New guy to big block world, need a 400HP 383 Recipe

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Blak92

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A little introduction of myself. Im 35, dabbling with fast cars has always been a hobby for me. I have never built a motor myself, or done body work, but have done most everything related to building a car aside from that. My hot rod is a 1992 Dodge Dakota. Bought it out of high school myself in `96 and had it ever since. Currently it has a 360 based 408 stroker and a Borg Warner S400-75 turbo in in running 8lbs of boost. It was a 4x4 automatic truck, tore all that out and put in place a TKO600. Down the road I'd like to put in a 3rd gen hemi, or maybe even dare I say it a LSX motor. Last dyno was 537RWHP/606RWTq with the little TC76 turbo I had first put on it. No cage, just something fun for the wife or boy and I to rip around in and take to shows or cruises.

The current project however is the father in laws high school 1967 Barracuda, notch back, A833. Car is currently torn down to just the dash and back seat to be removed. I have another 383 from a friends dad to tinker with. I'd like to build something that would produce about 400HP at the crank, maybe just a smidge more. Rev to no more than 6000RPM. Was looking at a set of Edelbrock aluminum heads, would be nice to take a little weight off the nose. I read though that there might be clearance issues with them and the distributer, any truth in that? I need a suggestion for intake manifold as well, something to produce good low end for fun street driving, Airgap maybe? Thinking of calling Bullet Cams or someone, unless there is a shelf cam that would be good and proven. Also being from the realm of EFI, I need a carb suggestion, unless the Carter would work. The car is not getting cut up, anything done to it needs to be reversible incase it goes back to Original one day, so Im wondering about headers as well? I plan on putting on an electric fan, the 2 speed Gen2 Viper fan has worked well in my truck. Anything else I have not mentioned please feel free to offer any info you might have. Im gathering info right now while I take a hiatus from the car, I am currently recovering from shoulder surgery.
 
Welcome Blak92! Well, it won't take too much to hit your 400hp target :) First, you'll want to grab the Schumacher headers & engine swap brackets (engine-swaps.com) that fit right in the Cuda (usually a used set on here); the Stealth aluminum heads are a bolt on (440source.com) & reasonably priced but not necessary for the target goal- any 383 head will do; a nice Comp Cam kit around the old standby 292/509 range will work; I'm a fan of lightweight forged pistons- budget-minded Keith Black's are good; Also a fan of new rods- I beam's from Scat or Eagle; finally a RPM Edelbrock intake will be the best topped with an AED or Eddy performer carb of 750 cfm. This combo should make 450hp easily with the Stealth heads & 410hp with stock 906's.
 
Welcome to FABO! Given your previous experience, 400FWHP out of a 383 won't be difficult, just read a few threads-you'll find plenty of builds that will exceed what you're asking.

I'm a fan of lightweight forged pistons- budget-minded Keith Black's are good;
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FWIW, KB doesn't make forged 383 pistons, but their hypers are lighter than some of the other choices and they have HUGE valve reliefs...if you want GOOD forgings, shell out the ching for Diamond or go custom.

Stealth heads are a good upgrade from stock, but based on some other folks assessments on here, if you buy them assembled, take them to your machinist, have them checked for consistent installed heights, and good valve job and bowl blend. If you don't want to shell out the money, stock heads will just need some care...pretty much any route you go, you'll spend some money unless you know someone with a prepped set for sale.

Cams...man, there are so many from which to choose--the array is dizzying. I personally would roll with something a little more modern than the .509, but that's only my opinion. If you're not opposed to a solid, one of the other members here cranked over 500 out of a 383/432 stroker with a fairly mild build...good slugs, OOTB Edelbrock heads, dual plane intake, 750 carb...272/280 solid cam...

Carb, I'm inclined to go with the AED or QF recommendation. Edelbrock/Carter carbs are usually more docile for driving and tunable and I have no problem with them (I have a 1405 Edelbrock on my 5.2 Scamp), but Holley derivatives typically do better on the power...just depends on what you want.

