siduramaxde

I would like to chronicle my 86 Berly from the time my Father-in-law gave it to me to the time it is running down the street with a 383 in it. I am currently in the middle of this project and I have all the body work done. It is now time for the engine swap but I thought I would also share pics of the progress the car has made.

I have some questions about the engine swap and I thought I would ask the experts here. The car currently has the LG4 with a qjet and I believe it is computer controlled. I have my hands on a slightly used 383 and I want to put it in this Berly. We still have to take the 383 out of the truck that it is in so I don't know a whole lot about the motor. I saw the motor when it was new and I know it has roller rockers and all the good stuff My questions are the typical engine swap questions: What should I do for the exhaust, intake manifold, carb and transmission. I would really like to keep the engine bay "clean" and not looking like like the rats nest it is now. So if that means setting the computer stuff aside I will. However, I would also like to keep expenses down as low as possible(doesn't everyone??). I am open to keeping the qjet but I have no idea what that would involve. The 700r4 trans is in good shape and I plan on keeping it. For exhaust I would like to go with Edelbrocks tubular exhaust system. I know that its probably not the best choice for exhaust but I don't really want to get involved with all the custom exhaust and long tube headers.

What are my best options? If you have carb and intake suggestions please give a reason and some part #'s so I can look them up. Any help is great and I will be sure to keep you guys up to date with the project and keep pics up. I hope to have this project done by spring so don't expect daily updates

pic 1 is the day I got the car
pic 2 is the car sanded down
pic 3 is car in primer and gray base coat on bottom

siduramaxde

pic 1 is car with all the clear on
pic 2 is the finished paint

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Good job on the paint! Want to come and do mine?

Whether or not you can keep the stock q-jet really hinges on the cam in the 383. If it has a lot of overlap, the computer will get confused especially at idle. But, there's a good chance it will work. If you could get more info on the cam, that would help.

The Performer RPM Spreadbore would be a good intake to use with the q-jet. It won't have EGR valve provision, but all you need to do there is keep the EGR solenoid connected and the computer will be happy. You can do a lot to clean up the engine compartment and keep the computer stuff.

If you don't keep the q-jet, get a Holley 750 double pumper and vacuum/mechanical advance HEI distributor. You'll need a geometry corrector bracket to bolt onto the throttle arm for the TH700 TV cable.

My preference for headers would be Hooker 2055HKR for off-the-shelf. Or, contact TGO member Dyno Don (PM him) about a set of his 1-3/4" primary headers and y-pipe. Those will be more expensive, but would be much better for a 383. Tons better than TES.

siduramaxde

Thanks for the reply. I will have to find out about the cam. I will also look into the Hooker headers.

siduramaxde

ok, I have decided the computer has got to go. Any ideas on what intake manifold I should run with a 750 holley DP and 2055 headers??

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Performer RPM.

Did you look into Dyno Don headers? Oft discussed on the Exhaust forum.

siduramaxde

I have to look into dyno dons headers yet. I will do that tonight. five7, thanks for your promt replies.

siduramaxde

OK, I have the 383 in my garage and the lg4 and 700r4 is out of the Berlinetta. I will post some pics of the 383 and the old motor/trans coming out. I am still waiting on parts to be shipped to me. So far I have spent a little bit over $3500 on the 383 motor and parts. The 383 cost me $1000 (it is used with about 40,000 miles on it). The rest of the money has been spent on other parts (valve coves, distributor, carb, intake, exhaust, trans rebuild kit, stall converter, and misc.) The 383 came with s/r torquer heads, a custom grind ultradyne cam (only specs I know is 288/296), comp cams roller lifters and rockers. The rest is up to me. I will try to get some pics up later today.

BTW- I bought alot of the parts from my local NAPA (who I do lots of business with) and they were able to beat alot of prices from Jegs and Summit. I know there wouldn't have been a shipping cost on a order this big from Jegs but they do charge a handling fee. I did have to buy some stuff from Jegs but I bought what I could from my local NAPA. I think its good to give some of the local parts store a chance for your business rather than just going online. When it comes down to it, your going to go to your local parts store on saturday afternoon to get those last minute things you need NOW....you're not going to be able to get them from JEGS or any online retailer. So give your local parts store a chance.

siduramaxde

Ok, I have another question. The 383 motor came with a 168 tooth flexplate and the 305 that came out had a 153 tooth flexplate. The 383 is externally ballanced. What are my options here? Do I just get a new flexplate? do I get a different starter? What will work with the 700r4?

