Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Fri 17 Apr 09 11:19

Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Guys,

I've some cash left over from the C3 I just bought, so I'm begining to plan the power upgrades, and would like some advice/opinions.

The car is a small block 350, and has had the following upgrades todate:

Edelbrock 2101 Performer Aluminium Intake Manifold
Dynamax BlackJack Aluminium Coated Headers (85008)
Taylor Pro-Glo ignition wires (78351)
custom stainless free flowing exhaust

The carb is the original Rochester unit, so I know I'll need to replace this at some point as well. I've seen manual & automatic carb versions, along with a whole list of debates as to which carb is better. I was looking at a Speed Demon 650CFM double pumper unit - any thoughts?

Also, should I be looking at an electronic ignition system?

Anyway, I want to take the car up into the mid/high 300 mark, so I was looking at these stroker kits. I dont want to go mad with power, and want to stike a balance between the car being useable/economical but with loadsa grunt/power

These kits seem to be fairly reasonable:

http://www.rpmmachine.com/scat-strokerkit-chevysb-350to383-5...
http://www.musclecarjunk.com/category/93/Engines_Components/...

If I was going down this road, what else would I need to be looking at?

any ideas cash wise what this could end up costing?

Last edited by EIRE V8 on Fri 17 Apr 09 11:24; edited 1 time in total. [7 %]

Fri 17 Apr 09 13:43

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

I've found there is a cut off point at about 430bhp (american rating, approx 300rwhp ), that is a medium set-up which sounds like what your after, above this requires a forged crank, good rods and forged pistons if you want it to last, i.e an expensive new engine

if you bought Edelbrocks Performer RPM package, Ali 64cc heads, RPM cam, Air gap manifold and carb you would be somewhere around the 420 level, this is what i have at the moment, above this level you may as well go mad because a 383 forged rotator assembly is somewhere around $3000 plus good heads $1700 etc etc and its pointless building a 470bhp engine as you will still need the expensive parts the 550 bhp engine will need

so either do the top end upgrade + a better damper, roller rockers, electric fan, distributor,coil and leads etc or £££new engine

I'll post a Car Craft article of the 570bhp 383 i want to build next when i get a minute

Just my opinion, i'm no engine expert but i have a good idea of what works

Thanks Aaron.

Last edited by aaroncorvette on Fri 17 Apr 09 15:23; edited 1 time in total. [0 %]
--------------------
'71 vette convertible + the odd mod.
I thought we won the war?

Fri 17 Apr 09 15:18

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

What's your budget?

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0808_383_stroker_s...

Here's the link to the 570bhp combo, it rocks!
read this whole article, it gives you a good idea of what works with what, and the limits of certain parts

Here's the medium combo, sounds like a bit of you?

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0808_383_stroker_s...

Car Craft is my favorite mag, a real grassroots mag.
Good luck, Aaron.

--------------------
'71 vette convertible + the odd mod.
I thought we won the war?

Fri 17 Apr 09 15:42

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Some light reading

Budget wise I've about 1k left, so just trying to figure out whether I'll need to put much with it to achieve my goal.

Some of these parts can be acquired along the way, such as the new carb etc.

Wev mentioned to me that I can only go so far power wise as the auto trans will only handle so much power stock - so my limits will be that I guess.

420bhp would be nice, but will the 3 speed auto cope?

R.

Fri 17 Apr 09 15:44

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

aaroncorvette wrote (View Post):What's your budget?

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0808_383_stroker_s...

Here's the link to the 570bhp combo, it rocks!
read this whole article, it gives you a good idea of what works with what, and the limits of certain parts

Here's the medium combo, sounds like a bit of you?

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0808_383_stroker_s...

Car Craft is my favorite mag, a real grassroots mag.
Good luck, Aaron.

p.s- to fit a 383 crank requires machining to the 350 block, this all adds up, i'm not convinced by those $650 stroker kits, too cheap!

I've somehow managed to quote myself, i didn't even know how to quote
The box will be fine if its in good nick, might need a higher stall torque converter, auto boxes aren't really my area.
if you are thinking less than 2k then buy a set of vortec heads +manifold, carb, roller r, distributor etc

Last edited by aaroncorvette on Fri 17 Apr 09 16:14; edited 2 times in total. [22 %]
--------------------
'71 vette convertible + the odd mod.
I thought we won the war?

