'The 383' ~ Getting Those True Factory Horsepower Ratings

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Would be neat to assemble the parts today and build one. Would an RPM intake be comparable in todays world? Or an old dp4b? The cam is the easy part.
 
I had made the performance mods back in the mid 70's based upon the advice from my fellow Mopar club members. I had an Edelbrock DP4B, 1969 Carter AVS, the 484 cam, windage tray, stronger springs, anti-pump up lifters, and headers. Heads were not ported but had a 5 angle valve job done on new valves. It was all on a fresh rebuilt 361 cid big block that was 0.060 overbore with flat top pistons. Final displacement was 372. No dyno numbers. Time slips showed trap speeds of 98-100 mph with freeway gears (278?). No idea how much the car weighed (1964 Dodge Polara 500, manual trans).
It was a good running strong engine.
 
fratzog lover said:
Would be neat to assemble the parts today and build one. Would an RPM intake be comparable in todays world? Or an old dp4b? The cam is the easy part.
Click to expand...

Intake and Carburetor

I always used the Edelbrock DP-4B with the Holley #3310-1 {780 CFM}
'Back-in-the-Day'.

Just liked the Mid-Range Power of that Carb and Intake Package for the Street.

On the 'Edelbrock Performer RPM 383', it has a slightly wider intake port runner than the
DP-4B.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

484/284 Camshafts

Mopar produced '3' variations of that profile.

Part# ...... 3412004 ......................................... 5007695
Lift ........... .484/.484 ........... .484"/.484" ......... .484"/.484"
Duration .... 284*/284* ........... 284*/284* .......... 284*/284*
Overlap ...... 68* .................... 60* .................... 56*
LSA ........... 108* ................... 112* .................. 114*
 
Fred-Head

Back-in-the-Day, when Gasoline was good.

I never liked the 'stock' Flat-Top Pistons for the 383. Yes, they were the
most durable 'slugs', but very heavy at {928 Grams} with the Pins.

We always swapped them out for a set of 'light' Forged-True {10.0-1} Flat-Tops,
which came in at {632 Grams} with the Piston-Pins.

The 383 required lighter reciprocating-weight, to get to Maximum Horsepower much quicker in the Street-Performance Engines.
 
My 383 with 284/484 build used a Torker intake (which everyone still says not to use despite "the numbers" suggesting otherwise), a Holley 650 DP with a 750 rear metering block setup, and cheap line Hooker headers. Cam degreed as per Mopar instructions with lots of initial dist advance. Carb was the lynch pin and took months to figure out. was getting way too much fuel at idle and not nearly enough at WOT.

Everyone said "too much cam and not enough converter", but it ran GREAT.
 
YY1 said:
My 383 with 284/484 build used a Torker intake (which everyone still says not to use despite "the numbers" suggesting otherwise), a Holley 650 DP with a 750 rear metering block setup, and cheap line Hooker headers. Cam degreed as per Mopar instructions with lots of initial dist advance. Carb was the lynch pin and took months to figure out. was getting way too much fuel at idle and not nearly enough at WOT.

Everyone said "too much cam and not enough converter", but it ran GREAT.
Click to expand...

In Agreement,

The 'old' Edelbrock 'Torker 383' worked wonders on the 383 with an Automatic.

And 'long tube' Headers > 1 3/4" Primary x 42" Tube Length.

That combination, put out incredible Mid-Range Torque.
 
Mr. Street 383

On the Street Performance 383, the best Torque RPM was
between 3700 and 4100 RPM's.

High Horsepower was to peak at 5900 RPM's.

5000 RPM's was that 'equal range' to aim for.
 
Paul,

On ANY stock 68-71 383 or 440 Magnum, set the total timing at 38 degrees. Huge difference!

