What to expect from 1970 383 HP

[340runner]

Back to basics methinks with a 383 engine.
The Mopar '516' wedge head was designed for the 361 and 383 engines.

It ended up on the 413/426 and then the 440, after the max wedge era.
It was never enough head for a 440 and is more suited to a 383.

In 1967 the infamous 915 was produced to correct the failings of the 516.
The 1968-906 and later heads are all SMOG heads up too the 452.

How much more rpm can a 383/400 low deck take over a 440?
We revved our race 440 to 7200rpm and it stayed together for twenty years.

Are we thinking a low deck stroker can take it to 7500rpm or more?
Light LOW-deck engine in an A-Body, anything else B/C body needs a 440 stroker...

Unless you're talking a 4.5 inch stroker, wouldn't you get more cubes with a low deck 400? If you're talking a 4.5 inch stroker, how hard is it to clearance everything needed?

 

[polyjohn]

It's good to see someone 'championing' the 383 engine at last!
383 blocks are common in the UK due to thousands of dead Jensen interceptors.

Its the age old problem, if you are rebuilding any Mopar engine its $5000 all day long.
So which on do you choose?

Up till now its been the 440 and for 'hardcore racers' an early 400 230 block.
They are getting hard to find and the 383 is coming back into play again.

There is a big resurgence in small-block street and strip cars thanks to the 408 stroker!
But the 491ci low deck 383 engine sounds much more fun to me (plus Tom and the Germans).

My 383 will be a 'Koffel' re invention with a ' turned down' 440 crank and mega ported 452 heads...
They ran '10 dead' all day long in the 80's, so why not now???

It's still called a 'Koffel 451' here in the UK...
Or just buy one of these...