I have a 1981 350 4 bolt main block thats been bored .30 over already, and has been run for a year, then torn apart so it needs honed and cleaned up.

I plan on running 150 hp shot of nos on the motor so the crank, rods, and pistons will be upgraded to forged so now this sets me in a delima.

I already have to get all the machine work done so haveing the stuff done to change over to a 383 is no big deal. I also am buying a new crank rods and pistons so thus once again no big deal as the price is only $40 difference in the 2.

Looking for the pros and cons of the 355 vs the 383.

The car will be drove a LOT, and ran down the track once a month (1/4 mile) and if things go right i'll have a t5 behind the motor.

Also plan on upgradeing to dart or some other aftermarket heads this spring when im done with body work and drop the motor down...

Looking for the best torque.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

"Looking for the best torque" and "t5" are somewhat of a contradictory.

If it were me I would do the 383 hands down, but with a t5 behind it you're going to have to take the launches easy unless you get the tranny built up a bit.

383 may take more gas, but it's easier to get more power without sacrificing drivability.

A 383 is about the same price as a 355, so why not?

 

Torque is king in street cars and the 383 will help you get there easier.

 

Ive never build a 383 so ill need a little help, may just as the machine shop the newbie questons. Like witch rods and pistons to get, i do want to keep it fairly low comp dew to gas being high as heck....

I do know i want a nasty cam in it, but havnt yet picked one out.

As for the t5, i know there fairly week, but a t56 is just way to much for me right now. i was going to use an old 4 speed manual but i was told there a pain in the rear to get them in and correct, something about the clutch.

 

383.

 

I thought you were getting rid of your car? What happened to you 700r4 id use that before a t5 on anything other than a 305. But definitely 383 gets my vote

 

I'd say, since you're changing out the parts in question anyway, and the cost is the same, it makes no sense to leave it a 350.

Would you go to the grocery store with $5 in your hand, look at steak that's $5 a pound, and tell the guy to only give you 13 ounces for your $5? Same deal here. It's not so much about "motors", it's economics. Don't outsmart yourself: just GET THE MOST YOU CAN FOR YOUR MONEY.

The T-5 won't last behind a 350 if you thrash it, even moderately; leaving some potential cubes on the table and walking away, won't keep it alive. If you plan on abusing it, start saving for a T-56 swap, no matter what motor you put in it. Even a 6-cyl. I would in fact recommend doing that before changing heads; heads won't matter much with a pile of shrapnel between the flywheel and drive shaft. It'll make just as nice of a lawn ornament with stock heads as with Darts. Put your next money on what will take the car off the road, not on making it take itself off the road even faster.

 

383 with t56. since youre replacing everything but the block, and have to machine the block. you might wanna just get a new block instead. youll wind up spending near $1000 at the machine shop getting everything cleaned up, and bored out. I spent $800 on my machine work for my 388 stroker and it was already clearanced. summit blocks are around $700 and come already bored, honed and clearanced. plus you can step up to a roller block for just a few bucks more.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-150100/

 

Here's a link of a few builds that I really like. I plan on following the building very closely when I build my 383. You can go with a slightly hotter cam if you want.
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...s/viewall.html

 

My machine shop owener is a friend of mine from school (he is a teacher at the vo-teck) and told me around $200 for me to get the works done to the block, and thats EVERYTHING needed.

Hey WES, my gf yelled at me when i went to go trade the car off for a truck, she was so mad cuz are first real date was in that car, and she spent a lot of time helping me work on it... (handing me tools and saying oh that looks pritty lol) so i'm keeping her for a while longer and doing all the things i wanted to do in the first place.

IROCtheROAD thanks for the link i'll deffently be checking that out.


A t56 is just a little to spendy for me right now, and i do have connectshons on parts for the t5 and t56 to beef them both up for less then what most people can get a blown one for. Only issue is i need ALL the stuff to set up for the swap first.