Here's my '68 383/727 Roadrunner bought used in 1971

3.91 Sure Grip
Sig Erson SH130 cam (can't find the specs anymore but I believe was a .484)
Doug's headers
Edelbrock DP4B (Big difference)
Mallory 4-lobe distributor
Accel coil & wires
Holley 800 DP not as good as hot-rodded 625 AVS with enlarged secondary jets
and completely removed air valve secondary door

Pictures before and after:

383-1_zpswdhdgkhh.jpg

383-2_zps3kl7z9yf.jpg
 
Old Man Mopar said:
Paul,

On ANY stock 68-71 383 or 440 Magnum, set the total timing at 38 degrees. Huge difference!

Here's my '68 383/727 Roadrunner bought used in 1971

3.91 Sure Grip
Sig Erson SH130 cam (can't find the specs anymore but I believe was a .484)
Doug's headers
Edelbrock DP4B (Big difference)
Mallory 4-lobe distributor
Accel coil & wires
Holley 800 DP not as good as hot-rodded 625 AVS with enlarged secondary jets
and completely removed air valve secondary door

Pictures before and after:

383-1_zpswdhdgkhh.jpg

383-2_zps3kl7z9yf.jpg
Click to expand...

John,

I agree .......... 35* Total Advance is just not enough.

On The Sig Erson SH-130

There are a couple of 'old specs out there.
> .440" Lift ~ 310* Duration
> .472" Lift ~ 310* Duration
> .493" Lift ~ 310* Duration

The 'new' TQ-30-H
> .462" Lift ~ 310* Duration {226* @ .050"} ~ 52* Overlap ~ 111* CL
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
John,

I agree .......... 35* Total Advance is just not enough.

On The Sig Erson SH-130

There are a couple of specs out there.
> .440" Lift ~ 310* Duration
> .472" Lift ~ 310* Duration
> .493" Lift ~ 310* Duration
Click to expand...

Experienced tuning/riding in the Sig equipped Chevs ,in the day:(Early - mid 80's ...) The cam grinds weren't the "fastest...flashiest.. They were a budget grind, that actually worked. Nothing but good luck,myself.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
Fred-Head

Back-in-the-Day, when Gasoline was good.

I never liked the 'stock' Flat-Top Pistons for the 383. Yes, they were the
most durable 'slugs', but very heavy at {928 Grams} with the Pins.

We always swapped them out for a set of 'light' Forged-True {10.0-1} Flat-Tops,
which came in at {632 Grams} with the Piston-Pins.

The 383 required lighter reciprocating-weight, to get to Maximum Horsepower much quicker in the Street-Performance Engines.
Click to expand...

Yeah, factory B/RB pistons, aren't the lightest...
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
In Agreement,

The 'old' Edelbrock 'Torker 383' worked wonders on the 383 with an Automatic.

And 'long tube' Headers > 1 3/4" Primary x 42" Tube Length.

That combination, put out incredible Mid-Range Torque.
Click to expand...

Yes, it does... A Y2K build: 69 Coronet build. We found an unmolested 70 Magnum 383, down to the R.R. air cleaner. Rering /lap the valves( bucks down H.S student build) Mild Crower cam ( close to 440 specs,quicker ramps)Former 383/ 3310 up top. He went with massaged 383 Magnum manifolds/stock converter /3:23 pig. First pass at Famoso(100 degrees ,at midnight...) Went 14'0's -13:80's @ 101-2 first time ever(driver & car..) at the strip. I considered it,a good night.
 
Legal Cheater

Back in 1970 and 1971, we built a 1968 Plymouth Satellite 383/330 HP for NHRA Class 'H/SA'.

The Satellite weighed in at #3495 and with the 330 HP factor it came in at 10.59 Wt/Hp.

The Competition >
* 1969 Chevy Nova SS 350 {350/295 HP}
* 1970 Chevy Camaro SS 350 {350/300 HP}
* 1967 Chevy II Nova SS {327/275 HP}
* 1968 Chevelle SS 396 {396/325 HP}
* 1968 Ford Fairlane GT {390/325 HP}
* 1969 Ford Mustang GT 'Convertible' {390/320 HP}
* 1967 Ford Mustang 'Fastback' K-Code {289/271 HP}
* 1970 American Motors 'Rebel Machine' {390/340 HP}
* 1965 Pontiac GTO {389/325 HP}
* 1969 Pontiac Firebird 'Convertible' {400/330 HP}
* 1969 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 {400/325 HP}
* 1969 Buick GS 400 'Convertible' {400/340 HP}
* 1965 Dodge Coronet {383/330 HP}
* 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda 'Convertible' {340/275 HP}

Nearly everyone was a 'legal cheater', running in the low 13.00's.

