383 Block

[Collin]

Yeah it does look like engine was bored out 30 over, not sure what else has been done...kind of a frankenstein motor with the 65 block and 516 heads, with the 69 intake and carb.


And I apologize interrupting food for this!!! :cheers: :lock: :drool: ot: ...(somehow all remind me of food)

 

[ACME A12]

I couldn't find any info anywhere for that piston P/N... :leave:

 

[droptop]

Yeah it does look like engine was bored out 30 over, not sure what else has been done...kind of a frankenstein motor with the 65 block and 516 heads, with the 69 intake and carb.

It sounds like you have the best set up already. Don't the 516 heads have the hardened exhaust seats in them? And the 68-69 intake and carb flow better than any other year 383-4 bar.

 

[mcmopar]

The 516 are a crappy '66 closed chamber head. Poor flow, no hardened seats. The 452's ('74-up) had the hardened seats . The 516's were used prior to the 915 closed chamber head used on the '67's. 906 is a far better head as are 342's, 915's and 452's. The 516's can be made to work marginally but they are not a sought after prize.
The 68-69 intake and carb are good but the '71-up cast iron intake and Thermoquad carb is better. The TQ flowed a lot more than the stock 383 AVS. A good option to the 68-69 intake system is to put a 440 AVS on the 383. More flow - better performance. Not quite as good as the TQ setup but better than the stock 383 setup.

 

[droptop]

My bad on the 516's. The 452's is what I was thinking of. And I have to disagree on the TQ. I have never been able to ture one. Not to mention they leak after a few dozen heat cycles of the engine. I will use an AVS any day over a TQ.

 

[mcmopar]

I agree that the AVS is a much more reliable carb but if you can get a TQ to work they flow huge amounts of air. They are spread bore carbs like the Quadrajet -which is another cantankerous carb. Get one to work right and they are great, but most of the time they are just a pain in the butt. Since Edelbrock has released the Thunder AVS carbs, though, the matter seems rather moot. Just install a Thunder AVS 800 and all problems are solved.

 

[Big John]

Geez... Am I the only guy that never had any real problems with the Thermoquad? I had them on a bunch of cars and always had real good luck with them. The ones that I've come across that were screwed up were always the fault of someone that had no idea what they were doing messing with them.

One time, a local speed shop owner asked me to look at his son's 340 Demon. It was a really nice car that he just bought but it ran like crap. Come to find out, someone had played with the air valve spring... trying to "adjust" it. The spring was all messed up, there was no going back. I got a rubber band and hooked it around the linkage and told him to have his Dad get him a new carb. He drove it like that for about 3 weeks... He said he hated to put the new carb on because he was afraid it wouldn't run as well.

The shop owner's wife, who pretty much didn't like anybody, just loved me after that. She told me that they had taken the car to a couple shops how couldn't figure the problem out... and I fixed it with a rubber band!. My discount got just a little better after that.

BTW, the kid... He's an Edelbrock rep now. I've even seen him on national TV a couple times on some car shows.

 

[moparstuart]

Geez... Am I the only guy that never had any real problems with the Thermoquad? I had them on a bunch of cars and always had real good luck with them. The ones that I've come across that were screwed up were always the fault of someone that had no idea what they were doing messing with them.

One time, a local speed shop owner asked me to look at his son's 340 Demon. It was a really nice car that he just bought but it ran like crap. Come to find out, someone had played with the air valve spring... trying to "adjust" it. The spring was all messed up, there was no going back. I got a rubber band and hooked it around the linkage and told him to have his Dad get him a new carb. He drove it like that for about 3 weeks... He said he hated to put the new carb on because he was afraid it wouldn't run as well.

The shop owner's wife, who pretty much didn't like anybody, just loved me after that. She told me that they had taken the car to a couple shops how couldn't figure the problem out... and I fixed it with a rubber band!. My discount got just a little better after that.

BTW, the kid... He's an Edelbrock rep now. I've even seen him on national TV a couple times on some car shows.

