well guys i am just about ready to spray my car with a fresh coat of paint then after that the motor is needed to be built i guess. I do have a question though should i go 383 or 454 some of my buddies say 454 others say 383 so i figured i should ask my camaro loving brothers...yall. i want this car to be one bad to the bone street/strip car. i want at least 500 hp. i figured a 454 would be better to get that kinda HP and i also figured it would do it a lil easier. the 350 that was in it just wasnt cutting it anymore. so i need your guys opinions, especially you guys that are running these motors yourselves (or some what of the same I.E. guys running a big block.) thanxs yall.

 

I hope you know what you're in for. I have a 450 HP sea level engine in a 3900 lb car, even at altitude where the power is down, I know how scary it can get. More power, less weight - recipe for trouble.

A 454 certainly would be able to make that kind of power without breathing as hard. Of course, the whole car will have to be beefed up to take it.

 

yea i know kinda what i am getting myself into. im a mature young man for my age. My boss actually thinks that it is kinda weird. anyway i am not going to be running down the highway doing stupid things that most kinds my age would do and try to get myself killed. my life is not even halfway through and i want to see the rest. i have driven a drag car before (my uncles) and it was surely scary and an adrenaline rush to say the least. his car runs 5.xx in th 1/8 not exactly slow. i didnt drive as good as he does but how could i. i plan on welding in a cage, sub frame connectors, 9" rear and built th350/400.

 

That's the way to go.

 

Why stop at a 383? Build a 406 or 434. Why stop at a 454 when a 540 is the same size externally.

The first question I always ask when I hear someone who wants 500hp is "Have you ever driven a street car with 500hp?" Most people are quite happy with 350HP and 400HP is usually more than enough.

Building a high HP car is more than just an engine. The entire driveline and chassis need to be able to handle all that power. Magazine articles and the new TV shows make it look too easy but there are many things they don't explain about having a high HP vehicle.

 

thanxs for the input stephen but i really want to do this and i am not going to change my mind. I will strengthen the rest of the car just like i stated above including all new suspensions upgrades. im not just building a motor and dropping it into a stock car. i am basically changing the whole car. when i am done if you hold pictures of the before and after of my car you wont even think its the same.

 

About the only thing still original on my car is the front fenders and most of the main body. Everything else has been changed or modified. It's far from ever being street legal again but I bought this car as a street legal car with the intent on making a full race car. From the day I owned it, I've never driven it on the street. The day after it was delivered to me by the previous owner, I started to gut it out.