69 roadrunner

[steve maluk]

purchased 69 roadrunner what are thoughts on leaving 383 in car or replace a fresh 440 six pack or drop a mege block 540 under hood
steve

 

[KiwiKid72]

Welcome from New Zealand.

If it was my car I'd leave it original.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Welcome from Alabama, I'm an original type guy, especially if it's the original engine for the car. A 383 is easy to get to the 440 hp and torque numbers on a rebuild.

 

[dadsbee]

The 383 "spools" a lot better than a 440. Just sayin...

 

[polywideblock]

G, day from Australia

 

[CarolinaCharger]

I'd leave it as is.

 

[kiwigtx]

purchased 69 roadrunner what are thoughts on leaving 383 in car or replace a fresh 440 six pack or drop a mege block 540 under hood
steve

That all depends....

....are you a serious drag racer?
........are you a trailer queen car owner?
...........is your pocket deep and your arms long?
..............do you have a needy wife/girlfriend or partner?
.................do you have 3-5 years to wait in line for a Mega Block?

We need pictures to make decisions like this on your behalf.......


Welcome to FBBO from New Zealand.

 

[Hey-O]

Welcome from Missouri!! If it came with a 383, leave it be. If you want a change, do a new 5.7 or bigger.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Welcome from PA. I vote leave it be, but I've stayed original with my stuff because I'm so old I drove them when they were new.

 

[nodust]

welcome from Canada. I would go with the 383

 

[Budnicks]

Welcome to FBBO from NorCal Sierras

I know some of what I'm about to say won't be popular
just take it in the way it's intended, options or suggestions
you decide...

What is your final plan for the car ?
What is it you want to do or accomplish with the car ?
I'd highly suggest, buy a Factory Service Manual 1st
Then make a plan, set a budget (if needed) & outline,
"then stick with it"
It can/will save you a tone of $$$ in the long run,
not doing it twice or more...

do it for the joy, not the $$$

If you're a cruiser & the just sit behind it at a show type of guy,
& you like what it is, as is, then keep it OE

If you're a drag racer or stoplight-to-stoplight bandit, at heart
you could even vastly/easily improve the 383's HP/Tq,
make it a bunch of fun/faster & still make it look stock-ish

I'm a day 2 guy all the way,
I've been in the "keep it all OE route too"
I didn't get much enjoyment or use out of it, boring too...
Some people just love that, I'm not one of them...
Not anymore...
Even if I still like seeing them & respect them...
There's;
Plenty of all-stock or mostly all-stock appearing 50+ year old cars out there...
At every show you'll see, plenty of them...

Actual resale now, if that's your goal (?)
Resto-mods if done right bring as much
if not more in resale value, if done right...

The Old crowd that grew up with these cars (me included, I'm 63)
are dying off, the growing trends are to build them as
Quality Drivers, with more performance, new tech in some cases...

To each their own
this hobby would be boring as all hell,
if everyone does the same old **** over & over again

I don't let "the committee" or a biased bunch
build/design my cars, tell me what I should do to it either...
(albeit, I have some great friends here, I respect their opinions)

I build it/them all for me,
& until all the naysayers or purists start funding my builds...
I will continue to do it that way...

do what makes you happy,
save the takeout/takeoff stuff for, if you're on the fence,
just don't do any cutting on the car, just do bolt-ons
that way if you (or the future owner your preserving it for)
want to go back to stock, you can easily do it...

You could always pull the org. 383 store it safely,
so it doesn't go to ****, back off the rocker shafts etc.
put it in a huge bag, tuck in in a dry/warm spot...
Put in a nice 572 or a 440
or a stroked 383/with a 440 crank/turned down mains & counterweights
pistons, to fit the low-deck block, for a very well-performing 426+cid,
(or a 400 block & 451cid) in a slightly smaller & lighter (than an RB 440)
in stock-ish size/dimensions package
or maybe a newer Hemi or an old Hemi, there's a plethora of options...

Go for it,
build the biggest badest engine, RB 413-440 or Lowdeck/B series 383/400 block
& change the trans, converter/clutch, exhaust, wheels, tires, gears etc.
to "What ever blows your skirt up"...

They made plenty of 69 RRs, it's not exactly rare, especially with a 383
there are currently plenty of stock ones out there, that have been preserved
or restored too...

And unless the car is a very rare version, limited production etc.
like Hemi or 6bbl/A12 (which it's not, it's a base model 383)
or it's an extremely low-mileage survivor car, (could be ?)
otherwise, I say do it how you want...
Just do it tastefully...
Have fun, I certainly won't judge you negatively...

 

[ckessel]

Welcome from the left coast. Its your car, do it your way.

 

[chargervert]

If you want the power of a 440 Sixpack, or a stroked 440 with a Sixpack on it,no harm in swapping out the 383. If it is original to the car,than keep it in a safe dry place in case you ever want to swap it back or sell the car. A 440 Sixpack with a lift off hood is a nice upgrade! Welcome to the site.

 

[steve maluk]

That all depends....

....are you a serious drag racer?
........are you a trailer queen car owner?
...........is your pocket deep and your arms long?
..............do you have a needy wife/girlfriend or partner?
.................do you have 3-5 years to wait in line for a Mega Block?

We need pictures to make decisions like this on your behalf.......


Welcome to FBBO from New Zealand.

paid dearly for a new mopar 4.5 bore block NOS $$$ ( just recieved ) sitting in back room - scat rotating assembly coming 4.25 stroke / fresh 426 cast 66-70 heads SS valves mopar cross ram to late to back out on this build - have fresh clone 440 six pack on firing stand 383 in running roadrunner weekend warrior car / wife tolerates my cars but **** i made my fortune now lets spend some. Mopar no car steve

 

[steve maluk]

If you want the power of a 440 Sixpack, or a stroked 440 with a Sixpack on it,no harm in swapping out the 383. If it is original to the car,than keep it in a safe dry place in case you ever want to swap it back or sell the car. A 440 Sixpack with a lift off hood is a nice upgrade! Welcome to the site.

had a 56 chevy belair with lift off hood cool stuff but what a pain cant do without a partner

 

[steve maluk]

Welcome from PA. I vote leave it be, but I've stayed original with my stuff because I'm so old I drove them when they were new.

old never to old - as long as i can get under my cars and survive the next day mopar no car age is golden steve

 

[steve maluk]

Welcome from Alabama, I'm an original type guy, especially if it's the original engine for the car. A 383 is easy to get to the 440 hp and torque numbers on a rebuild.

jerry
do i need to change k member to drop a hemi in or is k member 383 ok

 

[Jerry Hall]

jerry
do i need to change k member to drop a hemi in or is k member 383 ok

The Hemi has a special K member, I think conversion motor mounts can still be found. Schumacher had them at one time. I do have a Hemi K frame currently.