Dodge 383 Identification

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Boedighw

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Guy,

Looking to setup a trade deal for a 383 Big Block, but need some help identifying it. Got really screwed over on a 340 deal so I'm a bit over sensitive and want to do my homework this time instead of trusting the seller.

E-mail started with a 1970 Hp engine. It appears there was only the 4 barrel and 2 Barrel option in 1970.

How do I determine that it is the higher compression, better cam (?), 4 barrel engine if the Intake is missing? I'm going to confirm the following with some disassembly.

906 Heads
130 Block (Seems to be the same no matter)
Forged Crankshaft (?)

From the pictures the engine is in rough shape (Lots of surface rust), but the seller is going to pull the head so I can go look and measure the bore.

What is a fair value if it truly is a 1970 4 Barrel engine from a Sport Fury? $500?
 
Post up the pics. If it's rusted as bad as you say it may not be worth much more than a paper weight.

All 383s were forged cranks.

As for compression, that engine is probably gonna need rebuilt which most likely means new pistons so really it doesn't matter much as it sits. As for which engine, there is an ID pad just below where the distributor mounts on the front of the engine, that should have numbers stamped into it as well as symbols, that will tell you what engine it is.
There is also a vin pad on the engine but it usually just contains the last part of the vin and not the full vin which would be needed to confirm what it came out of
 
That is what I thought, I'm going to look it over and have them remove the cylinder heads and the oil pan.

All Cast Cranks for the Big Blocks are sharp edges on the counterweights and the Forged are Radius, correct?

Note: so all 1970 383 has Forged Crankshafts?
 
tonysrt said:
383's don't have a pad under distributor, only the 440.
Click to expand...
The 383 has the angled pad under the distributor stamped and the 440 has a flat horizontal pad (that the 383 doesn't) opposite the distributor on the left side of the block.
 
Boedighw said:
That is what I thought, I'm going to look it over and have them remove the cylinder heads and the oil pan.

The 1971 engine should have 346 heads.

All Cast Cranks for the Big Blocks are sharp edges on the counterweights and the Forged are Radius, correct?

And the forged crankshaft has a wide parting line whereas the cast crank has a narrow thin parting line.

Note: so all 1970 383 has Forged Crankshafts?

Supposedly.
Click to expand...
 
Ok, reading the casting number should tell me the year. If it is not a 1970 or earlier, I'm going to walk away.

If it is a 1970 like the seller has claimed, I need to check the heads (906) and bore shape. If they pass, I can have the oil pan and check the crank by pulling the oil pan.

If all this checks out, the camshaft and compression will either be the higher performance model, or not really matter.

What is the value if all the "goods" are there and bore appears to be good? Simply a lot of oxidation and surface rust. Is $500 a fair value to both parties? To much? I will post a picture with my phone, the e-mail pics are really rough.
 
OK, a 383-2bbl will have dished pistons to run on regular fuel . A 383-4bbl will have flat top pistons for premium fuel . Right beside the distributor is a pad . On the pad is a stamping . sometimes hard to read but should read : 383R , for 2bbl or 383P for 4bbl.. The date code will be directly under that with letters denoting the year . Example : A= 1965 , B=1966, C=1967, D=1968, E=1969, F=1970 etc.,etc. followed by the month and day it was installed in the car . NOT the day the engine was made . The casting date is on the side of the block behind the exhaust manifold . If it is a mid 1967 or newer it will have the vin stamped on the left side panrail near starter . Hope this helps . Also, FYI, a rusty block can be brought back . If it doesn't have main caps with it it's junk .. FYI, my 383-2 bbl in my Scamp has a forged crank .
 
Boedighw said:
Ok, reading the casting number should tell me the year. If it is not a 1970 or earlier, I'm going to walk away.

If it is a 1970 like the seller has claimed, I need to check the heads (906) and bore shape. If they pass, I can have the oil pan and check the crank by pulling the oil pan.

If all this checks out, the camshaft and compression will either be the higher performance model, or not really matter.

What is the value if all the "goods" are there and bore appears to be good? Simply a lot of oxidation and surface rust. Is $500 a fair value to both parties? To much? I will post a picture with my phone, the e-mail pics are really rough.
Click to expand...
500 is hard to say. Depends on the cylinder wear and just how much rust there is. If it helps, I've seen 383 blocks bare with 150 dollar price tags and little to no rust at the last couple swap meets. Complete engines I've seen advertised from 250-1000 for cores. But it really depends on the condition
 
383Scampman said:
OK, a 383-2bbl will have dished pistons to run on regular fuel . A 383-4bbl will have flat top pistons for premium fuel . Right beside the distributor is a pad . On the pad is a stamping . sometimes hard to read but should read : 383R , for 2bbl or 383P for 4bbl.. The date code will be directly under that with letters denoting the year . Example : A= 1965 , B=1966, C=1967, D=1968, E=1969, F=1970 etc.,etc. followed by the month and day it was installed in the car . NOT the day the engine was made . The casting date is on the side of the block behind the exhaust manifold . If it is a mid 1967 or newer it will have the vin stamped on the left side panrail near starter . Hope this helps . Also, FYI, a rusty block can be brought back . If it doesn't have main caps with it it's junk .. FYI, my 383-2 bbl in my Scamp has a forged crank .
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for that information. I can examine everything with just taking the heads off. I'm hoping to simply recreate a 383 Magnum or HP with a modern Camshaft, nothing crazy.

There is a 383 4 Barrel setup on CL local for $650 that hasn't sold, that is where I'm getting my $500-$600 value from. The comparison engine looks a lot better on the outside and has an aftermarket intake so it should be worth a little more.

Thanks again guys!
 
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