got a reputable engine shop with lots of high-end racing experience to do a 383 stroker rebuild for me and wanted to post the details to get feedback and see if i am missing anything. i was thinking i should be able to get to 400 flywheel hp easily if not more and still be a daily driver, but he's sounding a little more conservative (350 - 375??) i've read plenty of posts on here about 383 rebuilds that surpassed the 400 mark with no problem at all. i did tell him that this will be my daily driver and i dont want to get too crazy with the cam, etc. so maybe he's going kinda conservative. some of the parts may be overkill, but i like the way he builds his engines b/c he errors on the side of using high-end parts. here is a rundown on the specs. excuse me if i say something wrong b/c im not a mechanic =/ all im giving him is my block and stock lt1 heads. if any of you want to recommend changes to cam specs or anything else, i'd welcome comments so i can discuss with the guy. i definately want something that's a reliable daily driver, but given that, also want to get as much hp as i can without being hard on my bottom end, etc.

4340 crank and rods (forged)
Probe 2618 pistons (forged/moly rings)
Prep the block (clean, bore, hone, deck, notch, etc)
new timing set
new oil pump
all gaskets
cam shaft (something like 212 intake @ 50, 220 on exhaust, 114 lobe separation)
upgrade pushrods
upgrade springs
1.6 roller rockers
stage 1 job on stock lt1 heads
new roller lifters

 

That is a very conservative set-up for a 383. Many high end street cars run cams in the 240's, so I would think you should be very driveable with a 230/236 114. I had a 230/236 112 in my stock motor and it was fine. My only suggestion would be to upgrade the heads and cam. There's no since in bottle necking such a nice motor.

 

can someone go into some detail on what exactly is done with a stage 2 head job so i'll know what to discuss with him?

 

what if you got the heads done by lloyd elliot. he does awsome work. eportworks.com

 

second that. My head/cam package pulls like a ****.

 

Doing that motor with "Stage 1" LT1 heads is a mistake IMO. A 383 needs air, and some really good porting work on the factory heads is needed (or a set of 210cc AFRs... ). I'd also up the valve size to 2.00/1.57 minimum. If you keep the "stage 1" heads, your motor will still see good low-rpm torque, but the horsepower will be a disappointment.

 

I am with everybody else, Heads are the most important part of the engine, if you are not 100% sure your what they will perform like I would have someone else port them. Going with more cubes requires more air flow, as said above, bigger heads (afr 210,220) would really wake things up. But in your case lt1 castings can do the job provided they ported by a proven porter. I would seriously consider having L.E.(eportworks.com) or A.I.(advancedinduction.com) port your heads. They both offter customs cams and have customers whose cars perform well on the dyno and track. When I have my heads done llyod is going to be the one to do them. Why? Bang for your buck.

 

so if i get Lloyd to do my heads, do ya'll think i should get him to do the cam as well? the engine shop i'm using was going to custom grind my cam, but is it generally best to let the same person do the head AND cam (i.e. Lloyd)?

some of ya'll are throwing out some cam specs quite a bit higher than the ones my guy was thinking about and i definately don't want to go too mild. let me ask this....what happens if i go with too much cam and not enough head? (story of my life)

 

Better yet, stick to people who know LTx based engines. While it is old school small block, it isn't at the same time. Vortec heads were based off of the ltx head combustion chamber. Being reversed cool also was good for a bump in compression. These engines make power and have a broad torque curve. Thats why I chose Lloyd over my "engine builder". Sure, he built my buddies engine and he runs 7.70 all day but that with a 540 big block chevy and an ugly old carb up top in a dragster.

 

The cam should be matched to the heads, so when you get your ported heads back, give the flow sheet to your shop along with your desired goals for the engine/car. It wouldn't hurt to get the cam from Lloyd, etc.

As for cam specs, you don't need huge duration. If good streetability/emissions is key, keep the duration in the 220-230 range.

As for big cam with weak heads...no thanks! The engine will have a very narrow powerband, poor driveability, and poor overall performance compared to a matched combination.

 

I would deffinatlly let Lloyd do the heads. If you give him a call, he can discuss the needs of your motor with you. I also agree with the others on the "old timer" shouldn't pick your cam. I've seen what the old school shops around here put in cars, and it ain't pretty. A 212/218 is a VERY mild cam in a stock 350, much less a 383. As far as cams go, let Lloyd get you one with your heads. Anything in the 225-235 range on the intake will be mild IMO, in a 383.

 

I second that opinion!

I'm running a 224/230-112 XE in my 383 and it is very tame - idles perfectly and doesn't surge - and I'm still running the stock tune . I would tend to go bigger if emissions weren't an issue.