383 Stroker Build Advice Needed

[Road_Runner]

So I've been gathering parts for the Roadrunner's 383 for a while now and am looking to do the build in 2016 and wanted to see what Chryco and others with engine building experience here think of my parts list and get some advice on what I still need to get.  My plan is to put a 3.9" stroker kit which should bring the motor up to 450 c.i.  I don't have the kit yet, but will probably go with Muscle Motors' kit.  I would consider another kit, but don't want to go too extreme as this is the car's original block and don't want it to wear excessively due to very long stroke, etc. 

Here's what I have already and want to use with this build:

Original Mopar Performance 383 6 pack intake and mechanical carbs (also have a vacuum set as a backup)
440Source CNC'd Stealth heads
Mopar Performance aluminum water pump housing & pump
Original 383 std bore motor running in car now, which should clean up at .030 over but yet to done.
MSD 6AL ignition, Mopar Performance vacuum advance electronic distributor
6 qt. 440 oil pan

The rest of the drive train will probably be a standard 833 4 speed and either a 3.23 or 3.55 Trutrac 8.75 rear.  It's possible I would go with a 4.10 if I pull the trigger on a Passon 5 speed, but don't think it will be necessary given the stroker motor's likely torque and 'reasonable' 3.23-3.55 ratio?  There's also a possibility I'll stay with the 727 auto and put a 2500-2800 stall converter if that changes your recommendations please let me know.

So here's what I believe I still need:

Stroker Kit (Muscle motors if I stay with 3.9" stroke)
Hydraulic roller cam, lifters (Lunati, but which one?) and rockers (which ones?)
TTI 1 3/4 or 1 7/8 headers and 3" exhaust (possibly with cutouts)
Roller timing chain (brand recommendations?)
High volume oil pump (Melling or other?)
what else???

Plan for car is 100% weekend show, cruise and very occasional trip down the 1/8 or 1/4.  Other plans are to add vintage air, possibly suspension setup like Firmfeel's or Hotchkis kits.  So given what I have and want to use, what stroker & cam kits would you recommend and any other advice for the build would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Jim

[rUNCHARGER]

I like your plan it should work well. I just use old Crane or Isky iron rockers, they are bulletproof. I like the idea of a 383 block in a Road Runner too, it just seems right.

Sheldon

[moper]

The only thing I would caution you about is Muscle Motors took much too long to get the pistons for their pacakge when my customer ordered his kit. They gave repeated "a couple weeks" until 3 months later they shipped the kit. I also had to chamfer the bearings they had already did to get things to fit right. 383 packages can be harder simply because of the pistons which are usually not stocked as heavilly as the 400 or 440 versions which are interchangeable in most cases.

[Chryco Psycho]

Why a 3.9" stroke ? I would just do a 430 CI using a 440 crank more common kit to use . now you would basically have a 440 with 7 lbs less rotating mass
 You need to decide what you are doing , a 4 or 5 spd combo is a very different animal to a 2800 stall auto .
 With a 4 spd you can control the lock up point , so cam choice is more workable & efficiency is much better , with 2800 stall you need to be sure you are running over that RPM @ typical highway speed or you will be constantly slipping & building heat / less fuel milage .
 The cam choice is critical depending on what the rest of the combo looks like . You will need a bronze tip fuel pump rod if using a mechanical pump  & a bronze dist drive with the roller cam .
 I always use 3 bolt cams & have been using JP billet timing chains with 7 keyways so you can dial in the cam correctly , I like the Crane iron rockers if you can find a set , the PRW stainless are good too or Comp stainless but close to 2x the price .
 You may find 2.5" pipes are more effcient with an X pipe .
 Do not use a High volume oil pump with a stock pan , high pressure yes  , high volume no , you can suck the oilpan completely dry with a high volume pump !
 If you go 4 spd do not skimp on the clutch , a Mcleod  twin dis is a good idea as you will have a lot of torque , I used a 10.95 disc behind my Duster & it lasted 3 weeks with just a strong 440 !

[Road_Runner]

I like your plan it should work well. I just use old Crane or Isky iron rockers, they are bulletproof. I like the idea of a 383 block in a Road Runner too, it just seems right.

Sheldon

  Thanks Sheldon, I've been all over the place at one time planning on a Hemi, then a stroker 440 Sixpack, but finally realized I liked having the original motor in the even more.  My kids are going to fight over the car when I'm gone so resale should never be a concern.

Later, Jim

[Road_Runner]

The only thing I would caution you about is Muscle Motors took much too long to get the pistons for their pacakge when my customer ordered his kit. They gave repeated "a couple weeks" until 3 months later they shipped the kit. I also had to chamfer the bearings they had already did to get things to fit right. 383 packages can be harder simply because of the pistons which are usually not stocked as heavilly as the 400 or 440 versions which are interchangeable in most cases.

  383 parts have always been harder to get, I remember having to wait for months when I ordered the sixpack manifold from Edelbrock back in the 70's.  That intake is long gone, but I have an original Mopar Performance one to take its place.  I'll definitely allow extra time for the kit.

