• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Cheaper HP/Torque ideas?

Confederate1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
280
Reaction score
4
Location
Tennessee
I know this idea has been asked millions of times on the net but rather than get a bunch of know-it-all import kids answering me with goofy turbo schemes, I just want a few suggestions from folks who have worked on the same car I have. I would like to do a few things to improve the performance of my 383 as I rebuild it over the next couple of months without breaking the bank. I don't need a 500hp monster, just a little more noticeable power. I haven't seen the inside of the cylinder walls yet, so I don't know if it needs boring out, but I would like to avoid this at all costs anyway - "cost" being the main word. I do have a decent pair of Hooker headers to start for better equalized flow from the engine.. What else could I do?
 

Big John

Sit back, relax Don't bitch about the cigar smoke
Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Messages
5,057
Reaction score
79
Honestly, the most bang for the buck is to put a 440 in it.

That said, if you want to stay with the 383, you could do some simple stuff. Electronic ignition comes to mind first with a quicker advance curve. Mild cam like one of the Chrysler Purple Shafts and maybe a aluminum dual plane manifold like an Edelbrock Performer.
 

Confederate1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
280
Reaction score
4
Location
Tennessee
Yea, a lot of guys drool over hemis (understandable) but my favorite mopar engine has always been the 440. If I ever have a 440 though, it will be because the car came with it. I would never be able to bring myself to changing out the 383 my dad had his hands on. It's my RR but in a way, it will always be my dad's too. Sentimentality I suppose...

One of these days when I finally become rich and powerful :devil: , I will buy an A12 bee or runner and finally have myself a 440+6. But until then, it'll be the old 383.
 

Basketcase

Keeper of the Green
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
14,415
Reaction score
299
my car the got burned up had a 440 I rebuilt in '86. built it stock, and I had 3.55s. It was a blast to drive. Not a tire shreader, but a great dependable fast car. My yellow car has the original 383, and 3.23s.definatly not as snappy as the 440, but still a blast to drive. But, I took the car out the other day after driving my /6 truck for a couple weeks, and still managed to scare myself. can't wait till spring after it's sat all winter.
 

69hemibeep

Sponge Bob Square Wheels
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
22,144
Reaction score
2,354
Location
AZ Desert,
Back when these cars were new, racers that were tied with the dealerships had a trick.They raced in stock classes and put pre 1968 heads on to up the compression. I don't know what you have for gas in your area, but thats easy HP. :yesnod:
 

roadrunner69

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
Location
Warner Robins, Ga.
The first thing I would do is deck and square the block for
a true comp. A 3.55 to 3.91 gears. Small cam if you want
but work the dist and a decent carb.
 

ACME A12

Plaid Sport Coat Wearing Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
13,677
Reaction score
830
Location
New Port Richey, FL
Look into the the new Lunati "Voodoo" and Comp "Extreme Energy" cams if you're camshaft shopping. Those old purple shafts are just that; old. They are 30+ year old grinds and can't hold a candle to what is out there nowadays. I loved the purple shafts back their day - one of my favorites was a .572"/296 degree solid (a Racer Brown grind for those in the know) that I ran in in the early eighties in my FE5 Duster 340 with nearly 14 to 1 compression :yesnod: - but camshaft technology like tire technology and fuel management technology has moved on. Not to mention their quality control isn't what it used to be and it is NOT uncommon to buy a brand new one and find that it is machined incorrectly. This happened to me just two short years ago with the 390 stroker that I built for the Swinger - I degreed and re-degreed and re-re-degreed it thinking that I had screwed something up. Well, I did not. One new Comp XE268 installation later and that thing became EVERYTHING that I had expected in the first place. Hughes is also supposed to have some very good grinds that are Mopar-only but I have no peronal experience with these; perhaps others here can address this. There was a (somewhat) recent posting on FABO that covered the design characteristics and advantages of the Voodoo cams over the XEs. Dyno charts confirmed their horsepower/torque supremacy. If I were building a street engine tomorrow and wasn't going with a street roller this is the direction that I would head. JMHO.
:thumbsup:
Ray
 

dobie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
1
Location
Wooster, Oh
No clue on the cost, but I'd do some head work now while the motor's out. Open the bowls a bit and put hardened seats in for today's gas. Then a slightly larger cam than stock, and headers for the exhaust. A good intake manifold and electronic ignition as mentioned are great things too. 3.55 or 3.91 rear end would be good too.
 

