383 guys: step in
383 guys: step in I've recently decided against going BBC for my '94 and have now planned on building a 383 from a '79 350 I have. It is a 2 bolt block casting 3970010. There is also a "350" stamping on the passenger side. The engine is from a Police Edition Impala Station Wagon and was 4 bbl automatic that I owned years ago after buying it from the original owner (so I know this engine's history). It's been sitting (disassembled) for over 5 years now, so it will definitely need some work before I can start putting it back together. My question is, I'm trying to find a good, modestly priced; rotating assembly for this engine and I've been on MANY sites i.e. jegs, summit, enginekits.com, strokerkits.com, larrysperformance.com, and a few others. I've also found some good 383 FAQ sites with plenty of info on cam & crank specs/clearances and whatnot.
Does anyone know of a good resource to where I can get the best bang for my buck?
Thanks in advance.
Does anyone know of a good resource to where I can get the best bang for my buck?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by TimTaylor75; May 22, 2006 at 07:01 AM.
I went with the powerhouse kit. The only complaint i had with it was the gaskets were very cheap, i ended up replacing everyone of them. And after all of the upgrades to make it stronger, it was just as expensive as some of the others out there, not to mention the wasted gaskets. Hope this helps in your decision.
Havent searched many other places, so somebody else will have to help you there. But i paid $275 for all my machine work including:
cleaning, deck, bore, hone, block notched, freeze plugs and installation, cam bearings and installation
cleaning, deck, bore, hone, block notched, freeze plugs and installation, cam bearings and installation
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Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Austin Tx
Originally Posted by Strokinit383
Havent searched many other places, so somebody else will have to help you there. But i paid $275 for all my machine work including:
cleaning, deck, bore, hone, block notched, freeze plugs and installation, cam bearings and installation
cleaning, deck, bore, hone, block notched, freeze plugs and installation, cam bearings and installation
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Verdad Gallardo I'm trying to look up information for the pair of heads I have for this engine, but am not finding very much info. If anyone could help out that would be great.
The casting number is 482824 and they're from a '79 350 cu in SBC. Not sure if they're worth having reworked or just buying some Vortec style heads.
The casting number is 482824 and they're from a '79 350 cu in SBC. Not sure if they're worth having reworked or just buying some Vortec style heads.
just get some vortecs and have them machined for use with screw in rocker studs and machined for bigger spring seats and conventional valve seals with some 2.0 valves and a bit of bowl work, polish the chamber and ur good to go
upgrade to beehive ls6 valve springs
i use the parts from enginekits.com and machine and balance as i see fit
for the rotating assembly
i get the pistons,rods,bearings,rings and balance to my spec
i believe enginkits.com will balance the crank using the crank with the components u buy from them for a fee,externally balanced i think
upgrade to beehive ls6 valve springs
i use the parts from enginekits.com and machine and balance as i see fit
for the rotating assembly
i get the pistons,rods,bearings,rings and balance to my spec
i believe enginkits.com will balance the crank using the crank with the components u buy from them for a fee,externally balanced i think
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 21
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From: Austin Tx
Originally Posted by TimTaylor75
I'm trying to look up information for the pair of heads I have for this engine, but am not finding very much info. If anyone could help out that would be great.
The casting number is 482824 and they're from a '79 350 cu in SBC. Not sure if they're worth having reworked or just buying some Vortec style heads.
The casting number is 482824 and they're from a '79 350 cu in SBC. Not sure if they're worth having reworked or just buying some Vortec style heads.
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 53
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"Reworking" heads is a waste of time. You will spend $300 on 1979 crap heads and you could have had some nice aftermarket vortecs for $200 more. Aftermarket heads are the way to go, if you want to make any power IMO.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 21
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From: Austin Tx
i agree i think after market heads are the way to go also...i wish i had learned that before i had these heads done lol... so like i said they worked good when i tested the engine and they are just sitting here i would make some kinda deal for them.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 91
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You can buy aftermarket aluminum heads for 800-1200 that flow very good numbers. It makes no since to use stock cast heads unless they are LS type heads. If the engine will be N/A you need the best head you can afford.
Rotating assembly is something that you want to do one time. Buy forged and be done with it. It will handle future mods with no problems. Buy cast and decide to run nitrous or boost and you will always worry what is going to happen...... and when it does it will be bad!
Rotating assembly is something that you want to do one time. Buy forged and be done with it. It will handle future mods with no problems. Buy cast and decide to run nitrous or boost and you will always worry what is going to happen...... and when it does it will be bad!
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 71
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From: Pasadena, Texas
I would recomend contacting PAW and ordering a catlog form them. Its as big as a phone book, if not thicker, they have every thing you could want form blocks to rotating assembly's its about 5 bucks and takes about two weeks to ship but well worth it.
Originally Posted by K.I.T.T.
I would recomend contacting PAW and ordering a catlog form them. Its as big as a phone book, if not thicker, they have every thing you could want form blocks to rotating assembly's its about 5 bucks and takes about two weeks to ship but well worth it.
TECH Resident
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 807
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From: TAMPA by way of MIAMI!!!
You can after market aluminum SBC heads for about $500 each you would have almost that much in a set of iron heads and they wouldn't perform as well and they would be heavier.
On the rotating assembly you could go to speed-o-motive as suggested or you can get an Eagle assembly. They are both gonna be Chinese castings that are machined in the states (I know it sucks) thats how the price is so low. I used an Eagle assembly in my 383ci Fuelie I built the shop who did the macine work said they hate where they are made but they've had good luck with them If you can't step up to the big dog stuff it's a better option than a machined crank that is 30 years old.
On the rotating assembly you could go to speed-o-motive as suggested or you can get an Eagle assembly. They are both gonna be Chinese castings that are machined in the states (I know it sucks) thats how the price is so low. I used an Eagle assembly in my 383ci Fuelie I built the shop who did the macine work said they hate where they are made but they've had good luck with them If you can't step up to the big dog stuff it's a better option than a machined crank that is 30 years old.
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
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From: Ohio
Hey Tim, I'm in Columbus, iny chance I know you from a local board under another name? I had my block work done at Col-Weld..wasn't that happy with the cleaning but the machine work was good. Bored, plate honed, zero decked.They don't do balancing so they suggested Fast Racing in Groveport. Fast could've done everything and saved me alot of time, but I didn't know. I paid a coupl hundred for the machine wirk and I think 175 for the balancing. I have a Scat cast steel crank, Scat 4340 I-beam rods and KB pistons. They had to take a ton of weight out of the crank to get the balance right because the recip parts were so light. I have had people tell me that the eagle crank usually need alot of mallory to get them heay enough to get them balanced.
My best advice though is go to Jegs and get David Vizards "how to build a max performance sbc on a budget" book, it's invaluable.
My best advice though is go to Jegs and get David Vizards "how to build a max performance sbc on a budget" book, it's invaluable.
