I'm kinda new to this whole engine building thing, but I'm planning on building a 383 stroker, and I was just curious what was the end cost of building the engine, or an approximate breakdown. Some jacka** told me at a machine/engine shop that i should just spend the 3500 bucks and buy the crate 383 cuz it would be cheaper. There is NO way I'd do that. I'm thinkin it would end up bein 2 G's at the most!

Thanks
Muzz

Oh and I live in Michigan, so I don't know if machining prices would be different,

 

I paid 1100 for a 350, with the rotating mass(crank, rods, pistons) already assembeled. That came with heads, cam, gasket set, lifters, timing chain..etc etc. I had to put those parts on though. so I guess it was a semi-crate engine, I got it from the local engine shop.

I ended up paying another 600 for the intake, dist. carb. balancer, flexplate, etc etc

another 200 went into headers and y-pipe, 100 more for micselanious stuff.

 

Yeah, I already have the block, and I'm pretty sure about my stroker kit. I was just curious about engine work and machining costs.

 

M R,

Balancing the rotating assembly should be about $175-200 depending if you are going to add heavy metal or just lighten it up. Hot tank cleaning the heads and case (with new cam bearings installed) is about $85.00 If you are performing the rest of the work yourself, you may get lucky and not need any more purchased labor. If you are going to build a 383, you'll need the cylinders bored (another $150-200) and may need the piston pins fit and assembled to the rods (add $50-60).
The rest will depend on whther or not the case checks out and needs align boring or honing, decking, if heads will be milled, etc.

At least that's a start.

 

Thanks for the estimates.

Yeah, the guy said that it would be around 500 base, without the clearancing for the crank. I was thinking it would end up being around that total. But he said clearancing the block would cost extra, which I didn't think was right.

I am just getting most of it assembled there, since it will save me some trouble. (crank cam pistons)

I'm putting it in with the help of an experienced car guy, but he can't do machining unfortunately.

 

When they make room for the counterweights, make a close inspection of the webs at the bottoms of the bores. The material gets pretty thin in those areas, but I'm sure the machinist knows that already.