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Whats best engine?

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Old Apr 10, 2002 | 11:54 PM
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ThirdgenCam's Avatar
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From: Indinapolis Indiana
Whats best engine?

Whats the best engine swap that will fite in a camaro?? Thats has lots of power? and that will fite onder the hood with out have a hood scoop that stick up to high i want one maybe 2 inch off hoood ut no higher and i want it an atomatic can you help me??? :hail:
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 01:58 AM
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83 MidniteZ's Avatar
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It really your decision on what you want to drop in there. 350's are probably the most common, because they are readily available, cheap to build, and can be made into high horsepower monters. I would like to drop a 400 small block into my next car mated to a T-56 and take it to town, but that's just me!

Also you never stated what type of automatic transmission you have, but to build a high-torquing motor you may have to rebuild your current tranny or go with a stronger one.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 03:46 AM
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best for the money I'd say is a rebuilt LT1 350 as a 383 with t56 6speed.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 07:29 AM
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Will the 383 have 6 gears or 4? and would it be able to be souped up really easily? and would this have like lots of power like enough to site in place and smoke the trires and what do you tihnkit would un on a corter mile with just stock 383 in it??
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 08:02 AM
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First off... a 383 does not have 6 or 4 gears... it's the engine. The T-56 is a 6 speed, if I'm not mistaken.

The 383 is a torque monster. It likes to roast the meats naturally. IMO, the 383 is already 'souped' up since you stroked it from a 350 to a 383. That's a good upgrade from a 350.

The quarter mile varies greatly from setup to setup. There is no way I can specify the 1/4 times from just a general speculation about the 383. I've seen 383 that are blown with nitrous run sub 9's. I've seen 383 equipped with the stock TPI (which chokes them) run around 14's to 13's. It depends on how well you let that engine breathe.

Humvee
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 12:51 PM
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From: Stevens Point Wisconsin
Car: 1991 Formula
Engine: 350 firebreathing inches of Small Block Chevrolet
Transmission: A 700R4 that has trouble handling the formentioned 350.
First off let me assume that from the 383 gear statment that your not a professional mechanic. But rather than spending gobs of money on stroking a 350 to a 383, go with a true 400. These motor are rare compared to a 350 but not much more expensive. Plus a 400 has gobs of torque, if you are interested in roasting tires and quick acceleration the 400 is it, and there are no cooling problems with a 400 that's just a myth.
So since your not an experienced mechanic stick with stock parts, don't go spend big bucks on a T-56 or a 383 just start out with the stock basics and as you learn get to the better stuff.
And if you do decided to build a 383 get the right heads, you need small cc heads for the 383 to boost compression.
Good Luck, CamaroFreak406
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 02:55 PM
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383!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:hail:
'nuf said about it above.....but I agree.....have someone build it for you. There is more to a 383 than simply changing crank and pistons.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 03:53 PM
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I said 383 LT1 because the cost of good heads and good TPI system for a 400 is gonna be nuts. The LT1 can have its heads ported and doesn't "need" a new intake.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 06:16 PM
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455 buick or 500 caddy, straight out of the junkyard with mabey a mild cam swap your running 12's all day
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Old Apr 13, 2002 | 08:59 AM
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I'd make a hot 383 attach a 4.10 gear and a t-56 and go kill some stangs! Or if you want to get serious make a 406
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Old Apr 13, 2002 | 10:32 PM
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I am with TempesT68 with the 500, it would be the cheapest way to go if you are worried about $ and was looking to actually go fast for cheep. But if you got a little more I would just go with a BBC nice 454 doest have to be any thing special just nice reliable power.
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Old Apr 15, 2002 | 01:17 PM
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From: Montgomery, AL
Big blocks are great for power and will fit in the engine bay of a third-gen...............
Just hope you never have to change the plugs
They are hard enough with a small block
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Old Apr 16, 2002 | 07:48 AM
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If you really want a good engine, that is fast, has a lot of power, fits in a 3rd gen F-body and can be modified cheaply with significant results. You want the 3.8 turbo out of a GN or TTA. Can't be beat it. And, when you are just crusing around and not on the boost you get 25 mpg. Powerful yet efficient.
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Old Apr 18, 2002 | 07:45 PM
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From: Nashville TN
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: 355 HSR
Transmission: Pro-Built 700r4 w/ 3400 converter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt w/ 3.42 gears
just go and get a ZZ4 crate motor..... that is what i am planning on doing!!! its already set up for a automatic from some places
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Old Apr 18, 2002 | 08:17 PM
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My vote is on the 377 with a DFI injection of some sort.

