Need help with a magnum 383 build...

[FirebirdStud]

Hello everyone! Well, Im probably  here, but I need some help with a motor build.
So, lets start 
I have a 69 cuda with the 383 magnum motor and 4 speed tranny.
I want to build up the motor to a respectable street car level. I recently built my 95 firebird to 440rwhp and 431rwtq, all daily driven. So, Im kinda lookin for something in that ballpark. I spent about 5 grand, and did everything but the machining and and head porting myself.

So, is this motor a small block or big block?

I am totally green at this old school stuff, but Im eager to learn! So, can someone start throwing out ideas for me? I dont like carbs, but my dad does... I want to install a fuel injection kit on it... we will see how that goes though.

Do they make stroker kits for these?

I know I need to get the seats in the heads replaced, they are still for leaded gas.

Anything else, please post up and educate me! 

Thanks!
Cody

[matt63]

It is a big block.  It's also referred to as the B vs RB engine (440)  Many parts including the heads are the same as for the 440 except the crank, pistons and intake.  You can get hardened seats installed when you rebuild the heads.  It's not a big deal.  Check out www.440source.com for stroker kits.

[hemiken]

The 383 is a big block as stated above and you can turn that 383 into a 496 easy and cheap.  You may not want to because the old mans 'Cuda will have more grunt than the Chevy now has   Check out source 440 as stated. 

[FirebirdStud]

It is a big block.  It's also referred to as the B vs RB engine (440)  Many parts including the heads are the same as for the 440 except the crank, pistons and intake.  You can get hardened seats installed when you rebuild the heads.  It's not a big deal.  Check out www.440source.com for stroker kits.

Ok, this is good. Starting to build a knowledge base. I like it!
So, I have a big block, that is cousins with the 440. nice. So, I can make the 383 into a 440 with simply changing out the bottom end? Is this cost/hp effective or not?

Are the stock internals forged?

Yeah, I planned on doing the hardened seats when I do the heads. Is it better to port stockers, or buy new ones that are aluminum?
Again, Im green with the oldschool stuff, including iron heads. So please bear with me.

[hemiken]

It will be cheaper to build the stroker using all new parts and buy a set of the Stealth allot heads that source 440 sells.  Cheapest way out.  Check out the link. We will convert you yet...

[FirebirdStud]

The 383 is a big block as stated above and you can turn that 383 into a 496 easy and cheap.  You may not want to because the old mans 'Cuda will have more grunt than the Chevy now has   Check out source 440 as stated. 

Somehow I figured the poking at the GM stuff would start soon enough, just didn't think it would be THIS soon. But, its all good. I can take the heat while Im in the kitchen!
Well, I like grunt. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you push down on that accelorator and get put back into the seat and fly by that annoying rice burner revving his fart cannon at you...  

How reliable is this 496 that you speak of? What kind of hp tq we talking about here? gonna have to beef up the tranny and/or rear end?

I just put a Dana 60 under my Bird, so I know mopar can build some things right... lol.

[NoMope Greg]

A 383 is a big block, but it's one of the smaller big blocks - a medium sized 'B' engine.  You can build a stroker out of it.  Here's a link to a tech article in Mopar Muscle magazine from a couple of years ago that will get you started.  http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/mopp_0605_mopar_performance_383_stroker_engine/index.html

Also, there are plenty of books available to teach you about big block Mopars.  The first place to go is the factory - the Mopar Engine Book.  After that, check out HP Books - I have a couple of books from them: "How to Rebuild Big-Block Mopar Engines" by Don Taylor is a good introductory manual with lots of background info and very clear concise explanations and "Big Block Mopar Performance" by Chuck Senatore of Muscle Motors which is delves more into the high performance end of these engines.  Last, ask lots of questions, especially of our resident experts, Chryco Psycho (aka CP or Neil in Alberta) and Moper (aka Dave in CT).

Good luck!

[hemiken]

Somehow I figured the poking at the GM stuff would start soon enough, just didn't think it would be THIS soon. But, its all good. I can take the heat while Im in the kitchen!
Well, I like grunt. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you push down on that accelorator and get put back into the seat and fly by that annoying rice burner revving his fart cannon at you...  

How reliable is this 496 that you speak of? What kind of hp tq we talking about here? gonna have to beef up the tranny and/or rear end?

I just put a Dana 60 under my Bird, so I know mopar can build some things right... lol.

Well........... on a mild build with a hydraulic cam, this 496 should pump out an easy 1 horse per cube without even trying too hard.  Would this be something you would be interested in, or the sky is the limit, and you can go crazy without blowing the budget of course.   Things can be changed up later as the build progresses, as the bottom ends are very strong on a big Mopar...........

[Chryco Psycho]

I would look at the 435ci using the 440 bottom end , 440 Source has the best price on the the rotating assy balanced with rings & brgs etc
this is basically a 440 with 7 lbs removed from the rotating assy so it will kick ass on a stock 440 & rev much faster
 A carb will work well for now , I would use a Proform 850
ported stock heads will make decent power using a good matching Mopar grind cam
if you are going to alum heads they Eddy RPM & 440 source heads will make good midrange power but agin will limit top end power
nothing wrong with a good EFI system but it will be expensived to set up

[hemiken]

Hey CP,

He has a 383.......... What do you recommend for that old mate. No 440 in sight

[Kapteenikosmos]

I think that CP was referring to this, a direct quote from 440source.com :
"This kit takes a 440 crank and rods, and stuff's 'em into a 383. The result is a 438. " 

[Chryco Psycho]

That is what I am referring to , use the 440 crank & rods in a 383 block
the rod ratio & piston height is to severe for a street engine at 500" in a low deck block IMO

[The Cuda Guy]

I like the sound of this project! 

Don

[FirebirdStud]

I too like the sound of this project already. Im gonna have to price this thing out of course, but I beleive dad wanted to put no more then 5 grand into it. I built my motor for just a tad over that, so we are shooting for that. Plus, with me assembling it all, I should be able to buy a little bit better things and not have to pay for the labor part. 

So, Im hearing stroker kits are still the way to go for mopars too... this is good.

Also hearing a carb would be best for now, and that is fine. He will have to set that up, as I am only schooled in the ways of fuel injection. I used my laptop to tune my Bird on the dyno. I know nothing about adjusting little metering things on a carb.

So if I stay iron heads, what kind of power would be left on the table if I dont convert to aluminum heads?  Who is a good porter to talk to about this?

I like that website, it has lots of great deals and complete kits, which I like! Thanks for the point in that direction fellas!

[FirebirdStud]

I forgot to lay out the specific use of this car... that is always a good place to start!

This car needs to perform awesome on the street. Probably very limited, if no, track time planned. It will just be a cruizer car, on the street, and maybe go to some shows for fun, not to win anything.

It needs to have excellent street manners. So probably a baby cam to aid in brake function at idle, but strong enough to pull to 6-6500 rpms?

It should pull like a bastard when you floor it. That is a given. 

I hope this helps steer us in the right direction...

I used this formula with my Bird build, and with a baby cam, this thing is alot of fun to drive on the street. I could have gone alot bigger, but I didn't want to have to fight the cam surge while driving around.  By baby I mean my cam is around 23X 23X. Its pretty big by stock terms, but pretty small by aftermarket terms.  Does this help?