Which is better...383 stroker or 440

[Inked_Ghandi]

So a buddy of mine is getting deployed in the  next few months and he says when he gets back that he is going to buy himself a chevelle with a 383 stroker big block in it.  And he claims it can beat anything I own. And yes i realize at the moment my car needs tires and a major tune up but once I give it those how do you think I will fare against his chebby?

[Troy]

Purely hypothetical until both cars are lined up. What have you done to yours? I don't think the Chevelle is any lighter so whoever has the most torque and best traction will likely win. Also, I've seen many "fast" cars beaten by slower cars because of skills of - or lack thereof - the driver.

Just FYI: the 383 stroker Chevy is a small block.

In the end, he will still have an ugly Chevy that looks like every other Chevy on the road. None of my cars ever see the track - I bought them because they are cool and don't need me to make claims or brag about them. Although, having a 440 does help if I happen to feel like planting the gas pedal every once in a while.

Oh, almost forgot... my dad could run right with 396 Chevelles with his 351 4-speed 69 Torino "back in the day" but only had a 50/50 shot against a 383 Mopar (Road Runner/Super Bee). He said he didn't stand a chance against 440 Mopars - but would race them just to hear the sound of that motor wide open.

Troy

[Inked_Ghandi]

I have not done anything to mine because I am currently playing in the sandbox overseas. So my car right now is sitting at stock hp and torque which isnt that much for a 74. And his car is just hopes and dreams right now. As for the block size, I knew it was a small block. He thinks it is a big block. I'm really starting to doubt his knowledge on cars. You are also right about all chevy's looking the same. And what is even worse is that most of them are 350 because that is the cool thing to have. So thank you for your input Troy. It's nice to know that there are other people besides chevy people out there who also see how much they boast way too much. 

[Troy]

Uh, well, I'm not the most brand loyal person so don't expect me to think every Mopar is awesome.

The only Chevy I've owned had a 454 in it but I do know a tiny bit about their engines. Their 383 is just a stroked 350. Yes, the cars seem to be everywhere BUT the bonus is that all that stuff is dirt cheap and easy to find. I can build my Ford (Mach 1) and most of the popular Chevy stuff for about 1/3rd of what it takes to finish my Mopars.

The government and insurance companies pretty much killed the musclecar in 1972 so yours probably isn't the greatest example of Mopar performance. However, it's basically the same engine as the earlier versions so a cam and something to help the compression will make it a completely different beast. Ask for help in the tech sections and you'll really be able to wake it up.

Troy

[Inked_Ghandi]

Yeah I had a post on one of the sections about if the parts jegs told me to get were any good. I think it is under charger discussion. "correct parts for my 440" or something along those lines. And I was going to put some different parts into the engine because i read what was happening to make those cars basically loose their muscle car-ness(?) and be more luxurious. paraphrasing at its finest.

[AKcharger]

I'd go 383 stroker, lot's of usable torque

[Magnumcharger]

I'd build a 451...which is a stroker 400, which looks like a 383. * Bestest combo of cubes, short stroke, lighter block, and the freak-out factor!

[Brass]

I think the 440 has more potential and all things being equal, will thrash the CHEVY (ahem) 383.  On the other hand, a well built 383 could get the edge against a stock, mid-70's (low compression) 440.

[Scaregrabber]

I'm a mopar guy all the way however. I mean no offense but that smogger 440 from the mid 70's is not a performer in stock form. A 383 Chevy is not a stock GM engine, it is modified and if the person who modified it has any clue at all it will have decent compression, camshaft, manifolding and heads. These items are what your 440 is lacking. So chances are the built 383 will snuff your 440 like a small bug.
Now if you modify your 440 and do the same things to it that are done to the 383 Chevy such as stroker crank, good compression, nice camshaft, decent heads and manifolds, well that 383 Chev better run and hide.

