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Difference between high performance and non-hp engines?

Confederate1969

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I've heard folks talk about engines such as 383's and 440's having regular versions and high performance versions, but I've never heard anyone say what the difference between them is. So I know you could get 383's with a 2bbl carb and 440's with 4bbl carbs on big sedans and in campers and stuff. But is that all that makes the difference? Or is there actually something different with the block or heads? If one were to take a non-hp 383 as Dobie states he's got and mount a pair of 906 heads and all the standard stuff that came with a high perf RR set up, would you get the 335 horses that any "high perf" 383 gets?
 

SomeCarGuy

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HP stands for high priced. Cam valve springs are it for them most part, might have come with a bigger carb or better exhaust etc.
 

dobie

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My low-po 383 had 906 heads from the factory. The 383 RR used the same cam as the 440. I think the Super Bee did too. Mine sure didn't though. Advertised compression is lower too. I think the advertised comp for the RR's is 9:1 or so. My 2bbl 383's advertised comp. is 8:1. I would think that my pistons are different than a HP motor, although that may not be the case.

I've always been told that the 383 responds quite nicely to a few mods. I started with advertised 290 hp. After I'm done, it should be well over 335. All this comes from simple bolt on stuff. I can only imagine what will happen down the road when I put in a set of high(er) compression pistons.
 

droptop

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The block and heads are the same. Different cam, valve springs, exhaust manifolds, carb, faster timing springs in dist, etc. A lot of small items that by themselves don't amount to much, but when put together as a package, well you all know the out come.
 

jays69bird

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I know the regular 383 4 barrel was rated at 330hp and of course the Roadrunner at 335hp.I don't know if the extras only accounted for 5 hp or the engine was under rated. I have had a couple of 383's my dad had one in a 69 Fury 69 Charger and my brothers 69 Roadrunner.I have driven several over the years some ran so-so others would scream,could also have alot to do with gearing etc. I know one of my pet peeves is when someone calls my engine a Magnum,to which I reply Iam not driving a Dodge!
 

mcmopar

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Yup, everyone has posted good stuff. Also - the 383 2bbl engines had an advertised compression ratio of 9:1 while the HP engines had a 10:1 compressiom ratio. The 2bbl pistons had a "dish" design while the HP pistons were flat tops. The 10:1 engine in 1969 also had a positive deck height which means the top of the piston actually protruded above the block deck when the piston was at TDC. The 2bbl engines had a negative deck height which means the piston top was down in the bore, below the deck, at TDC.

The engine in my car was originally a non-HP engine that has been beefed up with high compression pistons, bigger cam with matching valve springs, 452 (later model) ported heads with oversized valves, better intake, carb and exhaust. In 1969 all the big block engines used forged steel cranks. Chrysler was smart in that all the parts per engine family were interchangeable. No special heads or anything like that. The 440-6bbl used the same heads as the 383 2bbl. The difference was in the valve springs. The 383 2bbl, 4 bbl non-HP and 440 non-HP did not normally have windage trays in the oil pan and all used the same cam, too. It was milder than the RR cam in both duration and lift. The 440-6bbl cam used the same cam duration and lift specs as the RR cam but used special tapered lobes and lifters which helped reduce cam wear due to the need for stiffer valve springs in order to get 500 more rpm than the standard RR cam. Like droptop said - lots of little things went into the design of the HP engines. Chrysler engineers really knew their stuff when it came to what made these engines work.
 

Confederate1969

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Thanks for all the responses fellahs. That's exactly what I was looking to find out. So there are no differences in the actual block and heads between HP and non-HP engines, only the parts that go in and on them. I wanted to know in case I ever find a non-HP 440 or something in the future for my RR or another ride.
 

dobie

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Yep, that's correct. It's just the sum of the parts which = HP motor.
 

jays69bird

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Dug out my dealer fact finder for 69,Commando 383 290hp@4400rpm 390ft.lbs. @2800.Super Commando 383 330hp @ 5000rpm.425 ft.lbs. @ 3200. Roadrunner 383 335hp @ 5200rpm 425 ft.lbs.@ 3400rpm. 9.2 to 1 commpression on the Commando 10.0 to 1 on the other two. The Roadrunner cam intake 268 deg.exhaust284 deg,cam is listed as high lift high performance. the regular 383's both 4 and 2 barrel cam is intake256 deg. exhaust 260 deg.The windage tray is listed on the Roadrunner 383 only.However I have seen a 4 barrel 383 out a 70 Fury and it had a windage tray.
 

mcmopar

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jays69bird said:
Dug out my dealer fact finder for 69,Commando 383 290hp@4400rpm 390ft.lbs. @2800.Super Commando 383 330hp @ 5000rpm.425 ft.lbs. @ 3200. Roadrunner 383 335hp @ 5200rpm 425 ft.lbs.@ 3400rpm. 9.2 to 1 commpression on the Commando 10.0 to 1 on the other two. The Roadrunner cam intake 268 deg.exhaust284 deg,cam is listed as high lift high performance. the regular 383's both 4 and 2 barrel cam is intake256 deg. exhaust 260 deg.The windage tray is listed on the Roadrunner 383 only.However I have seen a 4 barrel 383 out a 70 Fury and it had a windage tray.

Yeah - the assembly line guys were bound to do just about anything back in those days.
The RR cam lift at the valve was .450" intake/.455" exhaust while the non-HP cam used .425" intake/.435" exhaust. Overlap was 46 degrees for the RR cam while the non-HP was only 30 degrees.
 
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