Would it be possible to build up a good 383 with about 400+ hp for around $3,000?

 

That's no challenge. Whaddaya got?

 

I dont have anything yet but im looking to get a 3rd gen camaro and drop a 383 in it. im just wondering what all would need to be done. Money is an issue as i only have maybe $5,000 or so for this car, im plannin on buying a cheap camaro and working from there. Im hoping in the end to have a decent street / strip car that can run low 12's.

Any input is greatly appreciated

 

You have a few other things to consider. One, a decent car should run you more like $4500, and for $5000 you could get a '95 Z28. But if that's not for you, then subtract fully $1000 from your budget to cover headers , y-pipe, and 3" exhaust with high-flow muffler. Now you're down to $4000. And you're gonna need insurance, inspection and registration, there goes another $500. Plus you're gonna want decent tires, and that calls for an alignment, and you better check out the brakes. Now you're down to $3000 to get the car and modify it. If we use your figure of $2000 for the car, that leaves you $1000 for the engine, trans and rear. If the car has a 700R-4, there goes your remaining $1000 replacing that. So there goes the 383 for now.
But if you do find $3000 to put into a 383, it's no challenge to exceed 400 hp on that budget.

 

Well, im getting a cheap car so that wont be an issue, plus i will be working in college so i will be able to put more money into the car and my friends and i will do all the labor we can ourselves.

As for the 700r4, im new to camaros and you said it would need to be replaced. Im assuming it isnt the greatest transmission, and if not, what would you suggest.

 

there is nothing wrong with the 700 r4 transmission. It has a very low first gear, so it will come out of the hole quick, and having an OD works wonders for the streets. If I was you I would first look into sub frame connectors. Since they are all uni body, this is a must. Next I would change the tranny fluid and filter. Get a good set of headers, muffler and 3 inch catback. The biggest thing would be a good torque converter. I don't know much about the cam your going to put in but I would recommend a 3000 lock up converter. Good sticky tires for the rear is a good idea. Other than that if you can find a decent 383 on the boards here for sale, you might get the best deal that way, instead of buying all the parts separate and putting it together yourself. My advice for the rear end, which it comes with a 10 bolt or if your lucky maybe a 9 bolt, if there is nothing wrong with it, why replace it? Run with it until it breaks and then buy either a moser of 9 inch

 

I love the 700, but it is the weakest link in these cars, and if yours hasn't been "built" (and not just a stock rebuild) it WILL give you grief, sooner or later, in one way or another. In stock form, they are fine for grandma's Caprice, but in our cars, they are problematic at best.
If you want to start mapping out an engine combo, here's one all of my customers love. I have it in a Camaro that I'll let them drive under certain conditions. It's an '87-up block, wearing a pair of Patriot Freedom 185cc heads, a Weiand AirStrike intake, 1.625" headers, and a COMP XE276HR cam. It puts down 353 rwhp and 359 rwtq. I built it for under $2000, but the machine work was free because I'm an automotive machinist by trade. So you could do it for under $3000.

 

If your going to beef up the 700 r4. Probuilt makes the best rebuild kit for like 450 bucks, and is rated either up to 550 horse of 650 I can't remember. And since mine has been rebuilt, I have had no problems with it. If your interested call and talk to Dana

 

For the transmission i was thinking about buying a cheap turbo 400 and having it rebuilt. Would that be a good idea or is there something better for the money?

Thanks

 

are you going to be driving this on the streets?

 

Yes definitely, like i said it will be street / strip but honestly it will be a lot more street. Why do you ask, is the turbo400 not great on the street?

 

the TH400 eats more power than any other, it takes alot of work to swap one in, it doesn't have a decent first gear ratio, it doesn't have an overdrive, and it doesn't have converter lockup.

