need some more hp, 383

[Tmb84]

maybe a silly question, but i just want to know how silly it is  

i have a 70 Charger 383/2bbl, it got a purple shaft cam from the 70`s, do not know the spec. but it performs like a magnum motor. dp4b edelbrock alu manifold, 600AVS carb, hp manifold. 2,1/4 exhaust, forged crank, pertronix electr ignition,  
windage tray, 16/39 timing. as a daily driver it performs ok. but i want to take it to the track 1-3 times a year. now it runs high 9sec on 1/8. i want to be at mid 8sec.

i am thinking of top end kit from edelbrock, and keep the bottom stock. but with 8.7 in compression will it help? the performer rpm heads got 88cc chamber, stock 906 heads is about 88-90cc.

[ACUDANUT]

Why risk Drag Racing in a 4K pound Classic Car. You will never be the fastest and you risk crashing your car.

[Tmb84]

i know what you mean, but its alot of fun. its bracket racing so maybe its smart to be the slowest..

[XH29N0G]

That time looks good for an 8.7 compression 383.  I am not the one to recommend specific modifications because there are others here that know more and will provide more informed information.  What I was told when I was considering modifying my 383 was that there are better cams for the engine than the one in the top end kit and that it is not difficult to overcam a 383.  The other questions I would wonder about would be if there would be smaller chamber heads that would boost the compression further.  (All of this assumes the bottom end is solid and sealing up the top isn't going to cause another issue)

If you don't get a response, keep posting until others pipe in.

Given the time, I am assuming you have fairly low (and optimized) gears, but that was also a place where I noticed a difference with my 383.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

PS.  I also run my car at the strip for enjoyment.  Someone else could drive it better.  I know there is a risk and will be upset if things go south, but up to this point really have fun.

[Tmb84]

The engine and car got 67000miles on its neck and producing 45 psi of oil pressure and its not burning any oil.
The gears is 3.55, 3.90 or 4.10 would prob help, but 3.55 is a good street/strip gear.

[Q5XX29]

I've been through this before with my 70 Charger 500 and my son's '68 Charger, both 383 Cars. Did all the usual stuff- edelbrock performer rpm intake, cam, 3.91 gears, good ignition, etc and was running 14s in the quarter mile on a good street engine. Then went with the small chambered edelbrock aluminum heads and got into the high 13s. Finally, got tired of being beaten by everything at the track, even though my kids 68 Black Charger was the best looking car there, it was still embarrassing to have a car look so tough and run so slow. So this year, we swapped in a built 500 cubic inch (400 based) stroker motor, just a nice small solid lifter cam engine and ported the same edelbrock heads and running same 3.91 gears, and running 11 flat at 118 in the quarter.. MUCH different car now, actually performs the way it looks like it should, and still with great street manners.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Why risk Drag Racing in a 4K pound Classic Car. You will never be the fastest and you risk crashing your car.

I like beating 10 second cars with my 2 ton turd on a 9 inch tire and stock suspension.  Its fun. Some people like it. Some people dont

[cdr]

Why risk Drag Racing in a 4K pound Classic Car. You will never be the fastest and you risk crashing your car.

I like beating 10 second cars with my 2 ton turd on a 9 inch tire and stock suspension.  Its fun. Some people like it. Some people dont

  There are some Hellcat owners that wont even look at me LMAO

[myk]

In that case why bother driving your car at all-might get into an accident and lose your classic car?  Because you only live once and you have to run your car the way you want to...

[ACUDANUT]

In that case why bother driving your car at all-might get into an accident and lose your classic car?  Because you only live once and you have to run your car the way you want to...

Do as you please. There is a difference driving it and beating the hell out of it.

[Kern Dog]

Why risk Drag Racing in a 4K pound Classic Car. You will never be the fastest and you risk crashing your car.

?  ?  ?  ?
Why have sex? You might break your dick.
Why eat food? You might get fat.
Why have a dog? They eventually die.
LIVE a little man! You see CDR posting about drag racing his car all the time.
Why would you even post that silly thought?

[c00nhunterjoe]

In that case why bother driving your car at all-might get into an accident and lose your classic car?  Because you only live once and you have to run your car the way you want to...

Do as you please. There is a difference driving it and beating the hell out of it.

You are more likely to hit a deer then wreck at the dragstrip. As said- to each their own.

[timmycharger]

In that case why bother driving your car at all-might get into an accident and lose your classic car?  Because you only live once and you have to run your car the way you want to...

Do as you please. There is a difference driving it and beating the hell out of it.

