Manifolds and tranny questions

[Spartan]

I put a carter 4bbl on my 383 last year, it was a 2 bbl car originally.   I am not doing anything crazy with it but I will get on her once in a while to have some fun and basically drive her on weekends and once in a while during the week.   next year I was planning on redoing the exhaust since it is due,   I was thinking about changing to original style HP manifolds, will this make a big improvement in HP and is this a big job to change it out?   What size exhaust pipes/set up should I use.   Someone said something about X pipes before and 2"dia.   I am trying to keep it correct and still get the biggest bang for the buck.   Is there ary simple tranny impovements (automatic) that can improve performance or make it more robust(shift kits etc) and will my rear end be ok, it is not a sure-grip but it is for a 383 motor.     I know absolutely nothing about performance stuff so anything would be an improvement.

Thanks.

[cudaken]

 Spartan, the HP manfolids will help a lot! I would say 20 to 25 HP and then maybe a little more. X-pipes are better but H-pipes would cost less and will added mide range power.  As far as changing the exhuast manafolids, take it the a exhaust shop and have them break off the head pipes bolts. With luck the studs will not give and break, but if they do either tie up the exhaust or wack it off and hope the cops are in a good mood. Getting the head pipe off is the hard part. I would run 2.25 ID pipes, well flow well but not to big. Stay a way from Flow Basterds unless you are under 30, then you will like them.

As far as cheap feel fast trans work. Well my tip would in requards you yanking the 727. 74 400 Police converter with counter weight knocked off will give you a 2400 stall. Mine cost around $75.00 rebulit and made my 69 Charger feel 500 pounds lighter with 2.76 Sure Grip rear end.

                        Cuda Ken

[Spartan]

good info ken, thanks. My brother in law did some proformance work on his 2-door Lincoln and warned me about going too big with the pipes.

I have a set of turbo mufflers on her now I put on back in 84, I would love to find my lifetime warrenty and go back after 20 years    They were great in high school but the first ride I took my wife on last year she complained to no end about how loud the Charger was.  I want a nice rumble without the consent droning (ya, I am almost 40).  Is stainless worth the money or are there cheaper options that hold up as well?

I just put exhaust manifolds on my christmas list .

I will have a performance shop look at doing my exhaust this spring, if the x pipe is not too much more I will do it.  My dad put an H on his 440 (resto 67 Charger) but he doesn't know anything about exhaust and he still has the rear end off a 318 on it (he is getting the big rear end with sure-grip put on this spring) so he can't step on it unless he wants to walk home so he isn't much help with it.

Thanks for the advice Ken.

Brian

[Ghoste]

If it's the original tranny still in the car, a simple rebuild with an eye towards a firm street/strip setup may be a good investment anyway.  You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a good working Torqueflite.

[Spartan]

Ya Ghoste, its the original tranny. Only work I have had done to it was the bands tightened and that was after I bought it a long time ago.  Its an auto but not sure if it was a torqueflight (probably not). I will definitely look into this as a winter project.

Thanks bud.

[firefighter3931]

Hp manifolds with an x-pipe 21/4 system would be a nice upgrade.....the x-pipe will produce more torque and 383 motors aren't known for big low end power. The tti mandrel bent sytsem only costs an extra $50.00 for the x-pipe upgrade and is well worth it inmo.

A basic rebuild with a trans reprogramming kit will firm up the shifts. Your transmission will be a 727 torqueflight....that's all that came with the 383 engine.

Ron

[cudaken]

 For only $50.00 I would add the X-pipes to your list. I would use flanges that can be unbolted so the X-pipes can be dropped out of the way. Later if the 727 need's to come out you will be glad you did. My H-pipes have a flange' in the center so I can pull them apart.

When I had the 727 done on my Charger first thing tha Tran's shop asked was "do you have H-pipes"? Told yes and then about the flange, say OK will work on it.

                                                    Cuda Ken

Oh, on the stain less system, I would not wast your money on it. My steel pipes have held up for 62,000 miles and 14 years now.

[Spartan]

very cool.

Thanks for all the help guys.