well, the time has come, and the money is coming in and I'm all ready to build a 383 stroker, which is where I need some advice and direction. I'm looking to achieve a streetable(not daily driven,but gas mileage is not a factor anyway) 383 stroker with 400 to 500 ft/lbs of torque and/or horsepower for around $4000 if possible, if anyone has any build sheets and part numbers and/or their setups they would like to share with me that would be awesome! some info about my vehicle, its a 77 Camaro, has a th350 with a shift kit, 3.73 gears in the rear,(i also have gears 3.08, 3.23, 4.10, and 5.xx that could be used) and weighs in at around 3400 to 3500 pounds. thanks for the help, any advice and setups are appreciated!

 

Simple build on the net so look it up. Look up 383 with Vortec heads. If your going to build one start with a late model vortec block and heads. This would be the one that came in the 96-2000 GM trucks. You will have a hyd roller block windage tray big oil pump and the lifters spiders dog bones and best of all a set of Vortec heads to start you off. You could do it on the cheap and order a standard bore stroker kit on ebay thats balanced and free shipping to your door for around $800. Some grinding on the block to clearance for the rod bolts and new cam bearing and cylinders honed. You will need to up grade the valve springs in the vortec heads to handle the lift of the new cam. The one they used was the comp EX-282 I have also done several with the 2 smaller comp cams and all were great on the street and strip. I have done around a dozen of these simple cheap builds and all were impressed with the results. If you have questions just ask, I like helping.

 

I already have an old gm 350 block, 2 piece rear main seal that I was going to use, but if needed I could go to the junkyard and hopefully scoop up a 1 piece seal 350

 

400-500 ft-lbs at the wheels or at the crank?

Either way, $4k is tough to do and do it right where it will last. Unless you can find a block that's already got the machine work done to it for a good price. There's a lot to building an engine and more so for a performance engine. You need to decide what material you want (and can afford) for the crank, rods, and pistons. What length of rod which will determine your choice in piston. A 5.7 in rod gives a few more choices for pistons, but a 6 in rod will give you some more torque. Compression ratio comes into play as well. How much of the work can you do yourself? Do you have all the tools to build it and build it right?

 

www.Karlperformance.com has 406 that will do the 500tlbs at $4000. make an have aluminum heads ,for $500.00 they will dyno it for you make the max tlbs an hp ,its pretty much a turn key crate engine ,I aslo seen a 383 engine at jegs.com making about 440tlbs for like 3800.00 with dress kit ,a crate engine cost less then building one for the most part an 2 years an 3000 miles + mine runs great ,but mine does not have the e street heads from Edelbrock ,if you parted the engine together ,it would be like 2000 more + hours building it ,it has like a 600 lift is big,go to there site an they will work the best price ,but if the 383 you want try www.jegs.com ,or build it for more ,mine could be dyno tuned but for the street ,I can feel the tlbs big time ,max power meens to the wheels with karl,this engine its not just because I have it ,but the power is bad as .,an made for 1/8th miles is why the tlbs is higher then the hp ,though it won take much to bring the hp up to match tlbs as far a build sheet I lost mine but they all have the basics of what in there engines at any place you buy crate engines an a phone call can tell you more ,went with karl couse they do circle track cars ,an you can pick what ever color you want ,an there right down the street from the race track in the mid west,but do what ever you want a sbc 454 is as close as you can get to a big block without being one there out there too

 

I was going to go with 5.7 inch rods, internally balanced crank, and forged pistons. and was shooting for the 500 hp/torque mark to be at the crank. but if you said a 6 inch rod gives you more torque, maybe ill look into that. all the engine work (anything but machining) I can do at home, with the help of my cousin who has built many of these(hes just really busy right now so I need some advice with parts and setups). I also have a running 400 sbc sitting in my garage right now and did think about building that, but ive been told that they aren't as reliable as a 350 block, especially after boring it over, but like I said ive never done it before, which is why my cousins going to teach me. I also do know my way around an engine pretty well, ive just never built a performance one from "scratch".

 

that 406 seems to me like it is very reasonably priced, maybe Ill just save up for that

 

well if you think about what it may cost to build one unless your friend is working for beer ,,the good old crate engine ussally cost less ,not sure who told you about a 400 not being as reliable ,well take the 305 ,back in the day they had like 180hp were weak to most ,but if they were built up like an Ho it all has to do with todays technology being built in gen 1 engines ,so they have been able to make these engines ,run better then an actual old school engine with better parts ,like the place i bought mine did a lot of research an put forged parts where needed ,when it comes down to it for me ,its the owner of an engine an how one takes care of it ,not CI ,262 to sbc 454 wich is about as close as you get to BBC without being one ,anyone one of them can be better now ,take the lt1 engine 346 slash 350 ,they had more issues then people like to talk about ,is why the ls1 came out an lives on to lsx engine to the lq9,breakin is a very important part of an engines life,though a lot of guys like the 355 too,i had few guys ask why not 427 ,my engine at the time was realy good bang for my buck ,the one they have now last year it was only 4k out the door shipped to me or you ,I know most shops cant build an engine cheaper then a good crate engine ,an if your friend is wicked busy having what you want ready to put it makes guys find the time

 

Honestly, skip a Gen 1 engine and find a 6.0L truck block and start with that. More power and more reliable and just as much (if not more) aftermarket.

 

cost alot more to build again though ,an they all break it just happens the lsx engine is the most popular engine right now they all have a faze ,this is a faze then there will be another if your raceing or plan to the lsx is a good choice I like the 427 ls7 too