So I've been doing some "research" recently about the 383 B that's standard in just about every C-body, but just about all I can find is how to swap it for a 440. I did find a couple stroker kits here (http://www.440source.com/strokerkits.htm) and the 438 kit caught my eye. There doesn't seem to be a lot as far as heads go either. Can you bolt on heads for a 440 or would that work with regular 383 intakes? Are the stock heads worth doing a port & polish? I'm mostly wondering about the fuselage years. The main question I can't seem to find an answer for is how much horsepower or how many RPMs is the limit for the factory block? I read somewhere that a stock 2 bolt main 440 starts to come apart around 6500 RPMs but couldn't find anything about the 383. In my mind the B engine seems like a good sleeper candidate since nobody expects anything from them. Most of them seem to get tossed in the backyard and forgotten. No, I don't have one, let alone a car to put it in, but I like to gather knowledge beforehand and since the 383 was standard most years, I'd really like to here y'alls opinions. BTW this whole train of thought was started by Stan saying the 383 2 barrel was his favorite C-body engine awhile ago. Thanks for any info/links in advance
The 383
- Thread starter GooBak
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MrMoparCHP
Old Man with a Hat
I know very little bout the big blocks but I do know that the intakes are 383 only or 440 only, as are the heads and I think the exhaust manifolds.
I have a 2bbl 383 in my truck and it has power and gets 14 mpg.
Alan
I have a 2bbl 383 in my truck and it has power and gets 14 mpg.
Alan
flyinbrick68
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383's from what i've read are a bit stouter than 440's that is more rigid due to the shorter deck height. Any production big block head will bolt on except for maybe an early 350 head. The early heads had a different rocker shaft mounting set up so im told. 383's and 440's are different widths so you must use the low deck intake on a 383. An excetion is the aftermarket mopar stage vi head some allow you to use an rb intake on a b block. You can mago.ke good power with ported stock hheads though most people consider them cost prohibitive compared to an aftermarket aluminum head. Personally i'd say it boils diwn to budget and end usage of the vehicle. I'm porting a set of factory heads for my 451 im building for my 72 gran fury, learning as i go. Rpm wise i can't tell you the limit of the factory block. i cant imagine it'd be any less capable than a 440 would be. Just my two cents but the 383 2bl i have in my 1970 d100 likes to rev more than my 73 440 that i have in my 1968 d100.
flyinbrick68
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oh i forgot, water pumps, exhaust manifolds, and starters will interchange between big blocks unless u have a funky rv motor such as a 413 or 440 with an rv head casting which sometimes take diff water pump. Torque converters will interchange as long as you stick w an internaly balanced motor to internally balanced or external to external and the crank has the same bolt pattern. Theres always exceptions and im sure i've left out a ton. A 383 crank will fit in a 400 they use the same rods the same length. FYI The 400 has the largest bore of a factory big block. Oil pumps interchange as well i believe.
AAR65
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496 from a 383? I am there!
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
427 & 454 Chevy motors are a 4.25 bore they just change the stroke and all the sheep in the world would have you believe they are the be all end all of engine design, wrong but that's a different argument. Don't be afraid of 2 bolt mains it the cap that counts, put some ARP studs in the mains and if your building bigger than that can handle you should be in a aftermarket block anyways. The bore size is a little small so putting a deep breathing heads to support big inches is counter productive, building much more than a 3.75" RB crank in a 383 is kind of a waste because easier to build a 440 bigger bore less valve shrouding.
rexus31
Senior Member
Incorrect Alan. I'm running a set of 906's which were a 383 and 440 head from '68-'70 and I'm using my stock 383 intake from '65. Most all the BB heads are interchangeable between the 383 and 440. The only one I am unsure of are the '68 205's (one year only) that are listed to have come on the 440 only. Although I haven't tried it, I'm sure they would work with a 383. There may be some 440 exclusive intakes, but being as most the heads were used on both motors, those may be few and far between. Heck, even my stock 383 heads from '65 (516's) came on the 361, 413 and 426 from '64-'67. All the data can be found here: http://www.mymopar.com/headcastnumb.htm
AAR65
Member
Butt...
My Dadge has a 383, so as long as it looks like it should, a stroker torque monster is what this Barge needs. No longer than my 496 powered 71 Monte Carlo at 17 feet. If the formula of tons of torque in a heavy car proves out, my 65 will get tons of mileage. Just a quickie in my 71. Stock matching numbers LS5 bored .60 over. 4.25 stroke crank, 6.385 rod, junk 049 heads. I shift the 4300 pound pig at 4800 at the track and it runs 11.50s all day. Cold ac, lots of stereo, 15"rallys. I have another 496 in something else that spins 6800, but you aren't driving that one daily.
I am thinking pump gas stroker 383, keep the 4 speed after going through it, and lower the gears fron 3.70s o something even more street freindly. One thing I need from every car I build for me (and I never sell them), they have to smoke the tires at 40. Just a me thing. And most look bone stock. Not looking for a sleeper. Just more fun.