Fri 17 Apr 09 16:29

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Rowan, with £1k to spend you really arnt going to get alot more unfortunately, the basics of power is more in, more out as fast as possible.

Looking at your specs, you have increased the potential of the 'out' in terms of a free flowing exhaust, you need to check what size tube the primary is 1-5/8 is about stock with 1-7/8 being the larger bore.

You have increased the cars intake in terms of manifold, better flow and smoother 'tuned' routes into the heads.

What you havent done is increased the fuel/air in, so a slightly bigger carb would help, a 383 calculates at 670CFM so a 350 would need 600cfm - 650CFM or slightly more, too much and you'll loose the usable power (there are calculators online)

A new comp cam would help increasing the in and out process = more power.

Electronic ignition has been debated at length on the US forums, the main benifit is higher capacity i.e. 65k compared to 40k (ish) stock and you dont burn out and have to keep setting your points. But, you can get high powered coils and ignition modules that bolt on your existing distributor, or buy new distributor.

So to spend your £1k wisely IMO bigger carb, new cam, better ignition system.
By going this route, when Mrs Rowan gives you your pocket money you can upgrade the heads to Edelbrock ally and i guess that will be around the limit of you bottom end in terms of power next step, stroke it.............. yeahhhh stroke it baby............ sorry got carried away there

Just my 2p's worth, there are alot of guys out there with far more experience and i'll be interested to see their opinion.................

--------------------
Corvette 1977 coupe
She LIVES
Now 383ci

Fri 17 Apr 09 17:09

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

LOL pocket money - if only you knew how TRUE that statement was!!!! The 1k is the starting point, just need to know where the €€€ could run to if I went down the route.

I'm off work this week, and have a double-sided 5 page list of things to do around the house!!! oh, I wish I was back in work...

I think you're right with the carb/cam/ignition...... I did the online calculator, so a 650cfm seems to be the jobbie.... What do you think of those Speed Demon ones?

I've seen some of the local guys with flamethrower ignition systems (I first thought they were some sort of system that pushed flames out the exhaust - god, how little do I know about mechanics )

When you say the block needs machining to fit a 383 storker, do you mean boring?

Need to ask some of the local guys as to who would do this.

Oh, the joys of V8's.... wouldnt change it for the world... great fun and learning loads

Last edited by EIRE V8 on Fri 17 Apr 09 17:11; edited 1 time in total. [7 %]

Fri 17 Apr 09 17:18

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Rowan, did you get 650CFM from a 350 CU engine? be carefull, big is not better!

I would go for Holley as spares, springs and jets are easy to get hold of and any mechanic who has worked on cars will know their way round them + they are quite easy to set up yourself.

Flame thrower is the type of thing i was talking about also check procomp and petronics.

With a 400 crank in a 350 block, the block has to be cleared to allow the crank and big end caps to spin freely, check my thread, i had to do it to mine, check and double check to be sure....... to be..........you get the idea

--------------------
Corvette 1977 coupe
She LIVES
Now 383ci

Fri 17 Apr 09 17:24

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Best thing is to pick a budget, then work from that, IMHO there's little point in going to the expensive of a 383 if you are not going to put good gear with the rest of it, you can get plenty of power from a 350 with much less £, give us a rough idea of how much

Last edited by aaroncorvette on Fri 17 Apr 09 17:30; edited 1 time in total. [69 %]
--------------------
'71 vette convertible + the odd mod.
I thought we won the war?

Fri 17 Apr 09 17:30

Re: Power Increase - 350/383 Stroker kit?

Used this calculator.... http://www.4secondsflat.com/Carb_CFM_Calculator.html

Just re-read that small print.... I'll take it I should be using the rpm value of 5500 (before it goes into the orange/red).

Taking that into account, it recommends a 557cfm - however if I did get one that size now, and *if* I did go down the 383 stroker road, surely I'd have to turf the 557cfm and go for a larger unit?

Just asking... to be sure... to be sure!