street/strip 400 or 383

Posted By: KatFysh

street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 06:25 PM

I have a complete stock assembled 400 and a 383 block,rods and caps. I also have an older Crane cam..

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRN-684561/ .. a Holley 850dp and a few other small things..

I'd like to build one of these blocks for my "new" Barracuda. It will mainly be a street car. I have the 8 3/4 with 4.10 gears.. NO trans or converter as of yet.. I would like to build the engine and eventually add a Powerjection kit. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PFS-70026/

With this known, what would be your suggestions be to me? Should I use the aluminum E heads again? What type of compression is available with either block? I'm looking to keep it around the 11's. My old Dakota was an 11.72~114mph ride... I liked it..

Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 07:46 PM

the 400 block unless it has some custom pistons is going to be maybe...maybe 8.8:1. The 383 might be 9:1. Niether will get you into the 11's with that cam...I don't think. The carb will work better than the $1800 injection kit. if you want to spent that $1800 get a better bottom end to start your project. E-heads will be fine but the best they have is 84cc. I'd probably look for a set of 915's somebody "done up" and is looking to sell. All that said, the 383 or 400 w/ the usual add on's like decent intake, headers, converter w/ the 4.10's should get you into the mid-12's pretty easy.

Posted By: Triple Threat

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 07:59 PM

Use the 400, with a fresh hone, rings and bearings. Either Edelbrock or Stealth heads and all the other parts you have laying around put it together and go have some fun. It should run strong.

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 08:16 PM

Quote:

Use the 400, with a fresh hone, rings and bearings. Either Edelbrock or Stealth heads and all the other parts you have laying around put it together and go have some fun. It should run strong.

Don't forget that ALL 400 are externally balanced, ALL 383 are internally balanced

If it was me I would look around for a stock forged steel 440 crank and make a 452 C.I.(stock 440 stroke) or a 470 C.I. out of the 400 block (offset grind stroke to 3.90, and use BB Chevy H beam rods)

BTW you can buy the 452 C.I. and 470 C.I. inch kits from 440 Source and probally Mancini and Hughes also

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 08:16 PM

Quote:

the 400 block unless it has some custom pistons is going to be maybe...maybe 8.8:1. The 383 might be 9:1. Niether will get you into the 11's with that cam...I don't think. The carb will work better than the $1800 injection kit. if you want to spent that $1800 get a better bottom end to start your project. E-heads will be fine but the best they have is 84cc. I'd probably look for a set of 915's somebody "done up" and is looking to sell. All that said, the 383 or 400 w/ the usual add on's like decent intake, headers, converter w/ the 4.10's should get you into the mid-12's pretty easy.

Stock 400 compression is more like 7.8 , the pistons are .100 in the hole , 383 should have more compression even if it's a 2 bbl engine.

Posted By: KatFysh

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 09:41 PM

I have thought of making a stroker, out of either, also. I kinda figured on getting it "tuned" and running good with the carb and going to the Powerjection for better driveability. Not sure if that would be the case or not.

My old 446 had a set of ported,polished and milled Eheads from Dwayne Porter. I'd love to just buy that whole engine back as the person that bought it from me hasn't installed in anything yet {'71 Dart}.

I was hoping for around 9-9.5:1 comp. I wasn't sure if I can make this cam work or not. Thats why I posted here. Opinions..

Posted By: Dean_Kuzluzski

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 09:53 PM

Got a couple of those shortblocks sitting out in my polebarn too.

Once you actually start in on physically assessing what to use and do..........reality sets in. One block may have more wear/taper than another.........and if both have a ridge you can catch your fingernail on it's time to ovebore. Arriving there.........the 400/451 starts looking pretty good. Good forged pistons are all around the same price and not much more than KB's once the cash is flowing.

If one is NOT too worn out, I'd take the better block and re-ring/bearing the thing. Get some closed chamber heads from the Moparts Classifieds (516 or 915). Add cam, single-plane intake, 850DP, 727 w/manual VB, 3800+ stall and go for it.

My old 1969 .060 over 383 (pistons .065 in the hole), 516 heads w/1.74 exh. valve, 284/484 MP, TM-6, 750 AFB, 4.30 gear, 29" Hoosiers ran 106 mph in the 1/4. Which is solid 12's for most that have dialed in their chassis. The gateway to goodtimes!

Posted By: 383man

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/20/12 11:16 PM

We have a .030 over 400 (406) in my sons 72 Dart. It uses KB pistons and with the deck milled and the Eddy RPM heads cut some it has 10.6 comp. Its a street car that we run on pump gas. He uses the MP .557 cam and put dual springs on the Eddy heads and checked all the valve seats. It also uses a 383 crank as we externally balanced it. It has the Performer RPM intake with a 750 DP. CPPA 2" headers and 3" pipes. Car weighs 3550 with him in it. Has a Dynamic 9.5 converter that flashes about 4200 and uses 3.91 gears. Body is all stock as is the interior. On Hoosier QTP tires he has run a best of 11.45 @ 117. And also the ign is a stock dist I recurved with an MSD box. We are happy with the performance of it as it is a driver like my 63 and he drives it to the track. Ron

Posted By: KatFysh

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/21/12 03:43 PM

I saw that you posted in the other topic and had hoped you post that info here.. I am going to save this topic for future ref..Thanks Ron.

I noticed a few engines already built up in the for sale section..Not ready to buy one done yet though..

Posted By: cheapracer

Re: street/strip 400 or 383 - 01/21/12 06:54 PM

I ran a 69 383 out of a 69 fury VIP that was 30 over with 906 heads. I install a 509 cam,holley 830, 2500 stall, 430 gears in my 66 corrnet wagon and was running 12.40 in the 1/4 on 94 oct. and also still drove it work and cruz ins.