Hi there guys & gals!
I have a question about a 383-89 block for 1100 dollars that im about to buy. Do any one think that I'm getting a good deal? here's what the motor consist of:
1. new scat crank 3.75 stroke
2. new hyper pistons .30 over flat tops
3. everything was balanced & blue printed
4. roller timing chain set
5. new cam & lifters ( factory style roller)
6. windage tray for oil pan
7. high pressure oil pump
My next question.
Do u think that I can drop that short block in my 86 tpi with the stock heads?
I know the 305 heads are all wrong but i do not have enough money for the heads & the short block all at once! The stock 305 in my car smokes when u start it up (129,569 miles on it), I know that I need valve stem seals & probaly guide work. should i go with the head work for the 305 or buy the 383 short block while its right in my face.
So what do u guys think I have until friday to make a decision, also the car needs to be painted badly! I have $2000.00 to work with please give me some good advice.
thanx!
njdaewoo

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86 Tramaro 90% Trans Am/ 10% IROC/Z (nose, hood,& fenders)
Trans Am Mods as of 1/10/01
3inch
T.E.S/Flowmaster setup,gutted cat,gutted maf,relocated mat,373 gears,upgraded factory chip,255 liter h/press. walpro f/pump & throttle body coolant bypass
njdaewoo@excite.com

 

buy the short block, and with the money left over buy a set of dart heads. the 305 heads make good wheel chocks.

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85 IROC 350 11:1keith blacks,.555lift erson roller cam,1.5 crane roller rockers,edelbrock intake,holley 4150 750dbl pumper, nitrous oxide,full length heddman headers,true dual exhaust, 11"stall converter, 700R4, 3.73 locker

 

When I was running a "cheap" 383 I was able to run high 11's with it. The bottom end was entirly stock with stock cast pistons. A good cam and some heavily worked over double hump heads was all it took.

I still have all the specs on the engine on my web page if you want to see everything it had in it.

If I had better parts in the bottom end, the engine would still be around but I never built it. I raced it for 2 years before a piston disintegrated and it threw a rod. It gave me a chance to build a proper engine and I went to a big block.

305 heads won't flow enough air for a 383. You'd be better off finding some stock replacement 350 heads. A little port and polishing and they'll work fine.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block

Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.69
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 127.76
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 504.5
Best 60 foot: 1.546

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

Thanx for the input, but what about the paint job? I have multi color pieces all over the nose of the car( the car is burgundy with a white hood , black fenders, white bumper cover! what would u guys do first? speed or looks? that short block is nice but the car looks like crap! I just dont know what to do & with my $2000.00 limit I cant afford everything(paint job , engine , heads)! so again I ask what should I do?
njdaewoo

 

Looks are not everything when your car is all nice and painted but cannot be moved out of the drive way. Keep it running first then worry about the paint job. Just my thoughts though

 

My first year racing with the car it looked ugly. The paint wasn't bad but I had a stock 82 fiberglass hood that was originally white and I spray bombed it black. A few races later I picked up some non power option doors. After gutting them as much as I could, they also got spray bombed just so the car would be entirly black. The front spoiler had lots of rock chips on the paint and the front rims were steel flat black.

That first year I was only running high 13's, low 14's so I wasn't concerned about how it looked.

Even the paint job that's on the car now isn't perfect. It won't win any show and shines but it looks good in pictures and going down the track. That's where it counts the most.

What good is a paint job is the car doesn't move? Even the hot rodders will do everything else to the car before painting it. Red Oxide is also low maintanence paint plus it matches everything.

An unpainted car can also be a real sleeper. If it looks fast then they expect it to be fast. If it looks like grandma'a car then they don't expect anything.



[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited May 23, 2001).]

 

Okay sounds like i have some engine planning to do! What head & cam should I go with? The block is the roller design 383 & remeber after I buy the short block that leaves me with 900.00$ left for everything else. I have a stock 305 tpi on the car's intake now with a stock chip so the cam can not be too radical. If u check my sig u will see my other mods to the car. My goal is to run about 12.50s @ 107mph once i get the car dialed in
thanx in advance
njdaewoo