FML?
68 Cuda 383 vs a 360
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'68cuda416
Well-Known Member
Great looking cars!!
'68cuda416
Well-Known Member
**** My Life
The only plug I find a little tuff to change is # 6, a long wrench from the underside solves that problem or drill an access hole.
I can change plugs on a low deck big block in 15 - 20 mins, with headers or manifolds.
Dumb Q: if you're going to do a stroker kit on a 383, is there ANY downside to doing the 496 vs the 438? on a mainly street car.
Jeremiah (jd)
Well-Known Member
Less fun? That is all i can think of.
It seems there is a tight spot when BB something. On my long gone 65 lemans with a 455, it was getting to the header bolts. On this 67 383 fastback its the #6 plug. You can get really good power out of a SB, so if its a cruiser/streeter and you dont care about the WOW factor, do it up with a hot SB and call it good. This car came with a BB from the PO so I didnt fight it, that is whats in it. BUT it is not a numbers car, its just what was in the boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff that came in on a trailer. I got an early 90s LA motor that Im gonna low buck n run ......in something around here. I wouldnt discount a BB because of the #6 plug, I might for the weight factor, but that can be somewhat overcome as well. Its really doing an evaluation of soul....isnt it?
I still like the low deck motors. The 383 and 400 are both like a big block 340 with the short stroke and big bores. That pays off on the street. A hugely over square engine can really make gobs of torque RIGHT off idle and that's the sweet spot for the street.
Also, as witnessed by this thread, most everybody wants the small block, so I would go the other way just to be different.
Also, as witnessed by this thread, most everybody wants the small block, so I would go the other way just to be different.
thesiren74
Well-Known Member
I swapped in my 413 3yrs ago and will never go back to sb, big blocks look so much better and make power super easily.
stroked340
Well-Known Member
To each his/her own put MANY a big block car back on the trailer with either my 416 or 360
To each his/her own put MANY a big block car back on the trailer with either my 416 or 360
.... 
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
When considering a big block, weight is something to consider. Although aluminum heads and intake and headers vs log manifolds will save a lot of weight. I also think the 'wow' factor of a big block is something to consider. I like the looks of a big block in an A Body. So what do you want? If looks and wow factor are important, a big block with dual 4s would kick butt. If you are willing to put up with a little extra weight on the front end, and are ready to absorb a few extra expenses for things needed for the big block swap, then go with the 383. Once the swap is done, you can fiddle with the 383 and get big power and torque from it. If ease of maintenance (383 is bigger, so less room left in engine bay) and streetability (slightly nose heavy A Body) Re important, then the small block may be your choice. Desired power is almost a moot point considering the amount of power you can get from a stroked small block. I would put a big block in mine, if I hadn't already spent so much money on the setup I have now.
Unless you have a specific goal that only a small block or big block can satisfy, I would lean towards the big block.
Unless you have a specific goal that only a small block or big block can satisfy, I would lean towards the big block.
To each his/her own put MANY a big block car back on the trailer with either my 416 or 360
But that's more of a testimony to your driving skills
Back when Q-FM had the Doper Nat's @ the Trails, my aunt in her stock '78 F150 would typically go five or six rounds.
thesiren74
Well-Known Member
So
So? I'm sure many brand x cars have put you on a trailerTo each his/her own put MANY a big block car back on the trailer with either my 416 or 360
If I was going to build a 383 stroker I'd do a 451
3.915 stroke (2.200 journals) 6.700 rods & 1.32 flat tops, 4.280 bore. Dress it up like a sticker.
Use stealth heads, painted engine color.
3.915 stroke (2.200 journals) 6.700 rods & 1.32 flat tops, 4.280 bore. Dress it up like a sticker.
Use stealth heads, painted engine color.
I have already offered my opinion earlier in this thread. If the cubic inch spread was greater, say 40-50 rather than 23, then I would go for the BB every time. But 23 isn't much, & I think the individual traits of each engine need to be considered, along with & most important, the intended use. The OP wants a mild driver; that means limited rpm.
