i have a 74 chevy 350 what would be the cheapest way to turn it into a 383

 

Good friends with extra parts laying around and who will do machine work for free.

"Cheap" is relative. A $6000 shortblock might be "cheap" to someone who races and runs the engine hard week in and week out. You'd probably do better with a crank, pistons, rings, and bearings kit from a place like Summit, and have your block machined by a local shop. If you can do die grinder clearancing work, that would make it cheaper than having the shop do it.

 

It might be cheapest to find a 383 crank and a set of stock 400 rods to use with your existing pistons. That might not be the best way, though.

 

Sounds like I have the set-up for you check it out.......

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...nk-6-rods.html

 

some 1 was telling me if i had some work doune to the block i could run a 400 crank is this true?if so what rods do i have to run and what has to be doune to the block

 

To run a 400 crank, you need to have the main journals on the crank ground down to fit the 350 block. These days the cost of having that done is usually pretty close to the cost of a brand new 383 crank, which is essentially a 400 crank with the journals already ground.

Regardless of what crank you use, the block may still need some clearance work around the oil pain rails and the bottoms of the cylinders to clear the rods.

 

you could run a 400 crank with 350 mains.. all you need is clearancing.. something that is easily done with a die grinder.. all the real "machining" you will need is to bore and hone.. maybe surface the deck to make sure its flat.. a 400 crank can use any length rods as long as you have the pistons to match..

enginekits.com
the $499 stroker kit
$199 balancing with (flexplate & balancer)
plus shipping from CA
http://shop.enginekits.com/osb/itemdetails.cfm?ID=81


strokerkits.com
also $499
not much info
forged I'beam rods
http://www.strokerkits.com/sbc_cast.htm

 

well i just had a 400 crank giving to me by my father whar can i find some pics of what you have to grind to make this fit?also i would like to make power 5000-5500 red line around 6k is this posible and any ideas on how to do it?
do i have to bore the block the moter did not have menny miles on it and still has good compreshion ?would like to fined a 72 cc head i can run with the tpi multi port system any 1 know of a set? running 58cc head now

 

You can't grind the journals at home. It's a precision machining operation.

 

anything is possible.. with my first 383, i made peak power at 5500.. it liked to be shifted at 5800 (heads were too small for more RPM).. you need to give alot more details on everything if you want someone to help you.. and for clearancing the block, its hard to show in a pic where to grind.. it helps to get your rotating assembly in there to see how much you actually need to grind.. the rod bolts stick out past the crank and where it hits, thats where you need to grind.. the block that is.

 

The only way to tell where clearancing is needed is to assemble and test fit all the parts.

You can see some of the typical spots where grinding was needed around the oil pan rails in this particular 383. Some grinding at the bottoms of some cylinders was also needed.

 

both moters are out of mid 70 trucks the 350 is a 4 bolt main plan to run the tpi multi port 5 speed right now the mulit port is on the stock 305 thats in the car plan to put a 350 in now i think im going to make it a 383 would like to be a mean street car. can i use the rod out of the 400?

 

well it cost me about $6000 or a little more from start to finish. and a lot of my time. i dont know what everyone else thinks but if i were to do it again i think i would save and buy a complete motor off of ebay from those that build and sell engines with specific dyno pulls. i am still waiting to see what mine will pull. and while im on the subject not trying to steal a thread here but how long should i wait to put my 383 on a dyno? but anyway just my thoughts as far as the engine is concerned.

 

Yes, you can use the rods out of the 400 along with normal 350 pistons to build a 383.

 

I think you're wrong about the pistons... I think with that stroke you have to have a piston for a 383 not a 350... Could be wrong but I don't think so

 

white85transam, you should obviously wait till after break in.. i put my first 383 on the dyno at about 800 miles or so..

rosco88ta, you CAN use 350 pistons, 400 rods and 400 crank.. the piston-deck height will be the same, so it is an option if you have the parts..
400 crank is 3.75" rods are 5.565"..
350 crank is 3.48", rods are 5.7"..
both measure 7.44" from the crank centerline..

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me, I learned something today.. Thank you Rosco

 

alright last comment off subject what is considered break in 1000?

 

bilt not bought also dount have the $$$ for a new one or a ls1 would be going in it
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any one now of a good set of heads for this set up would like 72 cc chambers i just dount think the 58cc are going to do it

 

for cam break in, i just run it on a stand at my machinist's shop for a broken up hour and a half.. 15 minutes on, 15 off, 15 on, 15 off, till it runs the full hour and a half.. then i go 500 miles additional break in.. then i let her loose..

EDIT: you can run the motor in your car as well.. my shortblock was at the shop, so i ran it there.. but make sure the temp doesnt go up too much.. 195 MAX!!!! take the thermostat out if you decide to do a stationary break in.. you can shoot the radiator with a garden hose if the temp rises too high..

 

wich cam should i use the 1 out of the 305 the one out of the 350 or the one out of the 400 if i use the one out of the 350 or 400 will i have any problems with the computer still planing to turn around max rpm 5500-6000 making power around 5000-5500 that what i would like to run at least so if any 1 has a setup let me know