• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

383 cam advice

Chris1973Rr

Chris1973Rr

Well-Known Member
Local time
7:27 PM
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
47
Reaction score
3
Location
New jersey
Okay sorry for not giving enough info on everything I'm new to all this. Okay so first off I have a 68 383 out of a rr. It's out of the car now I'm looking to just upgrade the cam and get a port and polish job done to my heads and replace all the gaskets and everything on the engine before it goes in. I'm looking for advice on what cam would be the best for me. Now I don't have anything else setup this build is really one piece at a time kind of build. The car is mostly going to be for the streets but occasional track. For the gear ratio I'm trying to decide if I want 3.73 or 3.91 any advice on that would be much appreciated and then for the torque converter I was told about 3,500. That's about what I wanna do with my build. Again I don't have all that stuff but that's what I'm looking to get. Any advice and info is much appreciated
 
Last edited:
Need more info such as street, occasional strip; rear gears, headers,etc. Same age range as my 2 sons, luv ya already. IMHO it's a tad too much for street, BUT need the other particulars.
 
oldbee said:
Need more info such as street, occasional strip; rear gears, headers,etc. Same age range as my 2 sons, luv ya already. IMHO it's a tad too much for street, BUT need the other particulars.
Click to expand...
Yes mostly street and occasional strip as far as headers go they're from a 68 barracuda but recently I've been told to look into different headers such as TTI and gears I was thinking about 3.91 but not sure if that's too much but the cam was really the only major upgrade I was going to do to the engine I was going to leave everything else stock and then do a port and polish job on my heads
 
Personaly I'd drop 1-step milder. Also auto/manual trans? Torque conv. stall speed makes a diff also.
 
oldbee said:
Personaly I'd drop 1-step milder. Also auto/manual trans? Torque conv. stall speed makes a diff also.
Click to expand...
It's an auto and my dad told me to get the cam first and then from there to decide what gears to put in then rear end and then choose the best torq converter. This is pretty much a complete resto
 
I chose the comp cams xe268h 3 bolt for my 383. I think it's the perfect streetable cam with an automatic. I'm running a 2500 stall and 3.23 gears, absolutely love the way it runs ....
 
65-440 said:
I chose the comp cams xe268h 3 bolt for my 383. I think it's the perfect streetable cam with an automatic. I'm running a 2500 stall and 3.23 gears, absolutely love the way it runs ....
Click to expand...
You ever take it to the track? If so what was your 1/4 mile time
 
Had a 383 with that cam it performed well. I had to go to a 2800 stall covertor and headers it had 3:23 gears but a 3:91 would have been better
 
this is what we use in a 383 a few years back. 3 BOLT, 383-440 B/RB Ultradyne Cams HYDRAULIC FLAT TAPPET

DURATION AT SEAT IN/EX 276/286
LOBE SEPARATION 112
GROSS VALVE LIFT IN/EX .454/.454
DURATION AT .050" IN/EX 221/230
IDLE TO 6000 RPM
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GEARS 3.55 SUREGRIP
STOCK 383 HP MANIFOLDS
Works well with stock parts to
 
Chris1973Rr said:
I have a 68 383 from a rr looking to upgrade the cam. My dad told me about the mopar purple cam with .509 lift and 292 duration is that way to much
Click to expand...

That sounds a lot like what was in mine when I bought it. It was too much cam for me. He had it idling at somewhere around 2000 when I bought it. Soon found out why. Once I lowered it to 1000 it would fall flat on it's face when I started to let the clutch out. It was not fun to drive. I replaced it with a much milder Comp Cam and have no complaints, but I do not race it.
 
The 268 would be a great choice. I would not go bigger than the 284 for the street in a 383.
 
moes said:
this is what we use in a 383 a few years back. 3 BOLT, 383-440 B/RB Ultradyne Cams HYDRAULIC FLAT TAPPET

DURATION AT SEAT IN/EX 276/286
LOBE SEPARATION 112
GROSS VALVE LIFT IN/EX .454/.454
DURATION AT .050" IN/EX 221/230
IDLE TO 6000 RPM
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GEARS 3.55 SUREGRIP
STOCK 383 HP MANIFOLDS
Works well with stock parts to
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info I plan on putting headers on and getting a port and polish job on my heads that's really all I wanna do with my engine. Do you think 3.91 gears would work well with that cam and if so what torque converter would you recommend
 
