30696bird

Well first off, I bought a 94 camaro 2 months ago for $3000 and was told it was a 383. I bought it to take the motor out, build it, and put it in my 96 firebird to make a drag car. I finaly got around to taking the engine out (been driving it to work, GREAT gas mileage compared to the firebird). Things I know for sure.........they told me it had a racing clutch, sure enough, took off the transmission and it had a centerforce. I was told it had a hotcam and ported heads. The heads look stock EXCEPT it looks like it has 2.0 intake valves when I measured them with a tape measure. And it has 1.6 RR's with a bowtie like the hotcam so maybe it is a hotcam........don't know yet. Ok, here's where I can't tell much BOTTOM end. I KNOW it has Mahle pistons and there are 4 relief valves on them. I could see these #'s INSIDE the pistons 1c1st7 on a little plate inside the piston. The rods I could not see any name on them and they're still on the crank so I could not see them good. The crank does NOT look like the stock one that come out of the firebird, it looks more knife-edged to me (maybe I'm just hoping) Here are some pics. I would like to know if there is a way I can find out more about these parts. Oh also, on the pistons above the relief valves the pistons had some #'s on them........1213 0394 and the on same side of the relief valves but other side of the piston it had 19/12. . Anyone know what this means? Almost forgot, the rod bolts are aftermarket I think because my firebirds rod bols have a head THESE DON'T. Each cap is also #'ed to the rod. On to the pics.........






You can see some writing on the crank in this pic.......





Sorry so long but I wanted to try to be as detailed as much as I could so I could be more apt to get info and know what I have. Thanks in advance.

brokeTA

Those definately look like stock rod bolts. And an fyi "Mahle" makes all gm pistons from the factory. If you look on the inside of stock pistons they all say mahle on them.

30696bird

I know they make all the stock pistons but I don't remeber the ones in my firebird having "plates" inside the piston. And I also don't remeber the rod bolts having NO head? Maybe it did, it has been 2 years since I was inside a LT1.

1racerdude

Turn it and look all around on the counter weights and see if ya see any part numbers.Then ya can match up the numbers on GM's site or one of the after market crank manufacturers site.

brokeTA

The pistons look very new though. Also the rods look alot like stock rods too.

30696bird

I KNOW the stock rods and caps were NOT stamped on my 96 LT1.......did they do this on earlier years?

brokeTA

If it was rebuilt I'm sure they stamped the rods/caps to make sure they didn't get mixed up. Very common practice in the machine shop world. Most aftermarket rods come with aftermarket rod bolts. I really don't remember seeing an aftermarket rod with 6 point rod caps. Most are 12 point, and are stamped with bolt makers name on the end of the stud (like arp).

30696bird

Did not think about it being a 6 point.........that's a good point (no pun intended)

Guest47904

Measure the distance the piston travels in the cylinder and you can see if it's 3.75. Don't really see anyone going to the trouble of building a 383 and NOT putting 4 bolt mains on it. If it had a 3.75" throw, the bottom of the cylinders would have to have been relieved. Think the pan rails would have to have them also. Can't tell from the pics if they have.

SS RRR

Don't see any clearencing on the block.

30696bird

On the pistons I can see the #'s 101v13 and G8011 I did a search on google and all I could come up with is this....... http://www.mahle-aftermarket.com/obj.nsf/2F6F85133E8D5914C1256BC80056FA2D/$FILE/Piston_Specifications.pdf


If you look in the casting #'s on that pdf you can see it's part # 027520.

30696bird

Here's a pic of the top of the piston. I know you can tell anything by this but here it is anyways.

SS RRR

okay.. it's obvious the motor has been gone through, but the main question is it really a 383? I will guess no.

30696bird

I'm thinking the same thing. I'm about to go measure the throw..... It's no big deal if it's NOT a 383 but I'd like to find out what kind of crank is in it cause if it's a good forged crank I'd probably build a 355.......if not, I'll build a 383. One way or another IT WON'T be a 350.

NVetro

The pictures appear to be from the front of the motor, Can you get us some of the rear of the motor so we can see if the rear of the block has been notched to fit the 3.75" stroke crank that a 383 requires. That should help us figure out what it is. By front of the motor i mean an aerial view of the rear of the block, kinda like the pics u took, but onthe back not the front.