Basketcase

Keeper of the Green
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
14,415
Reaction score
299
I keep thinking a set of 3.91s would be great for mine, but with gas the way it was this summer, I wouldn't have been able to afford to drive mine as much. I could take it to work 5 days on a half a tank.

MultimedMA20735738-0003.jpg
 

dobie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
1
Location
Wooster, Oh
When I drove down to the Nats this year, we guesstimated my mpg. Even with the 3.91's, I was getting 13 mpg. Not bad, really. Of course, I'm not pushing much HP though. Still, :drive:


:thumbsup:
 

mcmopar

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
3,438
Reaction score
9
Location
Orlando, FL
As others have said, if building a 383 for street use (and maybe a trip down the strip or two) you'd be well advised to go with headers, a 2.5" (min.) diameter mandrel bent exhaust system with an "H" or "X" pipe and some free flowing mufflers, some mild head work including a multi-angle valve job and hardened valve seats (pre '74 heads) for running today's unleaded gas, a mild cam like Comp's XE268H, Hughes Engines HEH1019BL or the Lunati Street Master 07301 (even though I'm not a big fan of the single pattern cam for street use), a dual plane intake manifold (MP M-1 Dual Plane, Edelbrock Performer or for more power an Edlebrock Performer RPM - just be aware that you'll need a drop base air cleaner for hood clearance with the RPM intake) for good low-mid range torque, a Holley 650 or 750 dual feed, vacuum secondary carb or the Edelbrock Thunder AVS (650 or 800 cfm). If its to be strictly a street car then go with the 650 cfm carb size as this will keep air velocity in the intake circuit high and give you more "seat of the pants" feel - as well as give just a bit better fuel economy than the larger carbs.
Don't forget the rest of the combo. You'll also need a good stall converter (about 2500 rpm or so), a mild trans shift kit, a decent aftermarket transmission cooler (if the car is an automatic) and 3.55 gears for good around town driving and highway cruising. 3.91 gears are a bit much for highway use but sure do feel good around town! They'll also set you back in the wallet, though, as they are a bit hungrier than the 3.55's.
 

george68hemirr

I think you guys are full of shit.
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
12,645
Reaction score
68
Location
hudson valley ny
what everybody is saying is horsepower but the real increase in horsepower in in your heads....port and polish..gasket match and all the above...intake...cam...largest primary tube headers...3 inch pipes...msd and 6al box(with built in rev limiter so you dont blow it up)...no power steering...electric water pump...but at top end the 440 will walk away from you...the short stroke youve got him in 1st,2nd & 3rd then the 440 goes by when you shift to 4th...what ever makes you happy...and forget gas mileage
 

moparchris

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
4,814
Reaction score
38
Location
costa mesa ca
Lots of good advice here, so I am going to tell you about 2 runners I used to own both 68's. The first one was a numbers matching 383, 4-speed, and 3:91s. That motor had a stock long block with stock exhaust manifolds, I put a mandrel bent 2-1/2 exhaust with flowmasters and a performer rpm and a 750 double pumper carb. This car ran 14 flat at 100mph on 275 radial t/a's. The second car was a 68 383 auto with 3:91s as well with a cheapy rebuilt motor with 8.5 compression,906's, stock exhaust manifolds, mandrel bent 2=1/2 exhaust with flowmasters, xe274 comp cam, performer rpm intake with a 3310 750 cfm holley, and electronic ignition. This car ran 13.77 at 101mph with a very tired trans that needed me to lift at the shift points due to slippage. It had 275/ 60 drag radials. I like the 383 for cheap horsepower so good luck and enjoy!
 
Back
Top