The 3.8 SFI motor out of a GN/TTA (really only the 86-87 GN's are worth it) are only as powerful as they are because of the turbocharger. Slap a turbo on a small V8 and everyone will be seeing your tailights more than the 231 V6.
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Old Apr 19, 2002 | 11:28 AM
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From: Northern California
Car: 1992 Camaro Z28 & 2k3 Cadillac CTS
Engine: LB9
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3:43
Just buy a merlin big block 632 gasoline motor. They are in summit racing catalogs and advertise over 1k horsepower. With that, you can definitely "sit in place and smoke the tires" and you'd surely be able make some low e.t's assuming you've upgraded your suspension and drivetrain to go along with it.
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Old Apr 19, 2002 | 11:40 AM
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From: Mays Landing NJ
Car: 2018 Camaro SS
Engine: LT1 w/Paxton 1500SL
Originally posted by turboscott
If you really want a good engine, that is fast, has a lot of power, fits in a 3rd gen F-body and can be modified cheaply with significant results. You want the 3.8 turbo out of a GN or TTA. Can't be beat it. And, when you are just crusing around and not on the boost you get 25 mpg. Powerful yet efficient.

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Old Apr 19, 2002 | 11:41 AM
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From: Mays Landing NJ
Car: 2018 Camaro SS
Engine: LT1 w/Paxton 1500SL
Originally posted by iroc22

The 3.8 SFI motor out of a GN/TTA (really only the 86-87 GN's are worth it) are only as powerful as they are because of the turbocharger. Slap a turbo on a small V8 and everyone will be seeing your tailights more than the 231 V6.
of course it'd beat a LC2 but he said he wanted an easy an easy swap. With no turbo kits for a L98 everything would have to be fabbed, and have fun tuning it...i'm still waiting for a turbo L98 kit to come out, i'd go buy another GTA for that simple reason
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Old Apr 19, 2002 | 12:53 PM
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From: Appleton, WI. 54914
Car: 91 Firebird
Engine: L03
Transmission: Auto
thirdgencam............

from the sounds of it, you should maybe just buy a crate motor, take your car to a reputable place and have them install it. Don't stroke it, if you know what that means, and don't put on blowers, nitrous or turbo's. All that may end up just confusing you. A ZZ4 would be plenty of power to "sit and spin the tires" and won't even stick out of your hood! FYI, I can sit and spin the tires, cough cough, well, tire in my LO3 Firebird too, so don't use that as a benchmark for power!!
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Old Apr 19, 2002 | 05:14 PM
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Originally posted by fly89gta


of course it'd beat a LC2 but he said he wanted an easy an easy swap. With no turbo kits for a L98 everything would have to be fabbed, and have fun tuning it...i'm still waiting for a turbo L98 kit to come out, i'd go buy another GTA for that simple reason
Yeah it would cost way too much to make a turbo L98 when compared to a 231 SFI
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Old Apr 20, 2002 | 10:02 PM
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From: Green River
IROC22, you said a 377.... I know what it is (a de-stroked 400), but have you ever ran one? I've never even laid eyes on one, but know they're very comparable to a 383, but with more torque. Is this right, or am I just hearing wrong.....

What about for a NO2 setup? What would you all go with, a 377 or a 383? I'm running a carbed 355 and love it, but it just doesn't have enough poop.

-Tyrell
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Old Apr 21, 2002 | 02:42 PM
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can I take a LT1 out of a wrecked caprice and put it in my 88 iroc without too much trouble. would i be able to use my tpi by just changing the injectors? does the LT1 already have tpi? and can I use my tranny because of the mechanical/electrical speedo issues.....
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Old Apr 21, 2002 | 05:21 PM
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A 377 is more of a road race engine vs. the 383. The 383 will put down more torque across the RPM range because of it's longer stroke.

No I've never ran one, but I have been around them before and the bore/stroke seems like a good combo.
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Old Apr 22, 2002 | 06:45 PM
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From: winthrop harbor, il & plymouth, il
Car: 1986 camaro
Engine: 383 sbc
Transmission: th-400
Axle/Gears: 4th Gen 10 bolt/Detroit TrueTrac 4.
itll take some modification but how bout the infamous 426 hemi or not. thatll produce some power for ya. by the way can i borrow 15 grand for the hemi. i am kinda broke right now, hahalol yeah right. if money is no object and u wanna keep it chevy i would find an ol rat motor like the 427s.
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