Also, here are the pics as promised.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

153-tooth externally balanced flexplates are available. That would be the simplest and least expensive solution.

siduramaxde

OK...I solved the flexplate issue. I decided to find a new starter that would work. I figured that since the original starter is...well, original (almost 25 years old), I thought it was best to spend the money on a new starter. I'll have to try to get a part # on the starter so others can reference this.

Other than that I'm still waiting for a timing chain cover to be delivered so I can finish putting the 383 together. I cut the air tubes off the 2055 headers and they will go in for ceramic coating this week. My buddy (who is ASCE, and supposedly trained on the 700r4) is going to help me put a TCI tranny rebuild kit in). After all this I can put it all in the car.

1 question...My car has an open 2.73 diff. I'm going to get a locker for it but I need to know if I will need to change the gears out? I'm thinking it would run better with something like a 3.42???? The motor has a decent cam in it and I have a 3000 stall converter.

Thanks for all the help.

siduramaxde

OK, an update as of now. All I'm waiting on is the tranny. my buddy who supposedly knew how to rebuid 700r4's got the tranny apart fine....it was the putting it back together part he was having trouble with. So I brought the tranny home (in pieces) and decided if you want something done right you do it yourself. I bought a Haynes manual and all is good. I have to take a couple backing plates to the machine shop to get the desired clearance. However, the rebuild is going just fine.
I bought a used 4th gen rear end from a 2000 z28 3.42 gears and g80. I'm not sure if I'm gonna just bolt the 4th gen rearend in or get new axles for mine and swap the guts. Probably the later since I want the car to appear stock from the outside.
I also made a AN -6 fual line. Putting those fittings together is no fun. I learned real quick that a putting a hose clamp on the braided hose and then cutting right by the hose clamp makes life better.
anyway, here is the motor ready to go in the car sans wiring

siduramaxde

OK, the swap is complete and it runs....runs real good. The only real problem I had was that I did not know that the cam did not have a fuel pump lobe on it and wasted lots of time trying to figure out why I wasn't getting fuel to the carb. After figuring that out I got a red Holley electric fuel pump and it fired right up. Had to do some initial tuning but after that I got it sideways leaving the driveway After having the transmission in about a zillion pieces it shifts great now that it is back in the car. I might have to do a little tunning on the vacuum secondaries but I think that is it. I was really surprised at how much it woke the car up, especially with my 2.73 gears. It ought to really move with the 3.42 I have sitting in the shop.

Thanks for all the help and I will try to post some more pics when I have time.

smier

I love it, Awesome sleeper!!! Keep the pics coming...

smier

Your car really takes me back, my dad traded his '81 firebird for an '83 berlinetta when I was about 8 years old... Fond memories of road trips in that car. Then he traded the berlinetta on a black '86 Iroc and then an '88 Iroc... I love these cars, I grew up in them!

siduramaxde

I cleaned the car up a bit today and meant to take more pics but then a buddy stopped by and the beer and BS got going and I didn't get the pics. Maybe I'll run out and take one now of the engine bay and then some more of the car tomorrow.

The car is a true sleeper. Looks like it would be SLOW but its not. The only way you could tell it's not stock is the way it sounds. Bring on the imports.

siduramaxde

here ya go.

musclecar70sfan

iTrader: (1)

Wow I still can't believe how nicely your camaro came out! You really nailed it, included the strip and two-tone paint job. Looks brand new.

jj74sd455

looks like a clean job on the paint,good job

siduramaxde

thanks guys. I've been running the snot out of it the last few days. With the 383 it's hard to keep your foot out of it. The last tank of 93 octane only got me 120 miles. Oh well, I didn't build it for MPG.

Everything on the car is stock except the motor and I decided not to put the rub rail back on the sides of the car after I painted it.

I have a 4th gen rear end that I would like to rob the disk brakes off of but my 14" wheels won't fit over the disks. I refuse to change any of the outside looks because I want it to be a sleeper.

The best part about the 14" wheels is that tires average about $60 each. That means if I decide to melt the tires(it's very easy to do) it will only cost about $120

mister_hudson

iTrader: (3)

WOW! Looks GREAT! Hope mine comes out looking half as good!