383 block strength?

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Pascamp

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While I have seen plenty of RB blocks with cracked mains, I have never seen a 383 block fail. While the mains are pretty similar I think the shorter deck, shorter stroke, lighter rotating assembly, and smaller bore all help lessen the load on the mains. Have any of you guys ever seen a 383 block break?
 
I have not. Could be the reason is, most everybody chooses either a 440 or 400 block for a foundation. Not that there's anything wrong with a 383. I love them. They are just a smaller bore, so naturally people go for the bigger bore.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I have not. Could be the reason is, most everybody chooses either a 440 or 400 block for a foundation. Not that there's anything wrong with a 383. I love them. They are just a smaller bore, so naturally people go for the bigger bore.
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How far in general can a 383 be bored ?
 
RustyRatRod said:
most everybody chooses either a 440 or 400 block for a foundation.
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Agreed. Here is the thing that I never understood about a 383. Why run a big block that is the size of a small block, or smaller. It makes no sense to me. Now stroke one and you are getting there, but you still are short on cubic inches, and you are at the ceiling of the block.
 
famous bob said:
How far in general can a 383 be bored ?
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That's a good question and one I have no experience with. I would certainly thing they could easily go the .070 to the standard 440 bore to make a low deck 440. In fact, I'd do it and never look back. Now, if I was plannin on wantin to hit the 4.342 bore of the 400, I'd sonic test for sure. That's a .092" over bore. My guess is, it's safe to do it, but you'd want to be sure.
 
roccodart440 said:
Agreed. Here is the thing that I never understood about a 383. Why run a big block that is the size of a small block, or smaller. It makes no sense to me. Now stroke one and you are getting there, but you still are short on cubic inches, and you are at the ceiling of the block.
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Sorta like a stock stroke 340. Some folks just like them.
 
roccodart440 said:
Kind of, except 340-360 for the vast majority of history was small block cubic inch for all manufacturers.
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383's comparable to the 396, 390 Ford, 390 AMC, 394 Olds, 389 Pontiac.......I'm sure I'm missin some.
 
roccodart440 said:
Agreed. Here is the thing that I never understood about a 383. Why run a big block that is the size of a small block, or smaller. It makes no sense to me. Now stroke one and you are getting there, but you still are short on cubic inches, and you are at the ceiling of the block.
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In the OE bore/stroke setting, I see the B engines with there 3.38 stroke like a big small block. The draw back is weight. Never mind how you can lighten the engine up for now.

Looking at the engine, I think it is a nice step up with the “Born with equipment.” Longer intake runners, bigger valves in higher flowing heads, in a much bigger bore, it’s a win.

Today, you can stroke the small block easy. It is popular.
Readily available even. Taking a 383 to only a lowly 426 would still yield good results over a small block of similar displacement. You still have what I listed above as an advantage.

While the montra or bigger is always better won’t be argued, I also go with more is better in most departments, but the one difference in everything is the difference between need and want. Or how you want to do it.

I often look at it this way. Why build a 500+ cube engine to run 13’s? You can do it with way less. Or 11’s? You can it with way less. Or 9’s? You can do it with way less.

In the end, it’s the car owner/builders choice.
What ever they want and how they wanna do it.

I don’t see a damn thing wrong with a 383 or one stroked to a 426.
 
I built a .060 over 383 for my bracket car, it ran 11.80s. It came apart at high rpm due to piston failure. I honed out the stock rod little end and ran floating pins with no bushing.... never doing that again. That block didn’t crack or break around the main bearings despite the thrashing it took.
 
RustyRatRod said:
383's comparable to the 396, 390 Ford, 390 AMC, 394 Olds, 389 Pontiac.......I'm sure I'm missin some.
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100% correct. The part you are missing is the succession of those engines, related aftermarket parts and modern technology. For example, the Chevy small block started it's life at 265, then 283, 327, 350, 400 and now lives at 427 cubic inches in a block that will happily live at 1,000hp. Similar can be said for mopar.
 
roccodart440 said:
100% correct. The part you are missing is the succession of those engines, related aftermarket parts and modern technology. For example, the Chevy small block started it's life at 265, then 283, 327, 350, 400 and now lives at 427 cubic inches in a block that will happily live at 1,000hp. Similar can be said for mopar.
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Yeah I get it. I've always been a sucker for a stock stroke build. I love an underdog. I guess primarily because that's all I've ever really been able to afford. I've seen a few pretty gnarly 383s.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah I get it. I've always been a sucker for a stock stroke build. I love an underdog. I guess primarily because that's all I've ever really been able to afford. I've seen a few pretty gnarly 383s.
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I'm with you on this. Nothing cooler than a really fast underdog. My cousin had a comet 289 and as some of you may be familiar with, it was a "271 hypo". That was a quick little car with a 4.10 gear set and a top loader 4 speed.

