383/440

[TreeFrog]

what can you do (reasonably)to a 383 that would make it more compairable to a 440?

[moper]

Paint it.

You like these fight inducing questions, dont you?

All engines respond to the same mods. IMO, you cant make a 383 respond like a 440, until you make it a 426 by adding a 3.75 stroke crank. But you can improve it, and make it perform like a 440.

[Chryco Psycho]

the 383 is missing torque due to the short stroke crank , use a 440 crank & build 426 ci in the 383 block 

[TreeFrog]

not to sound stupid, but building engines has never been my thing.  I understand using a 440 cam.  but not sure ...what you mean by build 426 in the block?

bore it out to the size of z 426 piston?

would one still use the  383 heads

[Killer_Mopar]

By building a 426 they mean increasing the 383s stroke from the stock 3.375 inch to the 440's 3.75 inch stroke, by doing this you gain around 40-60 CI depending on the bore size. Any RB crankshaft can be used to accomplish this but they all have to have their mains cut down to fit in a B block. If you would like to do this your best bet is to buy a stroker kit from a place like 440source because it will have everything you need. Ohh and this doesnt change anything with your heads so you would be able to reuse what you have or you could use any big block wedge head.

[EVIL72]

 Think of a 383 as a big block that thinks it's a small block, an angry small block  , it loves to rev and doesn't take alot of  to make some good power.
 Or like others have said, stroke it and get some more bottom end torque and some more cubes.