Muscle Freak

So im lookin at picking up a LT1 4th gen, guy says its a 383 in the car, anyway for me to verify???

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

"383" means almost nothing. Supposed to mean the engine has been bored .030" over and a 3.75" stroke crank installed, BUT the results on such work can vary from garbage that makes less power and is weaker than stock to a great performance engine or anything in between.

Try and get a DETAILED modification list and maybe talk him into going to the track or dyno even with him driving to verify the car is built for performance.

If he does not have slicks a street tire car with a good 383 will still MPH high even if the ET is poor.

Muscle Freak

thats what i thought....he said it runs really good, hard to get the tires hooked up even in 3rd sometimes. he said its got a cam, bored, and not much else..but he did say its a 383. does that make it a "stroker"?

Muscle Freak

its really not a bad looking car. heres one pic i got of it. under the hood looks stock, with a cool air intake...

TABBED 5.3

iTrader: (1)

it does mean it is a "stroker". But like was stated above try to get more proof if you are even somewhat skeptical. Reciepts, talk to the shop the work was done by, etc. Alot of cars may run good, but that does not mean they are stroker motors. no way to tell just by looking at the engine in the car either. good luck.

edit; just looked at the pics, not sure who builds a 383 and then puts the factory manifolds back on. are emissions strict there?

Muscle Freak

thanks for all your input. i also posted a thread about possible issues i might encounter. all of this depend son wether or not the guy buys my 3rd gen. so we'll see :-)
-chris

Puck

iTrader: (17)

Why in the world would someone run stock manifolds with a cammed 383???

Personally I would not buy a modded car without receipts, dyno graphs, track results, or all of the above. Too easy to say it has whatever you want in it, and you would'nt know any better until it gets torn.

Too many H/C, stroked, or rebuilt engines have been torn down only to find it bone stock.

Muscle Freak

yea i'm not worried about wether or not its correct except for info displays for car shows. for 4500 all i want is a z28 with a m6 and t tops. :-)

myltwon

iTrader: (1)

stock manifolds + ebay CAI would scare me away from any car that's been "built"

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

+985786478

Further more, I would NEVER buy an engine that was built/modded by someone else. Too much to screw up. I want to be fully integrated with every aspect of my build...so that I can personally attest to everything being done right.

A20SVT00

iTrader: (13)

good point

ABA383

iTrader: (1)

I'd be concerned if the owner does not know every spec about the motor...Saying its "got a cam and is bored" scares me...You have to think about what a reasonable typical car guy would do...Most will do bolt ons first and one of the very first upgrades is exhaust and headers...To build a 383 and then choke it with stock manifolds would be a huge red flag...The underhood photo looks like a stocker with a cheap CAI...If the owner can provide engine specs, receipts, etc....or can at least give you info as to who built the motor I'd feel better about it for you...

--Alan

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

LOL
Yo, buy my engine mang, its gots all da good stuff in thur. I don't know all wats in it but it turns dem tires yo...

96blackz28

iTrader: (3)

myltwon

iTrader: (1)

reminds me of a local guy who bought a foxbody with a mystery 306

no idea what heads, cam, bottom end, etc

moehorsepower

iTrader: (3)

If its a good deal just for the car then buy it. I would look at it like a plane Jane LT1 and if by chance it is a stroker (Which I doubt) then thats a bonus or is it?? By looking at the CAI................................NO..

SpeedDensityZ

iTrader: (5)

I don't think the car is a 383 or even slightly modded. The pictures aren't that great so you can't really tell what kind of shape the car is in. For 4500.00 a 6 speed car with descent miles isn't a bad deal and if you got all the other mystery mods then that's a bonus.

Puck

iTrader: (17)

It depends - my car looked like that when I got it and turned out to be a huge PITA for the first year. The previous owner did so much stupid **** that I had to go back and undo.

EBay CAI just like that, stupid resistor in line with the IAT, stock manifolds, and electrical tape all over the place. Some sensors like the oil temp I thought were broken but were working fine but left unplugged . Oil pan gasket was changed, but pinched in one corner and leaking. Rear intake seal was changed, but hardly and silicone was used and it was dripping on the bellhousing. Etc, etc, etc.

Unless the mods were all done by a good shop I would hate to buy a modded car unless it was a very good deal. Mine was 3k four years ago and the body was in great condition. The motor had problems that the tech couldn't figure out("Its running weak but we can't figure out why and don't have the time or money to tear it down!"). I researched before I jumped the gun and thought it was a bad opti, since every search about LT1 problems gave me opti results. It turns out two spark plug wires rubbed clean through on the front pulley, making it run on 6 cylinders. One wire was held together by a string of the rubber case, and the other was in two totally seperate pieces - I kid you not.

Popping the hood of a car should require a basic IQ test, I swear.

moehorsepower

iTrader: (3)

Was there any sales pitch less the supposedly 383? The reason I ask is because I was looking at a 67 camaro one day, the guy said it was a 383. I just looked at it as a 350, Then he told me it was fast and he drove 150mph for 5 minutes on the freeway!!! 5 MINUTES! Not even on the salt flats can you drive 5 minutes @ 150 MPH, after that, I walked away..

Puck

iTrader: (17)

Thats priceless!