350 vs 383

[Brick442]

I hate to say it, but in my experience you get what you pay for. If a deal on an engine is too good to be true is most likely is.

To get the cost on an engine down, a builder is going to cut costs somewhere. Parts or machine work. I'd say the most likely is machine work: honing, balancing, etc. That's the case with most of the low price high horsepower engines you see on eBay.

And also, the extra couple hundred for dyno testing is worth it. Think of it as insurance. Better to break on the dyno then in your vehicle.

As for the 383, I bought the zz383 from Summit because I needed to get my car running in a hurry. It was about $700 less then what it goes for now but worth it: new block, new parts, 18 month warranty and most vendors will dyno test it. It's 425hp/450ft/lbs and takes mods easily. I plan on installing a vortech supercharger down the road--gm high perf did one on a zz383 and it made over 700hp! As is, If I get on it a 60mph it'll burn the tires. I see a cam swap easily getting this into the mid 11's.

I went with the gmpp zz383 because I read good reviews online, and also a friend had a great experience with a gmpp 350 that went kaput--he took it to a local dealer for a teardown, and they ended up replacing the whole thing.

 

[ubanks2000]

Ummm Neither, I would call someone else. He said $2500 and no warranty not even a mileage, just that it will crank up ! Where are you because there has to be some one relatively close who does engines all day and will sell you a 383 at a good price that has some kind of guarantee of some kind. If you can just save your money a little bit more just buy it from Summit or Jegs.

 

[1985Chevycutlass]

Ummm Neither, I would call someone else. He said $2500 and no warranty not even a mileage, just that it will crank up ! Where are you because there has to be some one relatively close who does engines all day and will sell you a 383 at a good price that has some kind of guarantee of some kind. If you can just save your money a little bit more just buy it from Summit or Jegs.

Thanks for the reply. I am in Shreveport Louisiana. I know I asked a dumb question but I am not familliar with ordering a brand new or rebuilt engine so I don't know what to expect. Keep the suggestions coming guys!

 

[Nod06]

go to orielly part store and get u a reman 350 4 bolt for 899 and get u some vortec heads and put a xe268 comp cam in there for what u are looking for u will be happy I promise I did this 5 years ago and im still riding u get a 12 month unlimited mile warranty

 

[ubanks2000]

It looks like you are about 3 hours from Dallas Texas, if you cant find any good motor shops in Shreveport than check dallas. I know they got some. But then you have to worry about some one stealing your car unless you put it in yourself. Which isnt as hard for a first timer as it will take you to get all the pieces. But look there bigger city better prices. Can you change the name of the post to Need new motor in Dallas.

Im sorry my mind is all over the place.

 

[bigjoenvegas]

Check this out. Just a couple hundred more and you could get it shipped, I'm sure.
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/pts/1583138239.html

 

[79loserbluebu]

Have you looked at the GM Goodwrench 350 crate engine for a little under $1,500? You'll need an intake, distributor, carb, and headers/manifolds but IMO it's a pretty good deal for a nice reliable and not super crazy engine. You can find SBC intakes all day on CL for under $100 and a set of longtubes for an SBC G-body aren't too expensive. I had a 355 in my Malibu until it spun a bearing, then we put the Goodwrench that came in the car originally back in. Used the same intake, carb, distributor and headers from it and it runs like a champ. It is a fun car, granted I never got to try the built trans that was with the 355 on the Goodwrench, and also swapped to a 442 rear with 3.73s after the engine swap. Currently going to start rebuilding the 355 to the way it was originally.

But anyways, the Goodwrench 350 is a nice engine. 4 bolt mains, 1 piece rear main seal, universal block for either side dipstick, LT1/LT4 powdered rods. If I wanted to build another performance engine I would definately start with this. Either that or if money's tight, collect some parts, send the block to a machine shop on Monday and pick it up later in the week and build your own engine.

 

[megaladon6]

not just because i have one, i say 383. remember, there's very little difference between the 2 motors, but with the same compression, cam, intake, heads etc the 383 will produce significantly more power. and it's power you can FEEL. you can easily build a good one for $2k and build 350hp and 400tq. (btw, for those who don't know, HP doesn't exist. it's torque vs speed so the more torque at a given rpm=more HP, and strokers are torque monsters!) mine peels out with about 1/4 throttle and will snap your head back if you punch it at 100mph!

 

[454muscle]

You will not want to hear this but I say again, I've been through all this shyt, exactly what position you are in, so was I.
When I had something go wrong, nobody took responsibility. I just got the run around.

My suggestions for your best insurance:

1. Don't get a shop to build you any engine.
2. Don't buy from an unknown company or an ebay site.
3. For your best insurance (which will save you money in the long run) your best bet is to buy a crate motor, a complete, turn key, crate motor with warrantee. Save up your money for it and do it right.

Now, some people will advise differently, but like I said, I've had an engine built a few times, and there is always something or other that went wrong. Once it was the bearings. Man that is the worst. Whole engine needs to be taken apart in that case. There are a lot of intricate details to consider when building an engine. Also, there are many "tricks of the trade" that some follow, some don't know about. A known engine builder has been through all of this and can offer a crate motor with a warrantee, it eliminates the guess work, and leaves you with a reliable engine, which you can get good power from.

Read what Brick442 said, he has the right idea, and did it right. He has the option to add power-adders with no worries either as he goes, as time or money permits.

In my case, the big block crate, I can add nitrous, supercharger, or turbos to it (it was built for nitrous) so the engine is stong and comes with the 24 month unlimited mileage warrantee, and what's more, it's from Pat Musi/Edelbrock, so I won't have any warrantee issues.

 

[hotrod87]

Go with the 383.....torque moves your car not hp!!!!!