My Dadge has a 383, so as long as it looks like it should, a stroker torque monster is what this Barge needs. No longer than my 496 powered 71 Monte Carlo at 17 feet. If the formula of tons of torque in a heavy car proves out, my 65 will get tons of mileage. Just a quickie in my 71. Stock matching numbers LS5 bored .60 over. 4.25 stroke crank, 6.385 rod, junk 049 heads. I shift the 4300 pound pig at 4800 at the track and it runs 11.50s all day. Cold ac, lots of stereo, 15"rallys. I have another 496 in something else that spins 6800, but you aren't driving that one daily.
I am thinking pump gas stroker 383, keep the 4 speed after going through it, and lower the gears fron 3.70s o something even more street freindly. One thing I need from every car I build for me (and I never sell them), they have to smoke the tires at 40. Just a me thing. And most look bone stock. Not looking for a sleeper. Just more fun.
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
Still better off building a 400 if you want stock looking low deck bigger bore it just works better for any stroke over 3.75, $ per HP.
moper
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I have a 496 that will be done in the next day or two.. I'm basically waiting on an oil pump drive and oil then it goes on the running stand.
The only parts aside from rotating assembly parts that don't interchange between the 383s and 440s are the distributor, intake, and pushrods. all other parts will bolt on and work just fine. The failure area on BB mopars is not the bores. It's the main webbing. That's the casting where the main bearing bores meet the bottom of the block's cylinder sections. Most mopars will break there, or accross the main saddles at around 750-800hp naturally aspirated. You can do anything you want to delay things.. .girdles, hard block ,whatever, but ultimately that's where they break. The walls are fairly stable as long as the wall thickness is good enough.
The 3.75 stroke (438) paackage is a small ,light 440. You can use the catalogs to chose a cam and intake, use 440 type heads, etc on it and it will be good. I've built several 451s (400 with a 3.75 stroke) but never a 383 based one. Overall - a great package and about 100lbs lighter give-or-take from an RB 440. Power is the same as a 440 with the same components. The 4.25 (496) stroke is a different animal. When you increase the stroke you have to increase the airflow via heaads, intake, carb, and camshaft. So if you go that route plan to spens some $$ on either new aluminum heads (my 1st choice) or professional porting on the iron. Also plan to go with a larger cam, a larger carb, and a better intake otherwise you are spending to say you have a 496 - and not getting much for benefit from it.
The only parts aside from rotating assembly parts that don't interchange between the 383s and 440s are the distributor, intake, and pushrods. all other parts will bolt on and work just fine. The failure area on BB mopars is not the bores. It's the main webbing. That's the casting where the main bearing bores meet the bottom of the block's cylinder sections. Most mopars will break there, or accross the main saddles at around 750-800hp naturally aspirated. You can do anything you want to delay things.. .girdles, hard block ,whatever, but ultimately that's where they break. The walls are fairly stable as long as the wall thickness is good enough.
The 3.75 stroke (438) paackage is a small ,light 440. You can use the catalogs to chose a cam and intake, use 440 type heads, etc on it and it will be good. I've built several 451s (400 with a 3.75 stroke) but never a 383 based one. Overall - a great package and about 100lbs lighter give-or-take from an RB 440. Power is the same as a 440 with the same components. The 4.25 (496) stroke is a different animal. When you increase the stroke you have to increase the airflow via heaads, intake, carb, and camshaft. So if you go that route plan to spens some $$ on either new aluminum heads (my 1st choice) or professional porting on the iron. Also plan to go with a larger cam, a larger carb, and a better intake otherwise you are spending to say you have a 496 - and not getting much for benefit from it.
I see what you're saying, but though the heads are interchangeable but the 440 has a taller deck, which means that the intake has to be wider to reach the ports. That's why if you mill down the deck for higher compression of to fix a taper, if you took enough off, you need spacers between the intake and head. The website I posted claims the 438 kit would be a high rpm screamer... and that sounds like fun. Also, does anyone sell a ring and pinion taller than a 3.55? I couldn't find 3.23s anywhere. Thanks for all the info guys
rexus31
Senior Member
By that rationale, my stock 383 intake shouldn't work with the 906's but it bolted right up.
flyinbrick68
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Check ebay, randy's ring and pinion. Yukon gear, dr diff ect. you'll find 3.23 gears. There's a certain amount for every thousandth you mill off a head that you'd have to mill of the intake mounting surface to get it to fit. A machinist ought to be able to tell you.
I'm sorry what I meant was that the block determines the intake, while any B/RB heads should fit no problem
A stock 400 has a bore that is .040 bigger than a stock 440 bore.
B engine performer 383 intake manifolds are interchangeable with 361-383-400 engines.
RB engine performer 440 intake manifolds are interchangeable with 413-426 Wedge-440 engines. This manifold will not fit on 1962-1964 Max Wedge heads.
Ok, so I'm a dumbass. In my post I said milling the block may require spacers between the intake and head, while the opposite is true (thanks flyinbrick). I was thinking about putting a 383 intake on a 440, that would require spacers. I was looking at a pair of raised port head that requires a special valley pan and somewhere in there I got confuzzled. My bad
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
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