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Advice on my 383 stroker

Jim Liddle

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Location
Lebanon TN.
I bought a 400 from CL on Saturday to build a 451 stroker. On Sunday I found on CL what the guy Said was a 400 stroker that was taken apart and a lot of parts for what I thought Was a good deal.
After I got home with it I found out it was a 383 stroker. The bad is the rear motor mount ear on the driver side is gone. Is there a fix for this or maybe run with out it.I could use some advice On this. I just converted to mopar from Chevy so some of this is new to me. If I am able to use this block I will have
More questions.
Jim

IMG_1674.JPG
 
I bought a 400 from CL on Saturday to build a 451 stroker. On Sunday I found on CL what the guy Said was a 400 stroker that was taken apart and a lot of parts for what I thought Was a good deal.
After I got home with it I found out it was a 383 stroker. The bad is the rear motor mount ear on the driver side is gone. Is there a fix for this or maybe run with out it.I could use some advice On this. I just converted to mopar from Chevy so some of this is new to me. If I am able to use this block I will have
More questions.
Jim

View attachment 421607
What parts are left? Crank, rods, etc...? May be easier to find a new block for cheap
 
If you don't want to use it there's plenty of 400-440 blocks out there for sale pretty cheap.
 
the block has bosses on the front that a c-body or perhaps an a-body motor mount would attach.
 
A motor plate is the easy answer. If that works in your application.
 
Put the stroker parts in the 400 with new pistons.
 
If you have the stroker crank/rods/pistons for a 383 block, then I say build the 383 stroker. If you can find a different 383 block, good. If not, you can run this one with motor plates (elephant ears) or probably as-is if you get creative with the motor mount & maybe run a chain on from the frame on the driver's side to a water pump bolt or something. The driver's side of the engine is what lifts up when you hit the gas & that side's motor mount takes the most stress.
 
A stock drivers side motor mount with a really good torque strap would probably work just fine.
 
Thanks for the reply
I have a 440 forged crank that has been machined to fit the b blocks. 383 forged rods that have full floating pins.
The block has been bored .030
And is in good shape no ridge.
From the research I have done the Pistons are older TRW forged dome possibly 12:1.
It also came with mildly ported 906 heads. The guy I got this from said he pulled the motor apart to freshen it up a few years ago to put in his car
Since then sold the car and lost parts.Some parts ended up in a bucket full of water.
So I could go back together with this only needing rings, bearings,oil pump,cam,lifters and gaskets.
Before I go any further with this
I need to do some measuring to fine out the real CR. I was not looking for a 12:1 motor.
If I use the 400 block it will
Need boring and new pistons
The 383 block is 1968
The 400 is late 70's
If this makes a difference.
With the parts I have what do you think is the best route to go to get the most power per dollar?
If not for the motor mount tab gone and possible 12:1 CR I would not even be asking questions.
This is going in a 1968 coronet
Auto trans
I would like the Rear end gear in the 3.7:1 range.

The rest of the parts that came with it.
Hooker Super comp headers 1 7/8
MSD Pro billet distributor
650 double pumper
Eldelbrock TM5 (I think )
The heads have adjustable iron
Rockers.
Billet pulley set
MSD wires
Mopar cast aluminum
Valve covers and air cleaner.
 
Check out www.440source.com; they specialize in BB stroker kits and they have an informative landing page that goes into detail about the different blocks. A lot of builders prefer the 400 block because of the thicker main webbing.
 
Heck if the 383 block looks OK other than the motor mount boss I'd sure run it. The TRW pistons should be verified ( what's the number on them), decide what CR you really want. 9.5 with iron heads & today's premium seems like the top. Aluminum heads can easily take 10.5 on pump premium. The TM6 will work very well, I welded up the outside of the intake ports & ground the pushrod lump out of the Inside of the intake port, angle ground the bolt holes. A 440 crank in the 400 block works great. I built two of those. The first with stock low deck rods, shot peened, good bolts 12.8 actual CR. Second LY rods shot peened, good bolts 12.4 actual CR. Both of these made about 600 HP with my home ported 906 heads. The 383 w/440 crank would do close, although the bigger 400+ bore makes some more HP.
 
If the casting date is right - Dude - that is an A body ONLY 383 block. A VERY good score. You can build it just like anything else, but you might want to post the VIN number off the ID pad near the pan rail, plus any other stampings on it, and see if the owner of the car wants it. Post on FABO about it but that's what it looks like to me...

I've built a few 383 based strokers. The last one is a 496 and makes close to 550hp.
 
a few more pictures
The pistons don't have a part number on them there is
231-99 in the bottom.

IMG_1678.JPG IMG_1680.JPG IMG_1681.JPG IMG_1682.JPG IMG_1683.JPG
 
those are gonna require race gas. Looks like pitting on the top? Could have been detonating the last time it was together. if this is gonna be a street motor I wouldn't be using those.
 
Well the more I check things out The worse it gets.
It's not a stroker after all just a 383 with forged crank and rods
With big dome pistons.
When I went to look at it
It was obvious the OD of the counter weights had been turned down for some reason.
I just assumed 440 crank turned down. I am pretty sure
The guy I got it from did not have a clue what it was and I did not check the stroke.
So now I don't have the parts I thought I had. My options are now put the 383 back together
or use 383 parts to build the 400. I could still stroke the 400
Just more cost on top of what
I already spent on parts that
Won't be used.

IMG_1684.JPG
 
Guessing the ioriginal builder was quite good. The pistons in a 383 are only high tens low 11s for static compression. The crank was probably turned down because the weight on the counterweights is just dead weight. It's better to lighten them. Measure the bores and see where they stand.
That 383 can go to 496 if the sonic test shows it good enough.
 
As far as the tab goes I've heard of good welders using nickel to build the up broken mounts.... And a lot of grinding to shape it... Wives tale??? Maybe one of the more experienced guys could validate...
 
The cylinders measure right on .030 over. 4.280.
The pistons have about .008
Clearance though.
Seems like a lot movement in the hole but, I guess that is normal for an older forged piston. I would think they would make a lot of Noise when cold.
Well I am thinking of building the 383 back. That will be the most economical option right now if I can make a useable
Motor out of it.
 
If the bores are still straight and round, you can do whatever you want. Usually the piston to wall is a function of the bore and piston. So if you don;t have a dial bore gage, have a shop measure it for you. If you really want budget - have the shop take the pistons and whack the top of the dome flat and just re-ring it. The available domed hypers still only get up to about 9.5:1. So you can cut yours down a little that way and not need anything else.
Old forged piston could be noisey. But if you have headers and an open element air cleaner, and aluminum valve covers with roller rockers, there's all kinds of similar noises there anyway. It also goes away before the thermostat even opens. So lower the static ratio with cutting the pistons and maybe using a thicker head gasket, re-ring it, and run it. It does look like a great 383 from back in the day.
 
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