Calling All 383ci Trucks

[VDOG]

Or anyone who can answer this question. A buddy of mine who drives an old Mopar is trying to get me to build a 383 for my truck. As I tell him I want a streetable motor that is reliable and it does not have to have major performance, just enough to smoke the tires or get out of its own way.
Do any of you have a 383 that you can drive everyday or even long distance and if so what is your setup? Gears, Trans, etc etc.
Im running 3:08's with a Th350 on a 283ci. Help me with this arugeement.

[68GMCCustom]

sure....why not? Would you consider a 383ci motor automatically a "race only" motor?

oh...and I have a 383 with a turbo 350 and 3.73 12 bolt posi. It runs in the 3-4k range on the highway...depending on how far my foot is in it.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

sure....why not? Would you consider a 383ci motor automatically a "race only" motor?

oh...and I have a 383 with a turbo 350 and 3.73 12 bolt posi. It runs in the 3-4k range on the highway...depending on how far my foot is in it.

Ok my problem is since I just had the trans and rearend rebuilt last year, I dont want to change anything for a 383. And yes I consider a 383 a race motor with a decent amount of HP. Again is the motor a daily driver, or something I could put on the highway for hours?

[AH619]

I have a 388 (.060 over 383) with 373s th350 and 4x4. Lots of power and about 12 mpg without my foot in it

[Blackbird66]

A 383 will make a great motor for your truck. The extra torque from that longer stroke will go well with the 3.08 gear. Are you going to piece this together, or buy a crate motor? Contact your cam supplier and tell them what you want, and they can recommend a cam. Good heads, and the rite cam should net you 350-400 hp of low rpm grunt. You don't need to turn more than 5000-5500 rpm for a street motor, and a 383 can make a lot of power down low

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by Blackbird66

A 383 will make a great motor for your truck. The extra torque from that longer stroke will go well with the 3.08 gear. Are you going to piece this together, or buy a crate motor?

My friend has an engine builder he wants me to meet. I have seen some of his work but never met him. So he would build the engine for me, my problem is im looking for more reliabllity and performance than I am 400HP!

[Ricks1971]

Build a sbc 400! make sure that its a 509 casting block. more tork and power than a 383.

[big_al_71]

Originally Posted by ricks1971

build a sbc 400! Make sure that its a 509 casting block. More tork and power than a 383.

+1

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

+1

Clean now what is it?

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by Ricks1971

Build a sbc 400! make sure that its a 509 casting block. more tork and power than a 383.

Again guys for something that will travel to Vegas at least 4 to 6 times a year (280 miles away) or to Pleasenton (350 miles away) a couple of times a year, will a 383 make sense than a 350 that is built for durablilty and have some performance goodies on it.

[prg machine]

Originally Posted by Ricks1971

Build a sbc 400! make sure that its a 509 casting block. more tork and power than a 383.

The 400 is not the same engine as a 383. The topic is 383s and for a darn good reason.....................very fool proof way to achieve low end with a fool proof method........................how much you do to the engine in regards to aspiration and ignition will determine what you achieve in power.

A good streetable engine can be put together without a whole lot of cash outlay.

[Ricks1971]

then just build a nice 350 then.That way you don't have to pay for the extra balance work.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by Ricks1971

then just build a nice 350 then.That way you don't have to pay for the extra balance work.

Thats the plan but I guess my question, do you guys have that engine or know someone who does and they travel with it on a regular basis?

[jwn1975]

DO IT!!! I drove my 383 storker motor today for 2.5 hours non stop. It has a 280 comp cam, performer rpm intake, holly 650 vaccume sec. 373 gears 33" tires and 4x4. I get 11-12 mpg and runs like a bat out of hell. I just looked and have about 30,000 miles on it.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by jwn1975

DO IT!!! I drove my 383 storker motor today for 2.5 hours non stop. It has a 280 comp cam, performer rpm intake, holly 650 vaccume sec. 373 gears 33" tires and 4x4. I get 11-12 mpg and runs like a bat out of hell. I just looked and have about 30,000 miles on it.

3:73 gears and have 3:08s running 15x8 and 15x10.5 in Rallyes on the truck.
Im trying not to change my drivetrain.

[69halfton]

i have a 383 stroker motor with a T350 trans and a 12 bolt with 3.73s, turning 33 inch tires.
i drive mine daily to school, to work, and pretty much from when the snow melts until they salt the roads in the fall. (yes i drive it in the snow when they arent out salting/salted already)

my truck makes the 260 mile round trip to my parents cottage about every weekend (and tows the stockcar & trailer about everyother weekend), and never gives me one bit of fuss. i had the motor built, like you are going to do, with good aluminum GM vette heads, a big cam (.525 intake, .533 exaust and 226/234 duration) a 750 demon card, with no choke (hasn't been an issue, even in the snow, i cant explain that lol.)

havent had one problem with it until just last week, when a lifter finally went bad, it had been making noise since the engine was first built, but heavier oil fixed the sound all summer, well a week ago it started to knock good again, so i had to pull the intake.

motor runs real strong, made 450 horsepower @ 6000 rpm on the dyno. (actually it was 449.7 )

sorry for the chapterbook, but maybe it will make a difference in your decsion.

oh, by the way, if your looking to get any kind of milage out of this motor, build a 350 lol.

[huero]

Originally Posted by Ricks1971

then just build a nice 350 then.That way you don't have to pay for the extra balance work.

x2. Nothing wrong with a stock 350 or one with a mild cam.

[Slik69]

I would do a strong stock 350 with good trans and cooling system. You could make the trip much more often.. and the engine would n't work as hard at the same speeds. You can do it, but I would do the stock stroke. Overdrive trans too.

[Blackbird66]

a 400 block can be hard to find, and are usually only good bored .030 over, no more. A 383 crank can be had new for a 350, for almost what is cost to rebuild a 350 crank. A 383, is no different than a 350, it is just bigger. Therefor, it will make more power at a given rpm than a 350. Reliability, and longevity will come with quality parts, put together correctly, and by keeping rpm's low. A 383 makes a good truck motor, because it will pull real well at low rpm's. The size of a motor does not have any baring on rather it is a "Race Motor".

[chevy29267truck]

well a chevy 383 is a chevy 350 with a chevy 400 crank

and a chevy 502 is a chevy 454

[Ricks1971]

Things to remember about most 383's and 400's they are exturnally balanced motors. This means you need to balance the balancer to the crank and flex plate or flywheel. For what you need as a daily driver and gas mileage I think I would go with a nice 350

[chevy29267truck]

283 327 350 are good chevy engines you take a chevy 283 and 327 engine and have a chevy 302 DZ engine if you want too

[hdflstf]

HT 383 crate motor, Th350 from Phoenix Trans with a lockup torque converter, NP205, 4.09 gears, 35" tires.
I now have a spare 350 I need to get rid of.....

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by chevy29267truck

283 327 350 are good chevy engines you take a chevy 283 and 327 engine and have a chevy 302 DZ engine if you want too

You know how the Mopar guys are, I told my friend anything I buy for my 283 will work on a 350 block, I think he is stuck on the 283, a small number so he does not think its worth repairing. My motor is all roller, been pulling strong for 10 years now. I appreciate all the input you guys have giving me, thus why I stay here for advice.

[WorkinLonghorn]

On the freeway at 65mph im taching out at 4000 rpms with those 3:08's and TH350 trans.

VDOG, there's something way off here. I don't have time this morning to figure it out but you are either in 2nd gear or you have a MUCH lower gear in the diff.
I have 3.73 and at 65 I'm at 2600 or so.
My last truck had 3.07 rear (33" tires) and it cruised at 60 at 1875 RPM.