RRR, all of my engines have ben stock stroke due to money restrictions including my latest 440 build.
 
roccodart440 said:
I'm with you on this. Nothing cooler than a really fast underdog. My cousin had a comet 289 and as some of you may be familiar with, it was a "271 hypo". That was a quick little car with a 4.10 gear set and a top loader 4 speed.

RRR, all of my engines have ben stock stroke due to money restrictions including my latest 440 build.
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"It's a *****" as they say, but I still have fun with it. I tell you.......one of my dream builds is a completely stone stock 340 built to 71 specs.......BUT blueprinted. Everything. Deck height, combustion chamber size, you name it. I would cheat a little and run the 273 adjustable rockers........and the 68 340 4 speed cam, because IMO that engine shouldda had that cam. It's arguably the most powerful considering the intake and TQ. ....and GOOD headers of course. I think with a good ignition curve and tune, it would fly. But alas, I'll never have the resources.
 
jas0162 said:
I built a .060 over 383 for my bracket car, it ran 11.80s. It came apart at high rpm due to piston failure. I honed out the stock rod little end and ran floating pins with no bushing.... never doing that again. That block didn’t crack or break around the main bearings despite the thrashing it took.
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I ran a 383 sbc w/ the rods done that way, never had a problem.
I like the 434 sbc , normally aspirated that white performance offers, 640h.p. w/ a guarantee too.
I built a hot 406sbc and was thoroughly impressed by it , lite weight and big block h.p.----its easy to make a chevy run , thats why there are so many of them, not to mention availability and price. Anyone can do it !
 
RustyRatRod said:
"It's a *****" as they say, but I still have fun with it. I tell you.......one of my dream builds is a completely stone stock 340 built to 71 specs.......BUT blueprinted. Everything. Deck height, combustion chamber size, you name it. I would cheat a little and run the 273 adjustable rockers........and the 68 340 4 speed cam, because IMO that engine shouldda had that cam. It's arguably the most powerful considering the intake and TQ. ....and GOOD headers of course. I think with a good ignition curve and tune, it would fly. But alas, I'll never have the resources.
Click to expand...
Never say never. You just might come into a windfall of Cash.
 
famous bob said:
Yep, I know a guy that blew up 57 454 rats while we raced one hemi , over a 14 yr period . He has gone back to fords -------------
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Am I missing something in this thread? I think we have covered everything but the topic. Has anyone ever seen a 383 mopar block fail?
 
Pascamp said:
Am I missing something in this thread? I think we have covered everything but the topic. Has anyone ever seen a 383 mopar block fail?
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Obviously the hell not. What difference does it make? It's kinda a silly question, no offense meant. If 383 blocks were prone to fail, as many MILLIONS as were made, we'd all know it. Google the Vega engine, for example. Biggest POS ever. Chrysler 2.6, there's another one. Pontiac's old OHC straight 6. Remember those? Head gasket blowinest **** you ever saw. I can keep adding to the pile here........but the 383 AIN'T part of it. There's nothing weak about a 383 block. If it was, it'd be in every automotive publication, on every automotive web site web site and anyone with any automotive experience at all would be here telling you what big pieces of **** the 383 blocks are. DO you see any of that? NO! Instead, everybody's talkin about how GOOD they are. GET A CLUE! They're good foundations!

Question answered, yet I am quite SURE that's STILL not good enough.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Obviously the hell not. What difference does it make? It's kinda a silly question, no offense meant. If 383 blocks were prone to fail, as many MILLIONS as were made, we'd all know it. Google the Vega engine, for example. Biggest POS ever. Chrysler 2.6, there's another one. Pontiac's old OHC straight 6. Remember those? Head gasket blowinest **** you ever saw. I can keep adding to the pile here........but the 383 AIN'T part of it. There's nothing weak about a 383 block. If it was, it'd be in every automotive publication, on every automotive web site web site and anyone with any automotive experience at all would be here telling you what big pieces of **** the 383 blocks are. DO you see any of that? NO! Instead, everybody's talkin about how GOOD they are. GET A CLUE! They're good foundations!

Question answered, yet I am quite SURE that's STILL not good enough.
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ATTA BOY !
 
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