The guy who builds these (like the one I got from him) has been doing it for 20 years and he drag races 2000 horsepower cars, so he knows both sides of high performance engines.

The motors make 375 hp and he charges $2500 with the dist and carb, tpi or tbi not included. 12 mo/12,000 mile parts and labor warranty. Is this a good price?

:hail: IROC-Z

 

it's an alright price, but there's no need to attempt to advertise for him on here. as far as the pricing is concerned as with all engines, it depends on what's parts are in it. not all 383's are created equal.

 

I'm not trying to advertise for him. What I said about him was to give some idea of what he knows/does and therefore should build a reliable engine for 2,500. There's no need for you to assume stuff.

:hail: IROC-Z

 

well, you said you've already bought one so why would you question how good a deal it is and why would it matter to us of his listed experience. there are many mechanics and machinists out ther with lots of experience that still aren't any good. he may be really good or really bad, but when questioning how good of a value an engine is, the builder's experience isn't so much in question, it's the parts he puts in it. you can only hope the guy is doing it right since most people don't check for referrences or b.s. lists given by engine builders.

 

I would ask if it's a good deal to see if some people think I got a good deal or not. Just a general inquiry, based on the average cost of a machine shop engine.

You don't do something for 20 years and not be doing something right. Experience does matter. I know parts do too. That's elementary.

No matter what though, you don't own this board and it's not for you to say "there's no need to attempt to advertise for him" to ANYONE.

:hail: IROC-Z

 

Hey does that 383 pass emissions?

Sorry, but this whole emissions issue is really worrying me about my 383 plans...

 

There's probably not a chance it would pass. I took out all of the smog equipment in the process of doing the mods. There are no vehicle inspections where I live. They stopped about 3 years ago. But even when they did inspect, they never did a sniff test. I really feel for the ones of you who have to think about that kind of stuff every time you want to make engine modifications to your cars. It's a bunch of crap.

:hail: IROC-Z

 

a 383 built with similar spec's to the stock 350 will likely pass emissions without a problem. some won't pass due to people building them as they would something for an older car where it's not a concern. just using all the orignal emissions equipment should get the job done as well as keeping the buildup mild.

 

Just make sure you have the money every year for replaceing the Pistons, and rings and other things.. those engine require the yearly maintnence.

 

You'd think for $2500 he'd at least give you a 1:1 hp ratio
Decent enough deal though when you include labor for assembly. I know someone who's building a 383 and assembling it himself for $2000 after machine work.

 

Whoa, 383 needs it's pistons replaced that much??? WTF??? I thought it was just like a 350 on steroids. So the pistons wear out that much even with light driving in the city and fast cruising on the highway? wow... there any other suggestions to make this thing last like a normal engine?

BTW, Inwo, nice avatar.... LOL... where'd you find that one?

 

BS

May I ask for what reason, before I explain why you're wrong?

 

Hey GreenProStrret, could you explain why he's wrong anyway? Need as much justification as I can get on blowing $5-$6k on a motor when I can use that cash to pay for college...

Gotta love power...



:hail:

 

I have to agree with that and aks if it is true about needing to replace evrything. That is why I thought you bulid the motor right the first time..I am really nervous about it if that is correct about having to change things every year!

 

Uh-oh.......... I hear something coming............. and there it is.

This statement is totally false.

 

Umm, care to elaborate? so the 383 won't fall apart on me every year? That would be a big relief now....

:hail:

 

Whoops, never mind... hey one more thing. When I build up, what type of pistons would you guys recommend using? Hypereutectic or forged steel? Thanks.

:hail:

 

Sorry but your wrong. Just like any other engine, if built properly it will provide years of quality service.

 

thought so. hot air.

:hail: 383 strokers

:hail: IROC-Z

 

Forged aluminum are going to be the best type of piston out there. You will pay for a quality one though. The cheapo forged AL pistons go for around $250 (a set) and the nice ones will run upwards of $400 for a set. You can pretty much empty your pockets if you want to on pistons alone. The cheapos would be the TRWs and a high end one would be a Ross.

Hypereutectic aluminum pistons are a step below the forged aluminum ones but are quite a bit cheaper. If you plan on a power adder (nitrous, blower, turbo) at any point in the future, go with forged pistons.

Hope that helps,
Matt

 

Np.

The only way I could think that he would think that a 383 uses up anymore parts than any other engine is the longer stroke. This does tend to wear away the rings a little quicker. Big Deal! You may have to rebuild it a couple thousand miles before a 350 would. You will still have an engine that will last a long time. You will probably only have to buy one set of pistons the engine's entire life.

There is a great 383 article in Hod Rod this month, 490 hp, 500 lb.ft They used a crappy set of heads with a expensive short block and a .500 lift cam to pull it off. You would be better off building the short block yourself, and investing in a good set of heads to make that kind of power. With .500 lif on your cam and 1.6 rockers, you will be turning wrenches every year to replace the valve springs!

 

BTW... Hot Rod made that engine without as much money as the crap that that guy is trying to sell u, and made repectable power. A 375 hp 383 would have to be a truck engine. 1.1-1.2 hp to ci ration is best for the street. Anything less is not worth buying.

 

Just one question...

what does repectable mean?

:hail:IROC-Z

 

Respectable

-your welcome, btw

 

Why do you say a 375hp 383 would have to be a truck engine? Stock 5.7L 350tpi Z-28s only made 245hp.

:hail:IROC-Z

 

They did that with iron heads, crappy headers, and an emmisions freindly cam. The only well rodded engine that would fall below 1.1 hp:ci would be a truck engine (ie. tons of torque) A Tpi 350 could go well above 385 (the 1.1 ratio for a 350) if it is well moded. BTW, the 245 hp is at the wheels, with SAE numbers (all emmisions and accessories pluged in)

 

It'll be a cold day in Hades before a TPI 350 comes anywhere close to any 385 HP. Most people can't get them much past 300 or so. You could take off the TPI and put some other port injection such as a SuperRam or MiniRam or ProRam on it (or of course a carb) and maybe get that much power, depending on what else the motor was built out of.

The L98's 245 HP is not rated at the rear wheels. It is rated at the crank. However, unlike the old 60s method, it is supposed to be what the engine produces exactly as installed in the chassis it's specified for; that means with a water pump, PS pump, alternator, full exhaust system, whatever restrictive intake system, all emissions control devices installed and operating, etc. Your typical 245 HP L98 does around 190 at the rear wheels. The older "gross" HP method was with the engine on a dyno stand; no WP, alt, breather, or smog stuff, and with a typical dyno stand exhaust which is headers into a pair of 4" flex pipes and out the roof. Meaningless.

IMHO $2500 for a ready-to-run 383 short block is a good price, as long as the job is done right. That should include boring, balancing, assembly, etc. You will probably not get any really good pistons at that price, probably something like TRWs, and it will have a stock crank and rods. Sure you can get one cheaper; but for a properly prepped hi-perf motor, not just a cheap stock replacement slap-together, that's about right.

 

Eh? Well........ I wouldn't go quite that far ...... If you put the best of the best into the rest of the componants and 'modify' the TPI setup I think it could be done..... It's just that the TPI LTR setup is actually robbing power at that point and nobody seems to keep the TPI setup on that long......

my $.02