383s

[Don Dulmage <big-d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 I am getting regularily people also asking about 383 builds. My young friend in Sweden has his up and running. Sounds like he is havinga lot of fun with it. . My nieces new hubby has one as well Both of those have Lupo converters. 383 is a nice engie. Strong but very streetable. They are fairly easy to come by and are relativley cheap. Pistons are available with realistic yet decent compression. Cams right around the 500 to 510 lift seem to work nicely. (We like RB or Extrme Comp hydraulic)
Because of the smaller cubes a mildly reworked set of heads have absolutley no trouble feeding them. We like Dual planes best with Edddy RPM plus being top pick however if one came across a Holley Street Dominator 383 intake it would be foolish to pass it up. In fact fort he lemans 400 it was my top pick. 
jacks auto parts used to have NOS ones a few years ago. Holley doesnt make it anymore for the 383.. 
Windage tray makes an extra 10 to 14 with no strain on parts so that is a must for us. Holley 3310 is my top pick. A DP is just a bit too much too soon.  Converters, Frank is top pick for sure. 
I tell my guys dont tell him what you think you need  just tell him what you have. 
Had a fellow here yesterday who bought a Lupo converter for his 383  build. When he put it in he wrote it was much better driving (over an old hi stall ) but not earth shattering but he hadnt tried it yet. (this is normal because franks converters are so efficient they feel like a stocker in normal driving. 
However yesterday he told me he was OUT with the Boys  on thursday night and when he left thegas station hestood on it all the way for the dfirst time since installing it. . his words were "I could not believe how fast it went. it has never gone like that the whole time I had it. i didnt realize the converter would make that much difference." He also drove 170 miles to come and see me and tell me about it. 
Anyway. They are a fun engine, Shorter stroke than a 350 chevy. Will rev as much as you like . Dont seem to have any problems and are cheap to build. The Bowtie guys have been trying to copy them for years now with the 383 chevys but with the odd rod length (too short) of the chevy and the poor heads and too small valve springs and the need to take a 400 apart to make a 383 make it pointless. I always tell them if you want a good 383,  mopar has been making them for years. Why not just get a real one.
Never seen a 383 mopar in a chvy but I did see a chevy II in the 60s with a 413 at the Ceders Dragstrip near St Eutasche.  
We had a friend here who owned my old Bantum roadster and he put a 383 in it. with an RB cam and some mild head work. Was a very succcessful bracket car and cost peanuts to run and build. 
Good motor. 
Don

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