Hi everybody!
Looking for input on my matching 71 Charger Super Bee engine.
Let's start with to say that I'm somewhat on a budget. Plus I like doing the job myself so the engine will not leave my workshop until test drive.
I like being cheap but I want things to be properly done so I can rely on my engines when they are finished.
I have other projects I need to finish before this one so I'm just setting up the plan and gathering parts right now. Car is at my body guy's place and I hopefully will get it painted so I can have it finished by next summer.
Goal is to get a strong torque engine so I can keep the original converter and 3.23's. Lots of power directly from bottom makes cars fun. Power on tap is beautiful.
I've been thinking of how I should put it to make you understand of how I see it.
If you'd had a chance to log the throttle position for a season on a street driven car (such as a 71 'Bee) I'd swear you never go WOT more than a few percent. Probably very very few.
The idle portion would be quite a big number, depending on the traffic situation at your location of course.
If I make a wild guess of the throttle opening you actually DRIVE your car I'd say it's mostly between idle and half throttle. At least that's how I drive my cars. Using a set of 275 BFG takes only a few minutes of pedaling! LOL
The engine I'm planning to build is for a driver.
Looking at dyno numbers are always fun, but I don't know anyone who puts his street car in gear, floors it from 2,500-3,000 and wait 'til the power ends. Well, if he goes to the track, but that's a completely different story.
A dyno can't give the information of how the engine works in a street car. How responsive it is, and what will happen if you give 3/4 throttle at 2,000 rpm's. A chassis dyno can do it better, but not fully.
I want my street driven 383 to be long lasting, ready for long trips on winding sideways or a trip to the town to lay out some smokescreens. No unburned fuel wiping off the oil film from the cylinder walls.
I want it to be snappy and happy, have muscle car characteristics with a bit lumpy idle and grunt from bottom so I don't have to wait for it to happen.
If it wouldn't have been a matching car I would have used the 67 440 I have sitting, or maybe built a 400 stroker. It would have made it easier to achieve my goals, but that's not an option now.
If I had too much money or lived in the US I would have considered building a stroker out of the matching block, but that's too risky with today's situation. Shipping overseas sucks these days...
As said before, a 383 is not the best start - but now it has to be a 383, and I will try to make the best of it.
I'm gonna try to use the parts I have and do it all by myself at home. Do it and build it like I describe. Be painstaking with the details, jetting and timing.
Talking about torque converter, I do hope it still has the correct HP 10 3/4"! It's still in the car so can't check for the moment, just came to think of it. IIRC that converter stalls around 2,200-2,500 behind an original 383?
Well, with a stall at that level I guess it's no longer need for a real low end torque engine. Please, keep on reading and I'll give you the basis for my build.
Need vacuum for the power brakes but that should not be an issue with the characteristics I'm looking for.
I will port the 906's using the old templates. Cleaning up the bowls, straightening and cleaning up a little. Do a basic 3-angle valve job. Mill them if necessary to achieve correct compression ratio. In Sweden we have 93.5 octane at the gas station so around 170 psi cylinder pressure is good.
The cylinder bores will clean up with honing. Maybe not 100% perfectly clean up but good enough.
Reuse the original pistons but swap them side to side for a little more thump.
Use a windage tray and a larger pan never hurts even if this engine rarely will see rpm's over 4,500-5,000.
Have a nice pair of 70 440 HP exhaust manifolds lying. Will build a full exhaust 2.5" H-pipe of mandrel bent aluminized tubes. Don't know what mufflers to use. Think Flowmasters are too noisy, even the 50's.
Was looking for a CH4B intake but since I want a spreadbore carb I have changed to a Performer. Can change again but it will be a dual plane for sure.
Think I have an old good points distributor that I can put Petronix on. I don't trust the MP stuff anymore. Limit mechanical advance, lighter springs. And a high voltage coil.
A spreadbore carb. Haven't looked for what I have. A 625 Street Demon would be great but might be out of my budget.
Need to find an oval base 4bbl air cleaner to a decent price since it has the Air Grabber hood.
Will rebuild the 727 and put in a semi manual valve body. Car is column shifted.
Now the most interesting part. Cam selection.
My friend has a set original 440 adjustable rockers. I think I can make him sell them to me. If so I could go mechanical cam. If not I'll stay with stamped steelies.
Would a mechanical cam have big advantage over a hydraulic in an engine as described, or will it only make difference at higher rpm's?
What cam would you use based on the basis above?
I'm aware of 383's rod ratio and bore to stroke ratio. A high revving engine, not a torque monster. I know, but as I said before, I want a snappy, stong-off-the-bottom, daily driver but tire melting 383".
My hope is that it will run mid to low 8's on 275 street tires in an otherwise original heavy 71 Super Bee... We'll see if that happens
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To stroke it would make my goal easier but I'm not willing to spend that amount of money that comes with building a stroker. Especially not at this point. I am in Sweden and shipping parts from the US is a PITA these days. Been waiting for a box with parts shipped with USPS since mid May. It's stuck in Miami...
What I'm asking for is cam input from people who built something similar. Anyone?
Sincerely regards!
I'd be grateful for your input. Thanks in advance!