 

no overdrive.
taller first gear.

the taller first gear means you will need to change your rear gear to get the same acceleration in first
no overdrive means you will be spinning over 3000 at 65 mph with those gears.


its your choice, but as much as people dog the 700r4, they are only justified in doing so if it is in its stock (bone stock) form.
if it were my money, id just buy one when the current one pukes on you.
i did the whole game of getting mine rebuilt to handle the power...
let me tell you buddy.
its not worth it.

i lost first and fourth gear so i took it to be rebuilt.
the guy quoted me 1100 up front to completely rebuild the internals with new parts and make it live up to whatever i threw at it.
after 6 months of waiting ( the guy was also a moron) i ended up with a transmission that i am not happy with and an additional 700 missing from my wallet.
in addition to the extra money i spent and immense aggrivation, i have a transmission that is un-necessarily harsh from 1-2, lets the revs flare from 2-3 and 3-4, and never ever ever locks up in 4.
also, i have a cut up TV cable so it is now impossible to set it to "factory specs"

i suggest buying a trans from someone who sells and builds transmissions, and only transmissions, for a living...

instead, get this:
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...m.php?ITEMID=9

or even better, this:
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...php?ITEMID=681

you will be much happier

 

sounds like someone screwed with your transmission and did not know what they were doing. If its rebuilt right, you should not have problems. I am not

 

thats just it though.
its all in who does it and if you are lucky.
i realize i was screwed, and charged way too much.
the point i was trying to make is that you could chance it on a rebuild, or get a proven combo, with a warranty, from a company that does only one thing... build great transmissions.

 

Ok, well the camaro i am getting has a bad 700r4, would you guys suggest having it rebuilt? I have no problem buying a different transmission and having it rebuilt instead, just wondering what transmissions would be best for my car.

Any suggestions on trannys?

Thanks

 

I agree with the dragon, call BowTie Overdrives, I've used one of their level 2 versions for over 170,000 miles now, including a summer in my '88 Camaro that ran low 10s at the dragstrip. This proves their quality, and their prices are also better than most others.

 

Ok, im most likely gonna save up for the lvl 2 700r4 from BowtieOverdrives.

Now for the engine...
Im getting a 350 to make a 383 and i was wondering which 350 would be the best to start with, this is going to be a budget build, but which engine would be the best bang for the buck.

L98, LT1, LS1, or what others?

 

any gen1 block with a 4.00" bore will do.
personally, id go with a roller cam block (87 and newer) so you can run more aggressive cam profiles without danger during initial startup and break in.

unless you like the extra work, dont do a lt1 or ls1.
my personal belief is that if you are going to go through the trouble to do a lt1, you might as well do a ls1. thing is, lt engine are just barely less money than a ls engine, but you really dont improve that much over a gen1.

id go for a roller cam 383. keep the tpi if you wont rev past 4000 rpms much and you want to be able to spin the tires all through first and most of second shifting at 3500 rpms.
a carb will make more power but be less fun on the street. you will have more fun at the track though with a carb if you are in to that kind of thing.
tuning is easier (imo) with EFI because you plug in a chip and go. you can have one custom tuned or do it yourself. you dont have to be constantly messing with jet sizes and timing the acceleration pump perfectly. ect...

if you do keep the TPI, run as high compression as you can, and use aluminum heads if you can afford it. otherwise the engine will feel lazy due to the intake restriction of the TPI at high rpms

 

You don't make a 383 out of an LS1. You can stroke them, but it won't be a 383.

LT1 and LS1 are a whole different ballgame. Not that they shouldn't be considered, but a different set of rules will need to be applied. First, if you do either one of them, you shouldn't do a TH700R-4 - go to a 4L60E or 4L65E. BTO has that covered, too.

Now, you can make a 383 out of an LT1, but you'll have the extra complications of the LT1 swap (and don't even ask about carb'd LT1). You will be more limited on head choices, but a 383 LT1 block with an LT4 kit wouldn't be a snail by any stretch.

But, assuming we're talking about your basic Gen I 383, I'd start with an '87-up 350 block. Doesn't matter if it's L98, LO5, L31, whatever, as long as it is one-piece rear main seal and machined for the roller lifter provisions, you'll have a good foundation for a 383. Then, you'll have to decide on heads (an L31 longblock wouldn't be a bad start - arguably the best bang for buck), induction, etc.

 

Allright, a Gen 1 '87-up 350 block it is, thanks.

Should i only get it if its a 4bolt main? It will be street / strip and im goin for 350ish horse plus a 100 or 125 shot of nitrous. Im tryin to run mid to low 12's for a start.

Also, i know the L98 is a tpi, what about the LO5 and L31?

 

Anyone?

 

ditch the tpi and bolt on a stealth ram....cheap and on heck of an upgrade!