I used to run them on the 69 runner when i first got it they were plentyful and cheap. Tehy ran like a bat out of hell .
the plastic was the weak link but i had a ton of the carbs so i just swoped them out .

 

[Collin]

Gonna stick with my AVS, just becuase I like things somewhat stock...I do have the 906 heads, so those are gonna go on. Took out the pistons...the rings on 5 of them were broken, but crank looked pretty good. Going to take the parts to the machine shop for some close measurements. I think as of right now, I will use the 65 block and just have him bore it out...then stick on the 906 heads, my 69 intake and carb.

 

[mcmopar]

Have hardened valve seats installed in the heads so you can run today's no-lead gas. I've seen the results of running no-lead gas in early heads without hardened seats and it isn't pretty. The valves had receded into the head over 1/8"!
Unless, of course, you plan on running a lead additive like Max Lead 2000, but at $45 per gallon the stuff isn't cheap. The flip side is you can get 16 tank fulls (add 8 oz. of additive per tank full) from that gallon so it results in adding about $2.81 per tank full or about another $0.14 per gallon.
In the long run hardened seats will be cheaper and less hassle.

 

[SomeCarGuy]

Get a bottle of CD2 lead additive at O Reilly's or a few other parts houses. Cheap and lasts forever. I have used it for years.

A TQ can work really well. The AVS is a great carb. Either are very simple to work on and tune.

 

[Collin]

I am going to have the seats hardened, so I can run the fuel we have now. Talking to a few machine shops now.....scoutin them out

 

[Hoosier Bird]

Just so you know, you'll have hardened seats installed. There are no seats in it now, just a casting.........

 

[Collin]

thanks for the info! Dont know a whole lot about the technical details (thats what my dads for), Im learning as I go!!!

 

[Confederate1969]

Hey guess what, I actually took a picture or 2!! Pulled the motor out, things went alright.....of course I found things wrong here and there. But at least some pics for you guys.

found that the pistons were labeled (sorry at work goin from memory) either 23069 p 30 or 26309 P 30.......either way Im guessing that its already been bored out 30, and still has some grooves worn in the walls, so a new block may be in order...... agree?? :huh:

Hey Collin, just a quick question, maybe someone has already asked this. I saw you have an 054 radiator, an A12 option as some of the other guys said. I also see that you don't have the wiper motor that came with the '69 383 cars. Was yours in fact an A12 440 car originally?

 

[Collin]

No I have the original build sheet from under the back seat. I had the hemi suspension, 8 3/4" rear end with 3.91 gears, a 4 speed console, and the 383 ...which the N96 option was later added as far as I can tell.......have the 26" radiator and whatever else you see there. I was wondering about it too...but the build sheet verified, ill hafta post that on here sometime!


But anyways.....Good News!! My 65 motor just got replaced! I found and purchesed a 1969 383 HP short block! Everythings in good shape, so I can finally say that its the correct motor for the car!

 

[droptop]

The heavy duty cooling came with the performance (3:91) axle package. 26" rad, and a p/s cooler if you had p/s.

 

[Collin]

no power steering or power brakes......4 wheel drums, heavy duty brakes however.

 

[Collin]

Update to the motor.....still is sitting in the shop, latest quest was finding someone who made forged pistons for the 383. TRW discontinued their forged selection and Ross racing only makes forged for 383 stroker motors. I went with a set of Diamond Forged pistons from moparts....guy at engine shop said they are great pistons and will do well in my engine. Says that with the work he is doin we are lookin at over 400 HP and with my 3.91 axle this car should be a great performing car!! Good news, just makes me wanna drive it now!!!

 

[moparstuart]

Update to the motor.....still is sitting in the shop, latest quest was finding someone who made forged pistons for the 383. TRW discontinued their forged selection and Ross racing only makes forged for 383 stroker motors. I went with a set of Diamond Forged pistons from moparts....guy at engine shop said they are great pistons and will do well in my engine. Says that with the work he is doin we are lookin at over 400 HP and with my 3.91 axle this car should be a great performing car!! Good news, just makes me wanna drive it now!!!

awesome :banana: :banana: :leg: