I have begun yet another motor build. My neighbor is going to have his friend build me a 383 motor. He has some ideas about what parts to use, etc. Its going in an 86 camaro with a 700 R4. I know there are many people out there with 383 motors, and I was wondering if you care to share your parts combos? If you have had them dyno'ed that would be great to show the results. Im looking for around 500hp w/o nitrous. Has anyone acheived that with daily driveability?

 

i dont have a 383 but a 355. i would recomend a powerplus intake. they are pretty expensive but they work really good. i run the pretty tall airgap model. i also run a holly 4150 hp 750 carb. i also put forged pistons and arp bolts in my motor so now i really dont have to worry about my nos blowing stuff up. you also need to think about your compression. if your going to ever add a blower or turbo then you need to go with lower numbers. i run 8.5 to 1 with hopes of adding a blower. i also run a PBM 290 cam and i really like it. and last but not least i run nitrous. i put this motor in an 86 camaro that i drive a few days a week and it does fine. dynoed 510 at the rear w/out nos.

 

Define "daily driveability".

From a practical standpoint, it isn't going to happen. If you're a glutton for punishment, however, it'll be fine.

 

we got a little over 500hp with a 350 N/A and it was daily driven for a very short time....but at the time streetability wasnt a problem for me i had 3 other vehicles to drive

i was one of the glutton for punnishment types when we did this engine.....young and dumb now im older and well a smidge wiser.......

its possible but as five7 stated its all in a matter of what you think can be "daily driven" and what isnt some people think a blown , tubbed , bigblock running 800 hp is "daily driveable" .....some think anything over 400 hp isnt "daily driveable" its all up to what you think is and isnt streetable.

 

My 385 consists of a Cola forged crank, Eagle H beam 6" rods, SRP dished pistons, 9.2:1 CR, AFR 190s ported and polished, Comp Cams blower cam, Comp Cams valvetrain, Hooker LTs, custom y-pipe and 4" exhaust. As for power, I dunno, not enough!!! I built the motor to be blown, I am currently looking for a tranny, iching for a manual, then I will begin saving for the blower. Time is my biggest enemy though. Never enough time to do the big projects any more... Oh well, thats what leave is for...

 

A 230-236 112-114 lsa cam with decent heads and longtubes with the right intake will get you there. My old cam was 230-236 .575 .578 114 lsa and passed emissions and drove fine.

Remember: you can pass emissions with many tricks, you can crutch big cams with more gear and streetability is subjective.

People look at me like I'm crazy when at a stoplight at idle, but I think it's 'streetable'.

 

I get the same thing w/ my setup and its a baby cam IMO. I need bigger. Its all in your head as to what you can take...

 

Agreed. The only way this is possible in my opinion is to go for a motor with more cubes. Not because a motor with more displacement is necessarily going to make more horsepower, but because it is going to have a better idle quality and seem more streetable with the same parts as a smaller displacement engine.

It really depends on your definition of streetable.

 

how much gains are usually gotten by taking a 350 and turning into a 383 anyways?

 

(383 - 350) / 350 x 100% = 9.4%

 

510 at the rear without nitrous??? What the hell did you have for internals and heads? And what are the specs on that cam?

 

Its gonna be tough to get a 383 to get 500 at the wheels, at the motor it shouldn't be no problem with a big cam. Remember, the more cubes you got, the more cam you can get away with.

 

true but it also depends on the clearance of the heads and you can always fly cut the pistons and even the heads if you wanted a huge cam. I have a big solid roller in mine, 264/267 duration @.050 and a .596 lift. Its a 355. Not running yet but hopefully making at least 500hp all motor.

 

Spend all your money on the heads, my shortblock is a factory stock as one could get with cast parts and hyperutectics slugs.

For a daily driven substitue the solid roller for a hyd roller and you will have one potent combo. I wish i could drive mine daily, but dont think it's pull my work trialer too well with no hitch LOL. But I'm able to guzzle-literally-pump gas 93 octane and have made many trips down the hwy heading to cruise spots, cruising in parades/car cruises. If I had the benefit of OD or gearvendor I would not think twice about driving it anywhere, but this set-up does like fuel. 20 minutes down the interstate at 65mph 35-3800rpm, about 10 passes down the track with the warm-up ritual since it was very cold that day, then 10 minutes back to a gas station used 10 gallons

 

Yes, I have achieved around 500 hp without nitrous and retained my daily driveability, but it's with a 465 cubic inch Pontiac 455, 10:1 compression, modern cam, intake and Hooker headers, in a 1968 Firebird. It's incredibly powerful, but will run as mildly as you want without a hickup, burp, or fart. Your wish is its command.

The reason it works so well is because of the amount of torque these motors are known to produce at low rpms, a lot like a 383 mouse motor (sbc). You can put a little cam in it, but don't go overboard. Same with the compression, and money put into the best heads is money well spent. Last lesson, bigger ISN"T better! Smaller port heads with excellent velocity and flow capability with good swirl characteristics, dual plane manifold, and a smaller carb will usually do better on the street than Humoungo heads, valves, cam, and carb on a huge single plane. Save THAT stuff for the dragstrip! Most folks never exceed 4000 rpm in city driving.