Welcome to Club Hot Rod!  The premier site for everything to do with Hot Rod, Customs, Low Riders, Rat Rods, and more. 

  •  » Members from all over the US and the world!
  •  » Help from all over the world for your questions
  •  » Build logs for you and all members
  •  » Blogs
  •  » Image Gallery
  •  » Many thousands of members and hundreds of thousands of posts! 

YES! I want to register an account for free right now!  p.s.: For registered members this ad will NOT show

 

Thread: 383 or 440?
          
   
   

Reply To Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17
  1. #1
    Cool Runnin's Avatar
    Cool Runnin is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    New Palestine
    Car Year, Make, Model: 50 Chevy 1/2 ton
    Posts
    17

    383 or 440?

     



    I got a friend that recently got a 68 charger in great shape.
    He has a or he says he has a 383 in it that needs rebuilt or should he put a 440 in it instead. He has access to a couple 440,s

    which is the better motor?
    Thanks

  2. #2
    stepside454's Avatar
    stepside454 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Festus
    Car Year, Make, Model: 75 GMC C-15
    Posts
    342

    depends who you ask...I like cubes, but I know of some guys who swear the chrysler 383 will dust any 440...so, I dont know, the 383 revs quicker I imagine, but the 440 will out grunt the 383
    75 GMC C-15 factory 454, automatic, lowered

  3. #3
    brickman's Avatar
    brickman is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    west plains
    Car Year, Make, Model: '48 chev Stylemaster
    Posts
    1,390

    I have been doing alot of research lately on BB mopars and there isn't alot of difference in the basic engines, they are all good to build up and of course everything depends on the combination of parts (cam, intake, compression, tranny, rear end gears etc.) that you use to put it together with. The 383 may be a more era correct motor for that car, they all can be built to screem fairly easily. I really am getting to like the BB mopars for thier low end torque stock they have is hard to beat.
    One thing I can say for sure is that the late 60's early 70's 440's seem to be the most popular for building.
    "Sunshine, a street rod and a winding beautiful Ozarks road is truely Bliss!"

  4. #4
    Matt167's Avatar
    Matt167 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Prattsville
    Car Year, Make, Model: '51 Chevy Fleetline and a Ratrod project
    Posts
    4,990

    What about putting a set of 440 Heads on the 383, it was a factory motor option, called the 383 "Commando". I like the 383's myself.
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

    Matt's 1951 Chevy Fleetline- Driver

    1967 Ford Falcon- Sold

    1930's styled hand built ratrod project

    1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Wolfsburg Edition- sold

  5. #5
    Henry Rifle's Avatar
    Henry Rifle is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Little Elm
    Car Year, Make, Model: 34 Ford Low Boy w/ZZ430 Clone
    Posts
    3,890

    Do the 440. The only thing that beats cubic inches is cubic dollars.
    Jack

    Gone to Texas

  6. #6
    NTFDAY's Avatar
    NTFDAY is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Springfield
    Car Year, Make, Model: '66 Mustang, 76 Corvette
    Posts
    5,333

    Originally posted by Matt167
    What about putting a set of 440 Heads on the 383, it was a factory motor option, called the 383 "Commando". I like the 383's myself.
    That would come close to getting you a 383 Magnum circa '68. My '68 Charger was a 383 and I had a lot of trouble with 440's, 350 horse 396's was a totally different story.
    Ken Thomas
    NoT FaDe AwaY and the music didn't die
    The simplest road is usually the last one sought
    Wild Willie & AA/FA's The greatest show in drag racing

  7. #7
    Kiwi T's Avatar
    Kiwi T is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Auckland
    Car Year, Make, Model: 23 T Bucket
    Posts
    24

    Depends.Is the 383 the original motor? If it is I would be inclined to stick with that.Be worth it in the long run.
    I had a 383 in my 68 Charger and it was strong as hell,even when I ran it with two burnt out valves. Only thing, it wouldn't stop,had drums on all four corners.
    However there is something about the numbers 440 that gets the pulse racing on any Mopar man.Almost as much as that word..HEMI.

    Cheers KIWI

  8. #8
    mercmad's Avatar
    mercmad is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Brisbane
    Car Year, Make, Model: 26 Chev.roadster etc etc
    Posts
    24

    Go for the big one,at least the cheap big one,put a 440 crank into a 400 block,you get 452 cubes of real torque in a relativly small package that will melt tires by just thinking "acelerator".};-)
    There are old cars and then there are classics...Mercedes Benz.

  9. #9
    techinspector1's Avatar
    techinspector1 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Zephyrhills, Florida, USA
    Car Year, Make, Model: '32 Henway
    Posts
    12,423

    Originally posted by mercmad
    Go for the big one,at least the cheap big one,put a 440 crank into a 400 block,you get 452 cubes of real torque in a relativly small package that will melt tires by just thinking "acelerator".};-)
    Yep, and if you offset grind the 440 crank for BB Chevy rods and bore the small ends of the rods to mount 429 Ford pistons, you get a 470 cubic inch motor.
    PLANET EARTH, INSANE ASYLUM FOR THE UNIVERSE.

  10. #10
    SnakeHerder's Avatar
    SnakeHerder is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Chico
    Car Year, Make, Model: '69 GT500, '57 Chevy, '02 Vette Convert
    Posts
    90

    Tech, that's a whole new approach to the other thread about cross-breeding cars...

    Cool stuff. Thanks for the info.
    Tim -

    "Tho' much is taken, much abides, and tho'
    We are not now that strength which in old days
    Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are..."

  11. #11
    techinspector1's Avatar
    techinspector1 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Zephyrhills, Florida, USA
    Car Year, Make, Model: '32 Henway
    Posts
    12,423

    Pretty nutso, huh?
    PLANET EARTH, INSANE ASYLUM FOR THE UNIVERSE.

  12. #12
    Cool Runnin's Avatar
    Cool Runnin is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    New Palestine
    Car Year, Make, Model: 50 Chevy 1/2 ton
    Posts
    17

    Smile

     



    Hey Tech your Back!
    Good deal

  13. #13
    Dave Severson is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Madison
    Car Year, Make, Model: '67 Ranchero, '57 Chevy, '82 Camaro,
    Posts
    21,160

    The only thing better than cubic inches is more cubic inches, the only thing better than money is cubic money!!! Do the big motor, you'll love it. Heck, do it Tech's way and you will have a super ground pounder!!!!!!
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, Live for Today!
    Carroll Shelby

    Learning must be difficult for those who already know it all!!!!

  14. #14
    mopar34's Avatar
    mopar34 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Stewartstown
    Car Year, Make, Model: 34 Ply PE sdn; 57 Olds 88 J2
    Posts
    1,953

    I used to have a 69 Barracuda Formula S with a 383 Commando 330 hp, it would beat most 440 factory stockers. Not the 440-6's though. As much as I liked that engine, if I were doing one today it would be a 440. Much easier to get parts for 440's then the old 383's.

  15. #15
    moparmaddnes is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    AUSTIN, MN
    Car Year, Make, Model: 71 challenger R/T, 34' Plymouth 5 window
    Posts
    13

    Cool Runnin,
    Like previously stated if the engine is original to the car then the car will be worth much more with it. But if not then sky is the limit. It depends on how much power He wants to have. You can build a 383 with very good power and torque, but it will cost approximately the same to build the 440. Except if your going to put expensive parts in them. It does cost more to build a mopar, but it doesn't take as much to make respecable power and torque. People like the 67' to 71' motors better because they forged cranks. The newer ones have cast. You can still build them for good power though. If it were my car and the motor wasn't original I would build the 440.

Reply To Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Links monetized by VigLink