Sheldon

[Inked_Ghandi]

See that is the thing. I put a post on the engine section about if the parts jegs recommended me would help out in any way. The title of the post is "correct parts for my 440." So if you fellas could take a quick gander at them and tell me if that is what I need to get my engine up and running like a champ, it would be highly appreciated.

[charger_fan_4ever]

I played with SBF's for a long time and spent some time at the track. Just some consideration a 383 SBC or a 406 SBC with a good set of aftermarket heads,single plane intake, longtubes and right cam can easily make 500hp.Run on pump gas and spin a lot of rpm.

You'd need at minimum ported heads,intake,headers and more compression for the 440. For the price of porting and prep buy a set of aluminum aftermarket heads. More potential and weight savings.(used Indy heads)

Mind you HP is not as big of a player in the 1/4 mile game as one would think. You see a lot of 400-500 hp cars that run in the 12-13 range.

[Inked_Ghandi]

Yeah that guy isnt getting a crate engine. just some engine some guy had that has been sitting in a shop for too long. and i know the guy cant fix it up. i just needed the facts so when/if he tries to talk sh*t on the 440 after I get the work done to it, I can give him the correct facts.

[charger_fan_4ever]

If he is using stock iron heads I would not worry. Get some compression,cam,intake,carb,headers and you will be ok. If he is running any serious type of aftermarket head than you will need heads too.

[Inked_Ghandi]

Would you mind checking out my "correct parts for my 440" post and see if those parts i listed are what i really need? Except there is no headers. Completely forgot about headers.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Would you mind checking out my "correct parts for my 440" post and see if those parts i listed are what i really need? Except there is no headers. Completely forgot about headers.

As stated in that post the carb is not a performance carb. Its a good truck carb thats about it. Get a holley 750 4150 series double pump. Lots can be found used on the cheap.

As far as cam I'd ask Firefighter on here for a reccomendation. Cam choice is more than lift/duration. I'd say Cam would be the last thing to buy once you know what induction/exhaust you are going to run.

Untill the block is torn down I'd hold off on buying pistons/rings. Do you know if its a std bore or already oversized ?

Since you have a later block its an external balance engine. By changing any of the rotating assembly weight you will need a rebalance.

[Inked_Ghandi]

If everything is as it came from the factory it should just be standard bored. And also could you recommend me an intake since I was told the one the recommended was even worse than the stock one?

[RECHRGD]

If everything is as it came from the factory it should just be standard bored. And also could you recommend me an intake since I was told the one the recommended was even worse than the stock one?

E-Brock Performer RPM w/ Holley 750 Double pumper works great for me.

[Inked_Ghandi]

yay or nay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230744514946&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Edelbrock-7193-Performer-RPM-440-Intake-Manifold-/130634321406?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e6a698dfe

[RECHRGD]

yay or nay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230744514946&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Edelbrock-7193-Performer-RPM-440-Intake-Manifold-/130634321406?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e6a698dfe

Yay!  But before you pull the trigger on the manifold, I would check hood clearance.  It's tight on my '68 and I have to use a dropped base air filter.  I'm not sure about the clearance on a 3 rd generation.  Others have talked about a Mopar CH4B that is about equal in performance, but not so high.

[Inked_Ghandi]

Alright thanks. I put it all three items in my ebay watch list for future reference.

[Brass]

Also, doing exhaustive research on this site using the search feature can be very helpful.  Search on the parts and topics you're interested in, and see what others had to say about what works with what.  Also, the child-board "Proven Engine Combo" within the "Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust" section has several good reads.  Even if those builds don't directly relate to what you plan to do with your car, the knowledge is useful and you'll get a sense of what is possible.  

[Inked_Ghandi]

Its all the automotive jargon I don't understand. Like the lift and duration of a cam. And piston spacing and compression. Ii know I should know most of this before i start working on a car but I like to learn as I go. kind of also why I didnt go to college.

[Brass]

No worries – there's a full spectrum of knowledge on this board.  It'll start coming to you.  It's never too late and I'm still learning too!  But you found the right place – so keep asking questions.