ok guys, well my iroc is down and out for a while, and i was thinking while it was . i would build a real engine for it: now i finally have a job where i can afford to actually buy some stuff, but i am by no means, not on a budget, so i have 3 different combos im debating between:

1) 350 2) 383 3) 406
vortec heads vortec heads afr heads
sdpc intake sdpc intake tpis big mouth
lt4 cam lt4 cam ??? cam
ported slp runners ported slps used super ram
ported plenum 52 mm tb 58mm tb
52mm tb 28#hr injectors 30# hr injectors
26#hr injectors

obviously these engines go from least to most expensive, but i would like to know what you guys think i would be happiest with. And which one is gonna be the least amount of headache. Feel free to add opinions and/or suggestions. Thanks

 

I'd say go with the 350. You stroke one to 383 and then you have to balance it. I think you have a good idea for a combo involving a higher revving 350 TPI. The Vortecs would enjoy a milder cam like the LT4, plus this combo will be easy on the pocket and a solid street performer. Balancing the stroked 383 will be costly and the 406 would be just uncouth on gasoline useage.

 

yeah, when u put it like that, the 350 does sound the best, thanks for the reply

 

if you've never read it, go buy lingenfelter's book on modifying sbc's. lots of good info there, especially about differences between (mostly) the 350, 383, and 406, their parts, stuff like that.

 

Go with the 350. There is a lot you can do with a 350 and not blow the budget, but still have a fast car.

 

I thought it costs almost the same to build a 383 bottom end as it does to rebuild a 350.

well, unless you get internal balancing, but then you save $150 on the new flexplate & damper... so it costs maybe $350 more for the internal balance. Otherwise I think the parts cost almost the same cept for maybe $200 extra machine work.

 

You can build an early style block 383 non roller for not much more then a late style 350 roller cam motor. If you have a 350 motor you dont need to spend anymore money on a another crank etc. unless there is something terribly wrong with the 350 crank. Now a Late style block the cheapest i found a 383 roller assy. is around 600 bucks. And You still need to have it balanced as a complete rolling assembly. And the Early style 383 probally has more power then a late style 350 but it also has a shorter power band. And another thing to think about is all the other mods you will need to do to get the 383 to run its full potential, in my opinion.

 

yeah i have that ligenfelter book

 

IMO, gas mileage shouldn't be an issue with any modded V8. they're not honda civics . If it is an issue, go with the smaller engine. of course, if you get a good tune, you could be like an ls1, high gas mileage v8, until you release the beast. I think the only problem you'd run into for a 406 would be that you'd have to drill steam holes in the heads and head gaskets. There might be other things too, i just don't know them. But in all honesty, go with the 350. Hell, if you wanna get a little greedy, bore it out.