edixon24

I just got back from Afghanistan and I got some extra cash to blow! About 4K... anyway I bought a bare bones 383 bored block and an eagle 383 rotating assembly, flat top pistons. As this will be my first engine build I need some advice for a cam/heads combo. I will be keeping the TPI for now. I probably won't upgrade intake until I can afford to replace my 700R4 and rear end. This is my daily so I don't want to have to use race fuel or buy a stall converter. I literally started from scratch on this and I need some wisdom. Everywhere I look I'm getting bombarded with advice to build a straight up race car.

edixon24

Anyone? No?

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

[QUOTE=edixon24;6008154 I will be keeping the TPI for now. I probably won't upgrade intake until I can afford to replace my 700R4 and rear end. [/QUOTE]

There is one of your problems. Building car for TPI and building and engine for a short runner system are two worlds apart. TPI will want a shorter duration cam, numerically small rear end gears and smaller heads. A short runner intake car will want higher gears, a bigger cam and bigger heads. You could order a set of 195 heads and that would work with the both intakes, a set of headers in a 1.75" primary would work, injectors would work for both.

If you know you are going to change the intake and it will only be a few months before you can I would build the engine for one of the short runner intakes and just cope with the mismatch until you get the new intake system on. You could consider the cc503 cam, its 224/230 duration and a proven cam but it would benefit from a higher stal. Use a name brand aluminum 195 head- almost any of them will do as this isn't an all out build. Then look into at least 3.42 or a 3.73 rear gear.

zraffz

Keeping the stock TPI sucks... increasing your cubic inches is going to lower the RPM capability of an already crippled intake manifold... aftermarket heads or cam will be useless with that stock intake and increased CI.

You're almost better keeping the stock heads and running an RV cam for now if you are set on that intake. You could probably build a real tire roaster that will run out of breath by 4 grand and truly wouldn't be anything special.

edixon24

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/cca-08-503-8 is this the cam?

edixon24

http://m.summitracing.com/search/product-line/afr-195cc-sbc-eliminator-street-heads and heads?

edixon24

Also when I change my intake... to a mini ram or something similar. Will I have to change my ecm? Or just get it tuned

zraffz

I'd personally not waste the money on a 383 setup to do what you are trying to do. At least not with the goal of a stock intake manifold or torque converter. Not to mention, you probably won't be able to build a 383 with aftermarket heads for 4 grand.

Get yourself a 350... go with a roller motor if you can. I'd have cam bearings done, change lifters, springs. Maybe give the motor a run through with a ball hone and re-ring it. I'd hunt for a set of the GM aluminum TPI corvette heads for $200ish. They aren't the greatest heads but you can't use vortecs with your TPI manifold so you might as well benefit from the lighter weight aluminum heads and moderate flow. Go with a cam in the upper 20x/low 210 duration. Nothing with a power band higher than 5,000 RPMs!
Buy long tube headers, off road y pipe, a less restrictive muffler (I like MagnaFlow for street cars; avoid flowmaster), have the car tuned and maybe invest in a set of gears (3.73 or 4.10).

You won't have the fastest car and you'll probably still get beaten down by a lot of newer cars but it would be a fun street car. It should be capable of a 13 second pass at the track. If it's still not fast enough for you, spray it with a 100 shot.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

The cam and heads that you have listed will work. It doesn't sound like you need AFR heads, I would steer you towards Trick Flow:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tf...make/chevrolet
I ran them for a few years and liked them. They flow well and have a warranty and are quality pieces unlike some of the companies that just stamp their name on some cheap Chinese copies that can have god knows what issue. The AFR is a great head but you pay for it, I switched from the trick Flows to the AFR. The trick Flows will save you $500 over AFR and you can use the $500 to buy a stealth ram-Miniram is far overpriced with the amount of options that we now have for sbc efi intakes.

For the ecm look into Rbob's ecm package. It's plug and play and has rave reviews from members on here not to mention Rbob is good help. I would love to play with it but I've been so happy with my MegaSquirt I don't need to buy another ecm setup. Don't bother with Moates stuff anymore, it's not bad stuff it's just Rbobs is far ahead of it.