Thanks, Jim

[Road_Runner]

Why a 3.9" stroke ? I would just do a 430 CI using a 440 crank more common kit to use . now you would basically have a 440 with 7 lbs less rotating mass
 You need to decide what you are doing , a 4 or 5 spd combo is a very different animal to a 2800 stall auto .
 With a 4 spd you can control the lock up point , so cam choice is more workable & efficiency is much better , with 2800 stall you need to be sure you are running over that RPM @ typical highway speed or you will be constantly slipping & building heat / less fuel milage .
 The cam choice is critical depending on what the rest of the combo looks like . You will need a bronze tip fuel pump rod if using a mechanical pump  & a bronze dist drive with the roller cam .
 I always use 3 bolt cams & have been using JP billet timing chains with 7 keyways so you can dial in the cam correctly , I like the Crane iron rockers if you can find a set , the PRW stainless are good too or Comp stainless but close to 2x the price .
 You may find 2.5" pipes are more effcient with an X pipe .
 Do not use a High volume oil pump with a stock pan , high pressure yes  , high volume no , you can suck the oilpan completely dry with a high volume pump !
 If you go 4 spd do not skimp on the clutch , a Mcleod  twin dis is a good idea as you will have a lot of torque , I used a 10.95 disc behind my Duster & it lasted 3 weeks with just a strong 440 !

Hi Chryco,

I was originally thinking about a 496 c.i. stroker kit such as 440Source's but don't want to deal with short pistons, extra wear in the cylinders, etc. so backed down to the 3.9" kit as the largest/next best alternative.  I've read your previous comments that longer rods are better and the Muscle motors kit uses longish 6.7" rods close to the 6.76" rod in the 430 kits.  Your comment about 7 less pounds of rotating mass, how is that so?  What are you comparing?  I thought almost all of these stroker kits were lighter than original 383 or 440's? And other than Moper's warning about Muscle Motors slow shipping on 383 kits, are there better kits out there with the 440's 3.75" stroke?  I figured quality stroker kits seem to all cost roughly the same regardless of stroke so might as well get the extra 20 cubes the 3.9" kit offers.

Transmission choice has been a tough one for me.  Right now the entire  383, 727 & 8.75 drivetrain is original but I've always wanted a pistol grip manual in the car, never liking the column shift automatic.  I'll keep your converter slippage advice in mind when picking stall / rear gear ratios if I stay with the auto.

2.5" pipes would actually work better as I'll definitely be running the original style tips out back and the 3" versions really don't look right.  Would an 'H' pipe work as well?  Sound wise I might prefer it based on what I've read, not as raspy?

I think I meant hi pressure, but I'll be careful which one I order.  I have an original 440 six quart pan to replace the 383's five quart, but I would consider a bigger Milodon or other pan as long as it didn't hang down too far.

Lastly, I've read yours & others comments here that Mcleod is the way to go clutch wise so no problem there.

Thanks for the feedback, Jim

[Todd440]

The 3.9 stroke low deck motors are great.  You can use the 1.32 comp ht. pistons you'd normally get for a 451 build, and use a 6.700 bbc rod.  Almost everyone stocks 1.32 ch Pistons with the .990 pin. 

[Road_Runner]

The 3.9 stroke low deck motors are great.  You can use the 1.32 comp ht. pistons you'd normally get for a 451 build, and use a 6.700 bbc rod.  Almost everyone stocks 1.32 ch Pistons with the .990 pin.

That very well could be the parts Muscle Motors uses in their kit, sounds very similar.  I've read that stroke equal to 90% of bore is optimal in a general high performance motor and the 3.9" crank makes for a near perfect 90% of a 30 over 383.  Plus, 67 more cubic inches than a std 383 seems like a good jump without going overboard. 

Thanks, Jim

[Chryco Psycho]

Either should work fine ,  I have built a couple of the 3.75 stroke 383 s that worked out well
 the 7 lbs is mostly in the piston weight but with the light pistons & rods there needs to be less weight in the crank for counterweight as well

[todd383]

I did the muscle motors 496 kit here, I wanted a power house and tq monster,  480 plus hp and over 490 tq at the wheels, so far I put over 11000 of trouble free miles,  before I decided on this kit, I met a guy at a show with the same stroker kit he bought years ago, and he has put over 45000 miles on it with 0 problems, so to me bigger is better!

[wantone]

This is flipping rad here... 383 can accept a 440 crank with the same pistons?

[1 Wild R/T]

This is flipping rad here... 383 can accept a 440 crank with the same pistons?

The way to do it is 440 crank & rods & short pistons.. You take all that excess weight out & the thing revs like a small block...  Oh, the main journals on the crack need to be cut down to 383 size & the counter balance weights get cut to I believe it's 7"

Though honestly most guys these days use an aftermarket crank/ stroker kit...

[Road_Runner]

I did the muscle motors 496 kit here, I wanted a power house and tq monster,  480 plus hp and over 490 tq at the wheels, so far I put over 11000 of trouble free miles,  before I decided on this kit, I met a guy at a show with the same stroker kit he bought years ago, and he has put over 45000 miles on it with 0 problems, so to me bigger is better!

what heads are you running, how about intake and carb?  What's your engines redline?  I always like the way my 383 revved, nobody could believe I was running a big block.

Thanks, Jim