Chris1973Rr said:
Thanks for the info I plan on putting headers on and getting a port and polish job on my heads that's really all I wanna do with my engine. Do you think 3.91 gears would work well with that cam and if so what torque converter would you recommend
Click to expand...
moes said:
this is what we use in a 383 a few years back. 3 BOLT, 383-440 B/RB Ultradyne Cams HYDRAULIC FLAT TAPPET

DURATION AT SEAT IN/EX 276/286
LOBE SEPARATION 112
GROSS VALVE LIFT IN/EX .454/.454
DURATION AT .050" IN/EX 221/230
IDLE TO 6000 RPM
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GEARS 3.55 SUREGRIP
STOCK 383 HP MANIFOLDS
Works well with stock parts to
Click to expand...
Actually maybe it would be better for me to do 3.73 this is my first build I'm only 20 so I don't wanna mess anything up and get too carried away
 
65-440 said:
Nope, not a track car. Street abuse only !
Click to expand...
I definitely want my car to be a street car I just think it'd be fun every once in awhile to take it to my local track and see what it does but on the streets I just wanna shut the other guys up with there slow *** ricers
 
I personally like the 509 mopar cam . Mopar makes 2 versions of the 509 292 duration cam. One is on 108 degree centerline and the other is on 114 degree centerline. The 114 has a bit better street manners and doesn't give up that much on the top end. I have ran the 114 centerline version in my Satellite with 383 9 to 1 2bbl motor and Holley street dominator manifold. 3000 rpm stall and 3.90 gears. Car pulled hard and ran well. no quarter. mile times though. I am putting my new motor together with same cam but 11 to 1 compression ratio. I will have it at the strip soon.
 
Chris1973Rr said:
Thanks for the info I plan on putting headers on and getting a port and polish job on my heads that's really all I wanna do with my engine. Do you think 3.91 gears would work well with that cam and if so what torque converter would you recommend
Click to expand...

what tire size are you running on the back? If you use the 3.91 gears and your tire size is 28 inches (275/60/15) your rpms will be around 2900 at 60, if you have a smaller size tire the RPMS go up. If your good with that then use them. For the torque converter I would contact a reputable company, I've used Dynamic before and they work GREAT and there a few more companies to pick from. Make sure you tell them the specific details of the motor and everything else they ask of you about the car. They do this for a living every work day!!!!!
 
Last edited:
condor74 said:
I personally like the 509 mopar cam . Mopar makes 2 versions of the 509 292 duration cam. One is on 108 degree centerline and the other is on 114 degree centerline. The 114 has a bit better street manners and doesn't give up that much on the top end. I have ran the 114 centerline version in my Satellite with 383 9 to 1 2bbl motor and Holley street dominator manifold. 3000 rpm stall and 3.90 gears. Car pulled hard and ran well. no quarter. mile times though. I am putting my new motor together with same cam but 11 to 1 compression ratio. I will have it at the strip soon.
Click to expand...
I was told my engine has a 10 to 1 compression it's from a 68 rr is this correct and carb wise I really wanna get a demon 4bbl and what kind of torque converter did you use
 
Chris1973Rr said:
I have a 68 383 from a rr looking to upgrade the cam. My dad told me about the mopar purple cam with .509 lift and 292 duration is that way to much I was also looking into comp cams products are they good? Sorry if I left out any important info I'm a fairly new mechanic trying to learn as much as I can any help is much appreciated
Click to expand...

Give Lunati cam a try but buy the "combo" to ensure you get cam and lifters that are ground to run together. Have a medium performance cam by Lunati in my 383 running hydralics and roller rockers and the performance is excellent. Just keep in mind that 383's can wind like a small block and still put out power like a big block - it's the best of both worlds.

Lunati Voodoo 10210241
 
My torque converter is a budget minded converter It is a GER Thunderbolt. My local trans shop rebuilds converters so I am going to have them go through it and tweek on it a bit when I have it out. Trying to bump it up to 3500 or 4000 and have them put better internals in it. I think I only paid 175 for it new back in 2000
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jesse Hunt
Cam Dynamics Small Block Cam Question
Replies
5
Views
491
33 IMP
33 IMP
Loulang
Holley sniper timing question
2
Replies
23
Views
915
Archie Duiker
A
M
Isky adjustable rockers and valve lash
Replies
12
Views
664
Bird 426
B
TorRed
Help Me Complete My 383 Engine Build
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
1KoolBee
1KoolBee
S
'66 383 build, cam question
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
Splush
S
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top