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LS1 or 383 Stroker?

14K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  tbulluck76 
LONG post to give you my opinion.

***************383************

The 383 will be the least expensive of the two. If you do it right, you might get around 350-375 rear world hp at the flywheel on a decent do-it-yourself home tune and pump gas. You are looking at poor fuel economy, and the sacrafice of a lumpy idle to cam it enough to make it thump like you want.

The best alternative for the first timer here is to buy crate motor as complete as possible. That way you are just pulling one out, cleaning up the nasty engine bay - then dropping it in. Of course, you need headers, pipes, and quality mufflers to keep it breathing. Don't forget any decent intake manifold will rise too high and put the carb through the stock hood - so you will need to factor in either a lower performance manifold, or a new hood and paint to complete the 383 option.

Also, there have been some slight variations in engine blocks over the years on the old 350. So, depending on what year stroker you use your oil pan may or may not work - which goes the same for valve covers and the position of your oil dipstick.

*****************LS Series*********************

Now you are talking the state of the art as it is know for GM at this very moment. This motor is simple and high tech at the same time. The all aluminum F body, Vette, SSR, or crate version is about 200 less pounds over the axle than your stock engine. In bone stock form, it will muster an honest 350 hp to the flywheel. However, most have found with headers and tune a real 375 at the fly with smooth idle and capacity for amazing MPG is not unusual.

Dropping one of these in will require modifications to the car to some extent. You can either buy adapters, or go cut/weld - fit until the motor sits in the new spot. You can re-use the C3 transmission, but you will get much more out of this combo through mating it up with a 4L60E or T56. You may strike a deal on a used combo with trans.

Accessories are going to be a huge issue. You will either have to cut/notch weld the frame to attempt re-use of stock LS accessories, or go for high dollar aftermarket ones if you intend to keep a/c, etc. There are new products coming out for these everyday.

The LS will require adding a high pressure electric pump and different fuel lines to the car including custom exhaust, wiring, and finally a computer tune. Computer tunes have gotten so simple now for the street guys - you can mail the PCM off, or have a local tuner set it up. They now offer a carb kit from Edelbrock and others for the LS motors. However, I don't know if it will clear the hood - and get ready for some sticker shock.

Anyway you slice it, unless you score a killer deal on the LS motor & trans - the LS will be more expensive. However, it will have the "wow" factor under the hood - and if you haven't noticed - all the aftermarket and interest has gone this route.

************************************************

My personal opinion - is go LS. You won't regret it once it is up and running. However, it will be the path of the most resistence for you right now due to many factors. I put a LS1 with hot heads/cam/injectors/headers/LS6 intake - and tune in my 69 Camaro. The car runs 12.5 @ 111 mph (that is with a stinky horrible over 2 second 60 foot because I drive like a school girl on C5 run flat 18" rubber out back) - gets 25 mpg - and will idle in traffic all day long.


I bought the long block for $400 (spun rod) and $100 for the trans (bad reverse). I spent $160 on a crank kit (they share the same crank from 5.3 trucks to 5.7 cars) - $150 on gaskets/rings - etc and was able to rebuild the block. I then spent $2,500 on hot heads/cam/injectors & oil pump from SLP. Spent $100 on a timing chain and another couple hundred on misc. things.

I rebuilt the trans and then spent $500 on a killer TCI street fighter converter.

The wire harness was $500 from Painless and the tune was $75. I bought a set of PACESETTER headers for around $200 - paid $75 to have three tubes tig welded different - the $150 to ceramic coat them black.

Motor mounts - trans mount - misc radiator hose - fuel lines, pump, etc. = $500 or so.

Don't even know what that adds up to...but I sure do know it is cool!

I am also so stinking close to firing up my latest project - a crate LS2 in my 1985 Vette. So....I am a bit bias

 
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