What's you budget?
What's your intended use?
 
I have every nut and bolt to assemble what could be a 500 HP 383 with the right heads. All machine work done, KB400 pistons, standard steel crank, all rings, bearings ready to assemble and I am probably not going to be able to use it.
 
I caint afford it. I need to face reality I may not can afford any of them. The one I am going to try to keep is the rat truck. Gotta hear the Hemi bust off. Or try anyway.
 
I know. It's a harsh reality I need to face.
 
You need good pistons, good machining, some decent done factory heads at least, and add a cam with 225-230° @ .050, a dual plane intake, headers, and you're done.
 
Here is .030" over 383 Magnum "resto", if you like it I will post up the build in detail.
* this particular build uses the stock cast "jobber" Pistons because the Customer already had them.... but far easier to repeat today with KB's.
Stock Rods W/ARP Bolts
Ported Iron Heads w/stock 2.08"/ 1.74" Valves
CompCams 274 Hydraulic Flat Tappet

Just pay attention to detail, good machining practises used, don't break the bank on Porting... just make sure your Guy KNOWS how to do Seat & Valve preparation "properly", and is familiar with Mopar heads... NOT "thinks" he is !
the factory Iron castings... all of them that I know of... are all more than capable of supporting over 400 hp on a wee-83 with just minor Bowl work even on the stock untouched port window... other than that.. it is the Valve and SEAT Angle prep that makes the difference !


430 HP and 444 Ft/Lbs of Torque



383ironheadsstkvalvesportedHydFTCamTorkerIntake001.jpg
 
would your turbo setup work on a 98 dakota? I have a 98 with a 408, I think a turbo would make it nasty!
 
txstang84 said:
...with a better cam, corrected seat work on the heads, free flowing exhaust, and optimized timing.
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that was kinda my point, stock mag was rated at 335 or something? so it was at least 50hp more. Those stock cams had a ton of overlap compared to a modern cam with the same specs (gain low end) then with a dual plane and 750 holley it would be set.
 
The factory rating is a little misleading anyway. They would tune for each rpm point and then take the highest numbers reached for each point, and publish them. Dyno technology is much better, machining technology is much better (if you use a shop with modern equipment), piston and ring engineering has come a long way, head theory and machining technology is light years ahead... So a "stock" engine using "stock" parts can be made much more powerful now. It doesn't take much more than a cam and exhaust to get really good numbers.
 
Yeah Dave, I'd love to take a stone stock 383 and blueprint all the specs to the book and see what kinda power it would make. Probably be pretty impressive. And like you say, do it with all the latest modern machine equipment. That would be fun.
 
Bingo...I'd kinda like to see that myself. I'd almost call Jim's recent stock 440 build a decent parallel to your suggestion. The only difference of course being that he swapped out a few parts and didn't actually dig into the bottom end. But, you guys are dead on.
 
Didn't Mopar Muscle do a stock 383. Then added headers, cam, intake and carb? I do believe they got 450 HP using the stock 906 heads. With better heads I would imagine the numbers would go up.
 
WRB426 said:
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...pgrading_the_383_magnum_avs_carb/viewall.html

Found it!!!
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Thanks for the info everyone. Thanks for digging up that link.

Because the wife will most likely be driving the car as well, and having a little less meat on her arms, I still wouldnt mind putting aluminum heads on the car to lighten up the front some. After reading about some of the problems people have had with the stealth heads, I just dont want to take any chances. Not my car, not my money. Rather have the Eddys that are made in the USA on the car anyways, even if they need work out of the box. However, do the Eddys present any problems when fitment of headers or accessories, particularly the distributer, Summit Racing has a note in their system about clearance issues.
 
RPMs have angled plugs but they clear stock manifolds too. Stealths are straight plug. I think the MP "452" aluminum heads are straight plug too. Otherwise it's pretty much the same for everything. Have whatever heads you chose to buy gone through by a performance shop before you run them. I've never had an issue with distributors but some have. I think mainly with the MSD distributors that are larger diameter.
 
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