Is the 383 a better engine, or does the 440 just have more displacement?

Let me explain yank 4th gear.
Right foot is shoved against the gas petal to the floor and your leg is locked with your right hip shoved as hard into the seat as you can get it.
At the same time your listening to and feeling the car revving. Right hand pulling on the shifter. All slack is gone in the shifter. RPM is almost there. When the instant of the shift happens you are going yank that shifter with as much force as your body can manage. It's like your trying to rip the shifter off the side of the transmission you yanked so hard.
Now you have a preload on the shifter. Under full acceleration you can not pull the shifter hard enough to pull the transmission out of gear.(with a good transmission that is).
When the shift(yank) happens you must time the clutch action for the event. Depending on the type clutch decided me how to use the clutch. With a good aftermarket unit I used the sliding foot method. With a stock or heavy duty unit I used the high speed press and release.
Time to shift the aftermarket clutch. Yanking as hard as my body can, I slam my left foot down and off the clutch pedal.
Wal la I'm in 4th and moving on down the road.
A 440 in 4th gear really pulls hard.
Do not drive around with your shifter slack all pulled out. You need the play to stop the wear on the gear and bearing and scronizers.