I'm interested in learning more about dropping a 383 into a 3rd gen car, I need to know what model car is easiest to make a swap, rather it be a TBI, or TPI. Any information would be greatly appreciated and I'm trying to find out all I need to know. I appreciate any help thanks again.
-Dan

 

I assume you mean a 350 bored .030 over w/ a 400 crank. It will swap in as easy (if you consider it that) as any other small block. Yo keep it a little less painful, you would want to find a car that already has a 305 or 350 in her.

 

Yeah, 350 with stroker kit. Does it make it any easier if its a TBI, or a TPI, or are they both the same when it comes to wiring it up?

 

It depends on what you want to do, mainly how fast you want to go and do you want to pass smog.

If you do not have to pass smog, I like the LG4 and L69 factory carbed cars to do the swap with a carb.
An 82 Lg4/Auto is perfect for this application. No intank pump to deal with so you can run a standard mechanical pump. Already carbed which makes a non smog carb motor swap easier. Also 82 cars are easy to put a stout (turbo 350) transmission into because the driveshaft they come with is the length needed for a turbo 350 application.

As for TBI/TPI, TPI 383's will make tons of torque and probably will pass smog as long as all smog equipment is maintained as well as a smog profile cam is run.

With TBI, I wouldnt do it . A lot of people run truck TBI units on bigger motors, but I think TPI for fuel injection or CARB for a cheap, non smog street machine.

Seth

 

Like was prevously stated a carb car would be easiest. The q-jet will flow enough for a 383 and it just might pass emissions. IMO factory fuel infection will just choke the motor. If you want fuel infection go with DFI. BTW the swap is straight forward in any year car that came with a v8.

 

Yeah, I just did the 383 swap myself. The easiest tuning method would be carb. It may or may not be the cheapest method (depending on what your car has in it to begin with), but will get you set up the quickest.
I kept TBI, just went with the Holley 670cfm. It's going to be a pain to tune the chip, but any FI will be like that. She pulls real strong even before tuning, better than I was expecting. Tons of low and mid range torque, but I haven't brought her past 4k yet, as the engine is still being broken in. I expect her to pull to around 5,000-5,500rpm though. Keeping TBI cost me $280 for the bigger TBI and $150 for 85pph injectors. I do plan on swapping to a 4bbl 900cfm TBI down the road, so I can take advantage of the 6,500rpm red line.
You can go TPI if you have the money to spend, and will make better more efficient power than TBI or carb. If you keep the stock TPI you will run out of air flow fast. Runners, intake, injectors, and a TB is what you are going to need if you go with TPI. If you have the money, but don't want the hassles of changing out harnesses and what not, a TPI car is what you should look for IMO.
If I were you and had the money though, I would go with an aftermarket FI such as the stealth ram, etc. Unfortuanlty, the "if I had money" part is what kept me from doing this.
Just keep in mind that you will need to swap fuel pumps if you plan on the engine making good power. Also, if you buy a FI car and decide to go carb, there is a tech arcticle on how to do it, as there is also a tech arcticle on how to swap from TBI to TPI.

 

A cc q-jet is pretty much bolt on and go. I mean you have to change the rods and hangars but the q-jet flows plenty for pretty much anything.