if your going 383, work with what you have. Im sure the block is in fine shape. Get a nice bottom end in there and you will be all set

 

If your shooting for 450+hp I'd opt for a new bottom end. Whether it be rebuilding what you have, or buying a new long/shortblock is up to you and your budget.

 

I bought my 94 new, so I know how it has been maintained, and how it was treated. I drove it hard for 14 years, and maintained it very well. It was my daily driver until last december when I bought a truck, still drive it on the weekends though. I currently have 265,000 miles on it, and only had the intake off once to fix the oil leak. No doubt its worn out, loss of power, smokes, ect, needs a rebuild which is on the to do list. However it didnt start using oil or smoking until round 240,000.

 

I guess Ill just get new pistons, rods, change all the bearings and new oil pump...it that all of the bottom end or am I leaving out something?

 

196k on the clock and still runing fine. I am doing boltons, may do heads, but don't want to do a cam. so you have another almost 100k left if you take care of it.

 

thats it. change the cam bearings while your in there too. Piston rings as well. The stock crank is pretty stout but i dont know if you would want to replace that or not.

 

Mine has 182,xxx. Cammed it once at 165,xxx then tossed a bigger one in at 179,xxx.

 

High mileage engine. I say tear it down and rebuild it.