General 350 tech

[Be4u]

RR, when you said "As for stroking (engines, that is), A 383 is a 350 bored .030 over with a 400 crank. The  400 crank has to have the mains turned down to fit in the 350 block. You can buy cranks that that have already been done. This also requires a piston with a different pin height to accomodate the different stroke."

What do you mean "have the mains turned down"?

We still havent figured out exactly what engine this is. I got a six digit number off the back drivers side top "887000". And the side passenger has a date code I believe, "5h11" that was above a clock looking thing. I've looked here http://www.mortec.com/location.htm and other sites but couldnt match any of the numbers up. Not even the intake number. I still have more numbers to look for.

[87natty]

Well, look at this, the sizes of the journals on the mains and rods.

Gen.I, "Medium Journal", includes "Vortec" 305 and 350 thru '98 262...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 267...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 302...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 305...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 307...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 327...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10" 350...Mains-2.45"-Rods-2.10"

Gen.I, "Large Journal" 400...Mains-2.65"-rods-2.10"

The 400 crank is .20" bigger on the main journals. So you need to cut that down to 2.45" to fit in the 350 block. Rob's right about the rods too, the increased stroke might makes one of those big ass counterweights smack a piston. So usually people go up to a 6" rod. The stock 350 rod is 5.7" and the 400 is a little shorter than that I think.

Send us pics of the motor if you can.

[Recklessrob]

I have a book somewhere around the house that has
most of Chevies casting numbers. If I can find the book and that number,
I'll post what I find. We've built quite a few 383's at work.

[ledzeppac]

Is it true if you dont use it you lose it?

[Top Speed]

IHADAV8 once.  Then I sold it.

[Recklessrob]

Is it true if you dont use it you lose it?

Wrong forum, Pinhead !  :rofl;

[Be4u]

Heres some pics. Also, do you think it would be possible to build this engine ourselves? I believe we could but I dont want to mess it up. We'd take the block somewhere but what about putting the crank in and bolting the rods to the pistons? How hard is that?

[Be4u]

more pics

[Be4u]

more pics

[Top Speed]

Definitely old school.

[Be4u]

Bigtime old school. It's in Pauls 74 Nova. He "thinks" it came out of a 74 Custom Delux Chevy pickup so that means it could have came out of a gremlin or even a pinto. lol. Runs good though. Paul abuses the hell out of it every Cruising the Coast and it's still kickin'.

[Recklessrob]

I'd be skeptical on whether or not its a 383. Sometimes people
who race circle track in the stock classes will cheat and build
something like that. But, I don't think thats the case there after
seeing an EGR valve with a 2 barrel intake. More than likely
its a basic 350. The circle track guys usually kill for the Canadian 2 barrel intakes
because they out flow the American ones. Somewhere along the line it got a set of headers. Probably does great burnouts with all that low end torque though.

Edit: You can also buy a complete kit to make a 383 from companies like Summit, Jegs, and PAW. Then all you need to do is have the block machined accordingly.

[87natty]

There's nothing to building a 350. Tolerances aren't as critical as a Buick. Just get a good book and an even better machinist. You can have someone do you crank and rods, pistons, etc. That's called an assembled short block. The long block includes the heads, etc.

[Be4u]

RR, check this out

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260070359820&rd=1,1

[Recklessrob]

That is a decent price. Check with them to find out how much for a complete short block. A road trip to TN may be fun too.