Exactly! which is why I built mine specifically to be able to sustain the beating I'm giving it.   Everything can be fixed to some extent, it's not my daily driver 

[ACUDANUT]

KD, I guess I never had the desire. Drag racing to me is pointless.  To each their own. 

[XH29N0G]

I can respect that 

[Kern Dog]

KD, I guess I never had the desire. Drag racing to me is pointless.  To each their own. 

I have done it but I like cornering and handling so much more. Drifting is a lot of fun too !

[c00nhunterjoe]

Chrysler built the cars in the 60s to take the abuse from the factory. Dont make them like they used to.

[BSB67]

These motors can take a beating.  Especially the 383. Back in the day these things got beat on all day long, day after day, year after year.  Then sold to the next kid that wold do the same.  I bet for my first 5 years of driving, I probably redlined my engines 10 times a day.  In my low production, numbers matching GTS, the original 383 motor with factory rods and crank has been the sunny side of 7000 rpm hundreds of times.  If I could not beat the living crap out of them regularly, and take them to the track, I'd sell them both in a heart beat.  This is the only reason to have, uh, uh, a muscle car to me.

We had a 68 383 wagon that we were going to take to the junk yard, so we decided to blow up the engine.  Started it up and put a brick on the gas pedal. We got tired of listening to it popping and banging so we removed the brick.  The motor was fine.

Put 75 or 72 cc aluminum heads on it, have a professional recommend a cam.  It will be a lot faster than it is now.  But it is relative.  And like someone said, it will be a 13 second car at best unless you do a lot more.

[c00nhunterjoe]

My 66 383 block with high school kid preppes 516 heads and a racer brown "509" cam  stock bottome end  wound up past 7k for over 15 years and was a solid 12 second car in a b body.  Finally broke a piston and scattered nearing 8k at the top of 3rd a few years ago. Owed me nothing. Won countless races and cruised forever.

[dual fours]

Chrysler built the cars in the 60s to take the abuse from the factory. Dont make them like they used to.

I did not let the Chrysler camp down. I was 18, I had a seven year old 1970 Charger 383 Magnum less A/C, DC electronic ignition, Accel super coil w/8mm wires, Thrush straight though, 3.91 gears with a tricked out Winter's built 727 automatic, L60x15's on the rear and F60x15 on the front, super stock leaf springs, traction bars, Gabriel adjustable 60/40-50/50-40/60 front shocks and two 4 bbl. Carter AFB carbs. oh I forgot the solid motor mounts...yeah you felt everything. We had nothing in aftermarket parts like is available now-a-days. Chrysler made a tool and I used it to scare or beat the crap out of the other camps, and some in my own camp as well with a little help from the local speed shops. York US 30 closed down at the end of the season in 1979  . I turned to the streets from '77 to '87. If you were lucky, on a good night you'd get a challenge at just about every red light or from a rolling start. Oh did I mention CB/shortwave and Police scanners. If you did not live it...you would not understand. God to have just one summer of it (1978) to do over again... everything being equal to the times. I loved my three eighty three to Death.    

[c00nhunterjoe]

You probably raced my father in law in the 63 dodge back then if you were at us 30 in that time span....

[dual fours]

I do know about that belly/dip in the track. What was it about halfway down the track?
I can still hear that crazy voice in my head shouting over the AM radio, ''SATURDAY SATURDAY''.
Dame as a kid growing up around YORK US 30 DRAGWAY (straight), LINCOLN SPEEDWAY (roundy round), WILLIAMS GROVE (roundy round), TRAILWAYS (roundy round), SOUTH MOUNTAIN (straight), POCONO (I worked here) no wonder I'm not right in the head, getting hit with dirt clods on the third or maybe the forth turn (LS-WG), breathing in those alcohol fumes, gasoline and burnt rubber. Alcohol and racing fuel stills has a sweet smell. Did I mention that I wear hearing aids.

A old thought just surfaced in my head...I wonder what else is buried deep inside?  What if the engine wont shut down? Turn the ignition key off, just not to far off or the steering wheel will lock!

My worst fear was...maybe the tranny exploding.  

[Tmb84]

fun to read your stories 

seems to me after reading your comments that i should get som more compression in my three eighty three!
how much can i shave them before i need to shave the manifold as well?
i have just raised the timing from 36-39 and that helped, it literally woke upp.

[c00nhunterjoe]

The stories i could tell.... but not online. Lol.

As to decking. Its not a definite number. Blocks and heads can be all over the place. Plus after 50 years, you have no clue what machine work has been done already. Wont know til its apart and you take measurements.