recipes.
Spend some time on figuring out how much you are willing to spend. Include the cost of jewelry, vacations, shoes, purses and other **** you will have to buy for your wife as a bribe to reduce friction at home because you will be spending a LOT of money on the car.
One set of heads = a diamond necklace
Rocker arms = platinum and white jade bracelet
Tunnel ram = a new purse
Alterkation or HemiDenny K-member = vacation to Napa
Strange Dana 60 = trip to Europe

You get the picture. Use your imagination.
 
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i'd skip straight ahead to a stroker...

you need compression to make power and one of the biggest hurdles in building a 383 is the selection of quality high compression pistons at an affordable price.

so you drop half the cost of a stroker kit in good high compression pistons, and still have a 383 that's gonna need a whole *** grip of head and cam to make power. versus going stroker and reaping all the benefits of getting all forged internals, a good modern piston with an updated ring pack, better rod ratio and more cubes.
 
junkyardhero said:
i'd skip straight ahead to a stroker...

you need compression to make power and one of the biggest hurdles in building a 383 is the selection of quality high compression pistons at an affordable price.

so you drop half the cost of a stroker kit in good high compression pistons, and still have a 383 that's gonna need a whole *** grip of head and cam to make power. versus going stroker and reaping all the benefits of getting all forged internals, a good modern piston with an updated ring pack, better rod ratio and more cubes.
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Won't a 3.75" stroke with the stock 383 bore give you a 426 Wedge?
 
Ottmundr said:
Won't a 3.75" stroke with the stock 383 bore give you a 426 Wedge?
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Oh yes! Did the math on that already! Also got a 2nd 383 for that with a crank that's already been cut to accept the mains. Thing is this. Takes as much work to the block as it does to a 400 cuber to get it in.
 
fishmens67 said:
What piston are you using? cylinder head? 292 cam will need some compression.
Gonna need some low end torque to get 3500lbs moving.
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PRH said:
Question #2-
What’s the budget for just the engine(carb to pan), and what parts do you already have that you plan on using?
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You must have some idea of a budget and a basic idea of what parts you're using, an answer would be nice.
 
Shorty Thompson said:
Guidance is what I'm looking for. I have closed chambered heads. Somehow, I just don't see them being the right way to go. You tell me.
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Heads is where the powers at everything else decides how much of that power your gonna get.
Probably best is a set of cheap aftermarket heads, better than sinking money into stock.
I don't know all the options other than the stealth's.
 
Since gears, stall and rpm don't seem to be too much of an issue for you I'd rather spend the money on top end than displacement, if you can afford both all the better. But after an overbore your only less than 20 cid from the standard 408 build everyone does anyways.
 
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