Ah Ha, to compete we did >
* Forged-True Pistons {10.5-1 Compression}
* Match-Ported the Cylinder Heads
* Mopar #3412004 Camshaft {.484" Lift ~ 284* Duration ~ 68* Overlap}
* Mopar 440-6 {Six-Barrel} Valve Springs
* Adjustable Rocker-Arms
* Carter AVS {750 CFM} from the Mopar 440.

Yea, we put down 12.85's @ 109 MPH.

I believe we 'nabbed' 31 Class Trophy's over the 2-Year {1970 and 1971} span.
 
I realize this is a 4bbl debate/post - but they also rated most of the 383 2bbl engines about 10hp less than the 4bbl engines - 2bbl engines had obviously a 2bbl carb/intake, smaller intake valves, worse exhaust manifolds, and the same cam specs as a A body 383/4bbl..

My money is on they were drunk or didn't know how to operate a dyno when they rated them, maybe both?
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
Legal Cheater

Back in 1970 and 1971, we built a 1968 Plymouth Satellite 383/330 HP for NHRA Class 'H/SA'.

The Satellite weighed in at #3495 and with the 330 HP factor it came in at 10.59 Wt/Hp.

The Competition >
* 1969 Chevy Nova SS 350 {350/295 HP}
* 1970 Chevy Camaro SS 350 {350/300 HP}
* 1967 Chevy II Nova SS {327/275 HP}
* 1968 Chevelle SS 396 {396/325 HP}
* 1970 Chevelle SS 396 'Convertible' {396/350 HP}
* 1968 Ford Fairlane GT {390/325 HP}
* 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 'Hardtop Coupe' {351W/290 HP}
* 1967 Ford Mustang 'Fastback' K-Code {289/271 HP}
* 1970 American Motors 'Rebel Machine' {390/340 HP}
* 1965 Pontiac GTO {389/325 HP}
* 1969 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 {400/325 HP}
* 1965 Dodge Coronet {383/330 HP}
* 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 'Convertible' {383/335 HP}
* 1962 Plymouth 'Sport Fury' {361/305 HP}
* 1962 Dodge 'Station Wagon' {383/343 HP}

Nearly everyone was a 'legal cheater', running in the low 13.00's.

Ah Ha, to compete we did >
* Forged-True Pistons {10.5-1 Compression}
* Match-Ported the Cylinder Heads
* Mopar #3412004 Camshaft {.484" Lift ~ 284* Duration ~ 68* Overlap}
* Mopar 440-6 {Six-Barrel} Valve Springs
* Adjustable Rocker-Arms
* Carter AVS {750 CFM} from the Mopar 440.

Yea, we put down 12.85's @ 109 MPH.

I believe we 'nabbed' 31 Class Trophy's over the 2-Year {1970 and 1971} span.
Click to expand...

John,

We had >
* 4.56 Gears
* 15" x 6" Keystone's with 28" tall x 7" wide - M & H Racemaster Slicks
* 15" x 6" Keystones' {Front Tires 7.00 x 15"}
* Stock Heavy-Duty Leaf Springs, w/Front Clamps
* 50/50 Rear Drag Shocks
* Front Shocks {6 Cylinder B-Body}
* Cyclone Long-Tube Headers {10" Collector Extension}
* Stewart-Warner Electric Fuel Pump
* 7 Quart Milodon Oil Pan
* Accel Dual-Point Distributor
* Cragar Capacitive Discharge unit
* 3500 RPM B & M Converter
* Vitar 727 Transmission
 
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