Bolted to the dyno, our 383 was hooked up with your typical array of engine sensors, as well as a fuel source, a starter motor, and the cooling system of the dyno. The dyno room's fuel cell was filled with high-octane VP unleaded to prevent any chance of detonation while tuning (don't worry-we're not about to "trick" you with a race gas tune, folks). We're also using a set of "FlowTech II" ceramic-coated headers, PN 31106FLT ($340.00). These long-tubes fit 1963-82 Corvettes, feature 1 5/8-inch primaries, and were acquired with the purpose of eventually installing this engine into Campisano's personal ride (more to come).
Our baseline run was a good start. With just 30 degrees of total timing, we eclipsed 415 hp and 466 lb-ft. Here, B&B owner Bob Oster's skilled hands put our 383 through the paces. The next few pulls saw the engine make more power each time, as the rings seated and compression improved. For the fourth pull, the distributor was given the "Jersey twist" all the way up to 38 degrees and we yielded the numbers that would prove to be the best of the day: 425.8 horses and 473.8 lb-ft. That's some awesome torque, and though we couldn't run this particular dyno below 3,600 rpm (near the torque peak), we'll bet the grunt starts way down there.
383 with 35 degree timing...
383 with 35 degree timing.
Like we've been saying all along, the bottom line in this build is our dollar-to-horsepower quotient, so let's figure the denominator. Rahway, New Jersey-based B&B Performance Machine set aside a full day for us to use the shop's SuperFlow SF-901 engine dyno, so one lovely morning in early May, this author, along with editor-in-chief Jim Campisano and longtime Primedia contributor (and carb whiz) Dan Foley, showed up at B&B for a day of testing, tuning, and attempting to eclipse what others may dare not try: beating the crate-engine big dogs at their own game, and doing so for a fraction of the price.So there's the power, folks-425 is just about what we'd hoped to end up with, and over 473 lb-ft is sure to smoke hides of whatever ride this engine ends up in. Now that the dust has settled, the last thing left to address is the money we've spent and how it compares to what we could have shelled out had we not chosen to "build our own." Including all tools-along with miscellaneous items like RTV, extra spark plugs, and spare oil filters-the grand total comes to $5,565 for everything we've quoted a price on in each of our three segments (as well as all of our locally acquired parts). But this alone is not a very good measure of success, not only because this cost includes reusable items a typical enthusiast probably already has lying around from an old worn-out small-block, but because such an overall price quote lacks a benchmark for comparison
So there's the power, folks--425 is just about what we'd hoped to end up with, and over 473 lb-ft is sure to smoke hides of whatever ride this engine ends up in. Now that the dust has settled, the last thing left to address is the money we've spent and how it compares to what we could have shelled out had we not chosen to "build our own." Including all tools--along with miscellaneous items like RTV, extra spark plugs, and spare oil filters--the grand total comes to $5,565 for everything we've quoted a price on in each of our three segments (as well as all of our locally acquired parts). But this alone is not a very good measure of success, not only because this cost includes reusable items a typical enthusiast probably already has lying around from an old worn-out small-block, but because such an overall price quote lacks a benchmark for comparison.
383 with 38 degree timing...
383 with 38 degree timing.
If you shop around on the crate engine scene, you'll quickly find one particular big name 383-inch mill advertised as making 425 hp-identical in power output to ours, and (as far as we can judge) designed for similar street/strip usage, with a fairly lopey (albeit roller) cam and roughly-comparable cylinder heads. Though exact internals differ from those of our engine, the spec sheets are close enough for government work. This particular engine package goes for about $5,000, and for this price, you get a near-complete motor sans major items like a carb, distributor, and fuel and water pumps. When we figure the cost of our engine as identically equipped as possible, the number we get for our mill is-get this-$3,377, give or take a few bucks!That's quite a savings by any measure, and at under $8.00/horsepower, it's inclusive of all machine work, too. It's still impressive even if you throw our $420 worth of tools back into the equation (which you can use over and over). In our view, this shoestring stroker passes the true litmus test: when going as close to apples-to-apples as humanly possible, we've undercut at least one big dog by about $1,600. Truth be told, we don't have items like a forged crank and rods, but we'll never miss them on our N/A engine. Our meticulous selection of affordable-yet-appropriate parts for our intended application certainly seems to have paid off.
Just think of the possibilities: all that money saved can go toward family pet vaccinations, next month's Home Depot credit card bill, or enough Heineken to last an entire frat house a full week or more. Looked at another way, that cash could grab us higher-flowing ported heads, a roller cam, and/or other goodies to put us well ahead of the competition on the power front (we'll keep you updated on any future upgrades we might choose for this mill). Whatever your take, one thing is for sure: Building an engine yourself is fun and makes the end product all the more satisfying. And that, friends, is one thing that nobody can put a price tag on.