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

you're better off getting a larger stall converter, might as well put one in while the motor and trans is out instead of wanting one later on when the car is up and running.

edixon24

I'm kinda getting the idea I should probably go with the stall... that rbobs your talking about. You said its a direct fit to what I have... meaning I don't have to rip out my wiring harness? Do you maybe have a link to that so I can research it a little? Thanks fellas for the wisdom. It's much appreciated

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

http://www.dynamicefi.com/

You can also read alot about it in the diy prom board. It does have a price tag on it but its a direct swap. You don't have to rewire anything or use a new harness.

SR71BLKBRD

iTrader: (1)

Are you dead set on a 383? I am building mine currently and I can tell you if I could go back in time I would have just saved all the money I spent (well over 10k) and built an ls and dropped it in when I had everything. I would have saved money and come out with more power to the wheels. BUTTTT if youre set on the tpi why dont you pick up a set of AFR 195s get you a set of slp runners have them ported a bit and then put in a cam. that would pick it up a bit. I wouldnt suggest listening to people say building a race car cause its all about how deep YOUR pockets are and let me tell you like everyone told me even tho I didnt listen. ITS NEVER ENOUGH my cam swap and tranny replacement turned into a 383 Stealth ram with afr heads full out everything. I would suggest like most of the other people. Save and go ls. or build a junkyard 5.3 spend 5k and have a 6-1000hp ls. But again if youre dead set on TPI pick up a set of AFR heads with a cam. do the exhaust and then if thats not enough if the internals are forded go with a small 150 shot to keep that tpi breathing after the low end. jusat my .02 cents. if you have any questions about my 383 feel free to hit me up

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Flat tops wont play nice with stock heads. It will be 11:1 comp on 64 cc chambers

You need a 70+ cc head to get comp down. It would run with 11:1 in aluminum heads on 93 gas or e85 but need a big cam. Not exactly what you want sounds like

edixon24

update... so I went with the stealth ram setup and a cam with an rpm range of 2500-6000. my highway cruising speed is around 2500 rpm. without changing from the 3.27 gears what stall speed should I go with? Ive heard to go about 400 rpm higher than the min cam range but no higher than highway cruising rpms. what do I do? (without changing my gears) and will it hurt anything besides losing a little power during launch to go with a 2000 stall?

fbodyfreakls1

A 3000rpm stall would work great, 2000 is better than stock but not optimal. Putting a 3000 in will change your cruse rpm due to the converter not flashing till some were in that area. A rear gear would do you justice even tho you stated about not changing it, it wouldn't be a bad idea and make a good gain in performance of the car. What's the set up on the car? Engine and transmission wise? Did you use the 383? What heads did you go with? Hot rod mag built a 383 tpi engine, modified aftermarket if I recall edelbrock tpi, that made stupid power and retarded amazing torque! 2500 rpm sounds high for what should be a 700r4. I'll be interested to hear what path you took.

edixon24

Yea I built a 383 from the ground up. I went with trick flow 195 heads. The super 23s. I'm keeping the 700r4 for now but I'm pretty sure I'll be replacing it when I start putting that power to it. As soon as the snow flies I'll be doing the motor swap so hopefully here soon. All I have left is the stall and the tune. I'm thinking the EBL flash p4 for the computer. Here's a question. Would it be cheaper to build/beef up my 700r4 or do a swap to something else when it comes time? If so what's a good automatic trans that will hold up to that power? I'm guessing around 500hp.

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

Turbo 350 trans, I believe stock they handle up to 600horse

fbodyfreakls1

A th350 would be your cheapest option as far as just the trans, if you build the trans your self you can build a good 700 for under a grand. Jegs sells th350s that are rated at 450 for $850 with a one year warranty. I just put one in a 72 c10 I'll let you know what I think in a couple days when I get the drive shaft back. Also went with a jegs brand 3000 stall converter.