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I need and engine!! Post up or... DECISION TIME!

What motor to drop into my '73?


  • Total voters
    134
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/performance_parts/frameset.cfm

[FONT=arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]12497317 - HT 383[/SIZE][/FONT]

Specially tuned for torque, the all new HT 383 delivers great truck power in a small block package. With its 3.80" stroke and Vortec cylinder heads the HT 383 makes awesome torque, down low where you need it for towing or four wheeling off road. Peak torque is 415 ft.lbs at 3500 rpm, but the HT 383 makes over 400 ft.lbs. from 2500 to 4000 rpm. Developed as a truck engine, with a truck grind roller cam, heavy duty forged powdered metal connecting rods, forged crankshaft and hypereutectic pistons the HT 383 is designed to be worked. 325 horsepower at 4500 rpm doesn't hurt either. :D

Nuff said!
 
Wingnutt... I like the 383 - a lot - but the $ will hurt other areas where I want / need to spend dough!

Thanks for all the input... I realized I have ignored the questions regarding warranty... it is a 2-year warranty on parts and labor, but the engine must be removed for them to fix it. They explained with most of their engines going into non-stock vehicles, they have to throw the book out regading R&R. Does this make sense to you guys?

Good advice on the engine compartment. Makes sense to do it now instead of wishing I had later. It is pretty bad in there, especially considering the last wheeling incident of the year (before she hibernated the winter in the garage) included burying her to the frame in a swamp bog. I didn't know anyone willing to go and try to recover, but I was able to convince a tow truck to get within about 150 feet. He was way off-axis, and used two snatch blocks, all his cable, and several trees to get a line on her. When he took up the tension and started to really pull, his entire tow truck began sliding on the (wet) grass!! LOL, the look on his face!

Anyway, he got my truck out, I got my wallet out. I ordered an 8000# winch the following week.

I am geeked about the new motor... winter is too long in MN.


ps; regarding the voting? Now that I have made a decision, vote up all you want!
 
engine

Allright, I am tired of so many different opinions... here is the deal: My '73 K5 is without a motor. I am not an expert, but I know what I want. I want really good low-end torque, but I am not crawling rocks. I want to run on pump gas, and when the weather is nice she is my DD. I do not want to spend $5k on an engine (got a quote yesterday for just that), but I want something reliable and not too stressed out.
I have a buddy who will sell me a running '77 corvette engine for $250.00...
What should I do? I have $2-3,000 to spend and I can install the motor myself. I have heard so many opinions I am tired. I am about to have a local shop build a 383 stroker (they claim 425 hp and 400 torque).

Help with opinions??


I went to the gm dealer an got the standard 350 create engine.I spent 1200 on the motor and got a 1 year warranty most of the time you would get 3 year as long as the vehicle came with a 350.Mine had a inline 6.I was going to build one and after figuring all the machine work and the other parts needed I was better off going with the gm motor brand new 4 bolt main.Dropped aluminum intake and a set of headers.

That was 7 years ago the motor has around 65000 miles(drove a work van most of the time) on it and I would say some hard driving right out of the gate and pulled a 6x12 u-haul from las vegas to west Virginia .I have not one issue with the motor.I never looked back and I don't regret it at all still runs like the first day.

As far as the 77 vett engine..Might be a good deal but how many miles and how hard was it run??:confused: Mike
 
I just found a local outfit that makes a 383 Stroker w/ 2 year warranty. complete engine, dynoed (sp?), ready to install. They claim 425 hp and 410 f/p of torque... ready? $3,950.

bit more than I would like to spend, but that's a lotta skedaddle!

IMO this is the way to go. The "Hassle Factor" is low. No hunting parts, carting a motor (they're heavy) around to a machine shop, etc. You have someone local you can yell at if the engine isn't running, etc. Check around and make sure they know what they're doing. You can ask them for references - if they're legit they'll have them and won't mind giving them to you. If not - find someone else. If the dyno sheet bears out their numbers, that's all the engine you need.
 

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