Ok.I know I has been asking alot of questions lately about bottom ends and I promise ill leave you guys alone.........eventually Haha.
But for the time being, what is the real difference between a good 355 vs 383? I know the mantra, no replacement for displacement. But if im wanting a semi budget minded street car that I intend to only be a fun weekend car. Then what do I stand to gain? I know that peak numbers in my mind don't justify the extra cost involved and im not sure but I would be willing to venture that there may only be 10-15 hp/ta difference through the entire power band. Plus everyone I talk to hates the gas mileage their 383 delivers. While this isn't an economical move or a gas mileage dd. I would like to beable to take a 75 mile trip and not have to stop for gas before getting home. So please old wise ones, chime in.

 

A properly built 383 costs 4x as much to build PROPERLY.

HP potential is 50-90 more than most 355s.

Thats the difference.

A stock stroke engine will meet your goals.

 

Thanks gregbob. I was off a few points on power, but I knew that the cost was outrageous for the hp you got. Now here is another question. Say down the line I add a nitrous kit and want to spray someting like a 200 shot on a forged bottom 355. Will it hold within reason? What if a methanol kit is used in conjuction with the nitrous? Any difference?

 

all this 383 talk around here man its REDONKULOUS ha.

a 355 will meet 80% of peoples goals thats the way im going to go with stock crank and all now that im employed again

Don't get caught up with the 383 talk it seems more and more that people do it just to say the famous line "I has a stroker in it"

and if your forged internals and tuned right that motor will last

 

WITH the equivalent topend, 10% more torque and less than 10% more power from a 383.
Bang for the buck?........ NO

 

Unless you have the money to also beef up the rest of the drivetrain I really don't see ANY advantages to the 383. If you compare dollar for dollar I'll also bet that with the same amount of money spent a 355 beats a 383 every time. Put the extra money into head work and chassis mods to handle the extra horsepower.

 

true.........but 10% of 600 is 60hp!!!

 

How is a 383 FOUR TIMES as expensive as a 355? You're adding the cost of a crankshaft and some clearancing to the block. I went with a 383 because it was only a few hundred dollars more. The heads, valvetrain, pistons, rods, etc. in a 355 are all the same in a 383, unless you choose to go with a 6" rod, but even then it's not four times the cost.

 

Yep, and if you were my target, I'd have no choice

If you're cheap, listen to me. If you want to beat everyone in your class, listen to Mike

 

$$$ is the difference, thats all. To me it sounds like you don't need a plus sized engine. Why waste the money on a weekend car? Just build a nice heads and cam 350. That should meet all of your needs.

But if were have to choose, I'd spend the money on a 383.

 

lol....yep the only reason i didn't build a 399 was cause i was afraid of spinning that much stroke to 8000+ in a stock block.......your car still impresses the hell outta me thou pat thats a bigggg car thats haulin ***!!!


and OP...Ramair is right a 383 doesn't cost 4x as much.......its not much more if your buying rods and pistons anyway its the same price and all uu need to spend $$ on is the crank.......

 

If a person wanted to really take advantage of the added cubes, an appropriate top end, solid roller, stroker crank, etc etc.

A 355 can be done with a simple piston swap, so yes the way -I- would build it would be 3-4x the cost.

 

true i did exactly that but .......it "can" be done on a budget.....

 

So to you, a 355 with just a piston swap is fine, but a 383 would need a solid roller valvetrain, massive heads and a high dollar bottom end?



I guess my 383 isn't built PROPERLY.

 

Don't worry Neither is mine. lmao

 

Just preference I suppose.

 

If your making power your burning fuel. The extra 33 cubes don't take that much extra fuel. you can go with a real agressive cam in a 355 and burn more fuel than a mild cammed 383. It's all besides the point though. If you want 400hp N/A and 550 on gas do a 355. Here this topic of stock cranks is going on right under your nose. https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...lt1-crank.html

 

If you have to have any work done on the stock crank or you're building an all forged bottom end then the rotating assemblies for the 355 & 383 cost exactly the same amount. Cams, heads, headers etc will all cost the same regardless of which you build so for my money I went 383 and if both engines make the same hp per ci it's 383 ftw.

 

A budget 355 like mine is way less than a 383 bottom end, I believe everything including a new stock crank was under 500. But if you are forging it go 383, it will make more power everywhere

 

Just take a look at Aleks SS Camaro (old setup) on Youtube. I bet it was a troublemaker for any 383 but im not saying that a 355 is better than a 383. At least for me, from the moment i clicked that video? All my question had been answered.