well, i was given a 1987 350(originally TBI) truck motor for free so i am going to work with that. it is a 4 bolt main,1 piece rear seal,roller block. it is at the machine shop right now to check it over (magnaflux,freeze plugs,ect). anyway, since i am not going to be using ANY stock parts (other than the mains) i might as well build a MILD 383. here is what i have in mind right now. keep in mind that this is a street/show/cruiser so it will not see high rpms,drag racing,power adders,high stall or high gear ratios.
im going to run a TH350 (MABEY switch to 700r4 for a OD later) w/ a cheapo 2,400 or so stall with 3.55 gear.
here we go:
Scat Nodular 9000 crank
Eagle SIR I-beam rods w/ARP wave lock bolts
JE or SRP or TRW foged pistons (aiming for 9.5-10.5 dont know yet......suggestions)
Crane 230/236 OR 222/230 ------not sure here! want a good old school sound but dont need the RPMs of the 230/236 cam....suggestions?
1.6 RR's?,CLoyes,
Hedman full length headers
Edelbrock performer RPM intake
Demon 750 carb

here is the bid delima.......HEADS! now if this was a LT1 i would just port the stockers, BUT the heads i got with this motor are JUNK! not worth cleaning. so rather than buying a set of stock heads for it, that i would swap later......i want a decent set of heads now. ideas are as followed....

GMPP Vortech (170 CC, 1.94/1.50 w/ a mild port job)64cc CAST IRON- $519.00

Pro Topline (200 CC, 1.94/1.50 w/ mild porting)64cc CAST IRON- $575.90

GMPP Fast Burn heads (200 CC, 2.0/1.55)62cc ALIMINUM- $1,100- LITTLE steep for me

DART Pro 1 (200CC, 2.02/1.60 w/ a mild port job)64cc -$589-looking good, REALLY good) ALUMINUM NEED part #'s for these....someone!@!!

i am aiming for 400-450 flywheel HP. just enough to move that heavy *** car around. would like to see low 13's/high 12's

 

Well, if you want just a "mild" 383 those parts seem a but overkill.

If I were you, I would look into the www.northernautoparts.com 383 kit. You get a Scat crank, flat-top hyperuetectic pistons, crane camshaft of your choice, gaskets, bearings, seals, etc for all of $656. Now thats a cheap way to build a decent 383. Since you have a 1-piece rear block, the cost may be a little higher.

However, I believe you need to provide the rods (5.7) so you can probably use whatever you wish there. Good bolts are a must though.

As for the cam, the 383 will love a 230/236@.050 cam. As for the sound, generally the lower the lda (106-110) the "rougher" the cam will sound. Since you aren't running steep gears and a higher stall be sure to stay on the side of caution. A torqueless small block in a hevy car isn't as much fun to drive as you'd think.

As for heads, I don't think you can beat the Vortec's for the price. Be sure to get the valve guides machined and different springs, because the stockers are only good for .470 lift or maybe less.

Scoggin-Dickey sells new Vortec heads already machined and with springs ready to handle a flat-tappet cam up to .525 lift.
As for porting the Vortecs, be careful, 'cause from what I hear they don't really get much better than as cast.

With any kind of decent head at all and a cam in the 220-230 range, 400 flywheel HP should be rediculously easy. S

 

OK, let me re-phrase. i dont want it really MILD per say, i just dont want to have to rev the hell out of the motor to make any power,dont want a big stall. that is all really. cam lope doesnt bother me at all.

i heard it was hard to get a decent sized cam with the vortechs, is this true?

 

I'd leave it at 9.5 compression in case you want to put a SC later. I do like the AFR 190 or 195 heads (call them). I am using the Accel 74219 cam with a TC that is 500 above stock stall (LPE). I don't care for vortecs because they confine you to using the SDCP manifold and they are iron. For weight and heat dissipation, I would use Aluminum. I have 3.73 gears and the cam specs are 219 deg I/O duration, 0.560 I/O valve lift (1.6 RR) and 112 deg lobe sep.

 

Wrong.

Edelbrock makes several ALUMINUM intake manifolds for the Vortechs:

Performer
Performer RPM
Performer RPM Air Gap


As for your choice between aluminum and iron....its your call. They definately save weight, plus you can increase compression another half a point or so and still run pump gas.

 

And still run the TPI? I saw pics of those manifolds but it has the square bore for a carb.

 

im not going to be running TPI. it will be a carb. and will be using the performer for it if i run vortecs.

 

Are these the same Vortech heads that come on genIII 5.7's and 5.3's?