The shorter rod/stroke ratio of the 360 favours low end tq & will likely equal the 383 even though it is down 23 cubes. All in a lighter & easier to install package. The 383 Chevs seem to punch above their weight & they are a 350 with a 1/4" longer stroke. Similarly, the 408 Mopar. Another stroked engine. Both have shorter rod/stroke ratios.
My Motors Manual covers 1973-78 models. The performance 360/4 bbl had a 320 ft/lb tq rating. The highest I could find for the 383 [ actually 400 by then ] was 330 ft/lb in 1974. So the 360 was down 10 ft/lb against the 400, which has 17 more cubes that the 383 & the 400 has 40 cubes more than the 360. There is a good chance that had the 383 still been in production, the 360 might have beaten the 383 in tq, or certainly equalled it.
The shorter rod/stroke ratio of the 360 favours low end tq & will likely equal the 383 even though it is down 23 cubes. All in a lighter & easier to install package. The 383 Chevs seem to punch above their weight & they are a 350 with a 1/4" longer stroke. Similarly, the 408 Mopar. Another stroked engine. Both have shorter rod/stroke ratios.
My Motors Manual covers 1973-78 models. The performance 360/4 bbl had a 320 ft/lb tq rating. The highest I could find for the 383 [ actually 400 by then ] was 330 ft/lb in 1974. So the 360 was down 10 ft/lb against the 400, which has 17 more cubes that the 383 & the 400 has 40 cubes more than the 360. There is a good chance that had the 383 still been in production, the 360 might have beaten the 383 in tq, or certainly equalled it.
dartcuda1
67 Barracuda 500ci 6sp
You need to see engine Masters 383 stroker Chevy against 383 Mopar very interesting
roccodart440
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To each his/her own put MANY a big block car back on the trailer with either my 416 or 360
Due to better consistency and/or driving? Because that is what puts people on their trailer, not faster ET's.
Also, a 416 is well into big block cubes with the advantages of a stroker engine to boot.
roccodart440
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Hold up, last I knew 426 was the max you could go with a 383? (which brought much more appeal, for me, to the effectively small block 383) Who has a kit for this? Or is it a piecemeal operation?
dartcuda1
67 Barracuda 500ci 6sp
I'm going to give you my opinion to what to do if I had your car. first I would I would invest in a SRT engine it's got 425 horsepower you can get you up at 30 miles a gallon that's the up most of both worlds I am not a 360 fan sorry to all you 360 guys but I think they're truck motors and I think they're jumped when I was building my car they didn't have kits where you can put the newer motors in the older cars so I went with the 440 punch and stroked to 500 cubic inches and I just did everything and I only had to do it once. My car weighs 3200 lb with me in it with a big block 440 and the only fiberglass on the car the hood. I don't know where they're coming with all this weight that they're talkin about with the two engines, I think with the 383 it's only a 60 lb difference with the two motors fully dressed and for any my is Street driven I have a lot of fun with it and it's fast as hell but I actually wish I never built it that way I wish I had built it with the 6.1 or the 6.4 in it just because I could drive it more miles than I could with the motor that's in it but you have two choices and like said earlier if you want the wow factor factor 383 is the way to go I'm sorry but I wouldn't put a 360 in anything that I've ever owned except for a truck.
Type into the search bar; 440source.com.
Scroll down to check out there stroker kits.
Ma MoPar has had the parts to stroke the low deck with a 4.15 crank for decades. There best head was the Stage VI.
I don't think there's a kit, closest would been the 470 kit from muscle motors & change pistons to a 4.280 or 4.310
Muscle Motors had the 450 CI kit for the 383, they are no longer.
That was their 450 kit. they had the 450 and 496 kit for the 383.
Yeah, that's right
'68cuda416
Well-Known Member
LOL
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