I have a 383 out of a '65 Coronet. I purchased the motor from a guy in the middle of nowhere and it didn't cost much, so I'm not particularly worried about losing out or finding out its a lost cause... yet. I want to rebuild it with some power in mind, drop it into my 1971 Plymouth Valiant 4dr, and use it as a weekend cruiser. No drag strip fun, not looking to make a show car... just something loud and fun to drive. I already have plans for a complete overhaul of the car; suspension, brakes, drivetrain (including rear axle), interior, etc...
Here's my issue: I have very limited experience with engines, this will be my first build, and I need to know what I'm doing before dumping thousands of dollars into it.
Now, the engine wasn't running when I bought it... it was in pretty rough shape. I tore it apart, used a ridge reamer to get the pistons out, and took as much care as possible to keep everything identified, labeled and original locations marked. I believe that I'll have to bore the cylinders and get new pistons/internals anyways, but as far as I can tell, the block and crankshaft look good. I know I need to have them checked for cracks, warping and imbalances by a professional machine shop... but after that, I'm clueless.
That is the extent of my knowledge and experience. From this point on, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm looking for advice on what steps I need to take, what parts to buy and when, what I'm looking for before I move to the next part, and so-forth. I've been researching online for months now and the info I'm finding is never specific to my individual needs or exactly what I'm looking for... honestly, I'm starting to get frustrated. I don't want to give up on my project, but I'm tried of feeling lost all the time.
If anyone can provide any info (preferably for this specific engine), checklists, sources to use, or step-by-step instructions for 383's, I'd REALLY appreciate it.
