Hey guys whats goin on? I was a member before but i couldnt remember my old sign on. Last year I picked up a 89 iroc z with a 5.7. My wife hates it but i love it! Its basically been parked for a year now. I bought it with the intention of it some day being a nice weekend vehicle. I'd like to drop a 383 in it but i am lost with all the different options. I'd like to have around 400whp. I also will end up going with a stealth ram.My budget would be around 4500-7000.
My question for all of you is.
Should I go with a crate from jegs or summit? or pick a short block and add on to it?
If i go with a shortblock what combos do you guys recommend?

 

I think the easiest way of doing it would be to buy a shortblock and add to it. When I built my 383 I ended up going back and forth to the machine shop for different stuff (for example the rod bolts were hitting my cam lobes--not enough clearance) and it can be a headache. Shooting for 400rwhp--I'd recommend the HSR with AFR 195 heads. Check out Orr89RocZ's build here: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/vbga...ber-24611.html He had right around 400rwhp and was running mid 11's in the 1/4 mile.

 

a short block with a cast crank 5.7 rods with arp bolts and forged pistons would be fine for 400+hp. slap on some afr's or WP sportsman II heads with 202 & 1.6 valves, a healthy small base circle hydraulic roller cam and roller rockers, a cloyes double roller timing set with the three way cam advance/retard keyways. 7qt oil pan, high volume, standard pressure oil pump, griffin radiator or equivlant, depending if your crank is externally/enternally ballanced, a good dampner and sfi flex plate. -8 feed line and a fuel pump upgrade are in order as well, hooker long tubes and a good flowing exhaust, u should achieve your goals easy with a 7k budget.

hell with 7k i could build an engine well over 500hp, but keep in mind with more power there will be a few weak links that need to be addressed, ie sub frame connectors, trans and rear end.

 

thanks for the replies. i know there will def be things thatll need to be tweaked and ill def do so. I like the afr heads. I set up i was looking at was Cast steel Scat 3.750 crankshaft. Hypereutectic pistons, 10.4 CR. 5.7" 4340 I-beam rods. AFR 195 cc aluminum heads. Hydraulic roller cam & lifters. Clevite 77 bearings. Milodon oil pan. Gold timing cover. Felpro and Corteco gaskets used. ARP performance bolts used throughout. steel balancer. SFI flexplate.
The only issue i had with that was the cast steel. Anyone with a similiar setup? wouldnt it necessary to go forged?

 

forgded pistons in my book are a no brainer. they arent all that much more $$ than hypers and are far better, and a must if you add n20 later. an eagle cast crank is fine up to 500hp. not sure on the scat. now if you are assembling the short block your self, take into consideration block prep/machiening.

btw i am running a eagle cast crank in my ride.