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Engine Choice, Please Help

2K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  JOHNNY32 
#1 ·
I really don't know how to lay this out, but I'll try. I'm having to make a decision on an engine to put in a race car for a $5,000 to win dirt track race. The type of cars are Stock cars (75-81 Camaros, 75-79 Novas, and 78-86 Monte Carlos) that generally wiegh 3000 pounds. This class usually only pays $300 to win weekly, so I change classes all together, and then they come up with this race. The car I have from last year is a really fast car and had a great chance of winning under last years rules. Last years engine was a stock rotating assembly, Flat tops, 202/160 Vortecs, solid cam 355. It ran well against 6" rods, H beam rods, and light crank 355's. 366 cubic inch limit, no rollers, OEM heads, No Porting and Polishing were the rules. All i have left of that engine are the 1999 model Vortec Heads, Victor Jr intake, carb, and distributor. Here are this years rules.

BLOCKS – Cast iron only. Flat top or dish pistons only. NO Chevy 400 blocks
CAM AND VALVETRAIN – Any flat tappet cam OK. No mushroom, or roller of any type. No gear or belt driven cams. Screw in studs and guide plates OK. Roller rockers OK.
CYLINDER HEADS – Cast Iron only, OEM produced. No porting or polishing.
1). GM – straight plug only. Unaltered aftermarket cast iron, no porting, must add 60 lbs. in front of bell housing and car must weigh 3200 lbs.

As you can see, 383's, and 388's etc. are allowed. After Market unaltered Dart, Pro, and World Heads are allowed with a weight penalty. I need help with a engine combo that's not gonna break me.

#1. This is a $1,700 383 ci Short Block with stock rods:


• All Classic Series includes full balance
• 383 includes balancer and balance plate

• 383 include Scat cast steel crankshaft

• Fully prepped block ¬タᄁ Align honed ¬タᄁ Square decked with BHJ 90deg. fixture
• Race prepped rods with ARP bolts
• Speed-Pro hypereutectic pistons
• Performance moly rings
• Brass freeze plugs
• Screw in oil restrictors
• All JRM Shortblocks include engine stand
• Classic Series Shortblock include degree cam
• Clevite 77 rod & main bearings
• Completely clearanced and assembled
• Circle track camshaft
• Double roller timing chain set
• Cam lock plate and button
• Designed for racing use only
• No warranty
• Must be shipped by Truck Freight



#2. 355 ci with 6” rods I-beam for $2,300
• Fully prepped block
• Align honed
• Square decked with BHJ 90deg. fixture
• Bushed 4130 Scat I-beam race prepped rods
• Scat cast steel crankshaft
• Pro-Tru forged pistons
• By Wiseco
• All JRM Shortblocks include engine stand
• Stage 1 Shortblocks include degree cam
• ARP main bolts
• Performance plasma moly rings
• Brass freeze plugs
• Screw in oil restrictors
• Clevite 77 rod and main bearings
• Completely clearanced and assembled
• Circle Track camshaft
• True roller timing chain set
• Cam lock plate and button
• Balanced
• Deck plate honed
• Designed for racing use only


• #3. This is a 355 ci for $3,300 with 6” H-Beam rods and 4340 crank

• Fully prepped block
• Align honed
• Square decked with BHJ 90deg. fixture
• 4340 race prepped H-beam rods
• 4340 Scat Crankshaft
• Pro-Tru forged pistons
• by Wiseco
• Performance plasma moly rings
• ARP main studs
• All JRM Shortblocks include engine stand
• Stage 2 Shortblocks include degree cam
• Brass freeze plugs
• Screw in oil restrictors
• Dura-bond HP cam bearings
• Clevite 77 H-Series rod and main bearings
• Completely clearanced and assembled
• Circle Track camshaft
• True roller timing chain set
• Cam lock plate and button
• Internally balanced
• Deck plate honed
• Designed for racing use


So I have 3 engine choices with 3 engine prices. I'm not really worried about which one has parts that are supposed to hold up longer, just which one produces the power. There's one 383 with 5.7 rods vs. two 355's with 6" rods and forged pistons. On the 355's? Will the 4340 crank ,and H-beam rods make more horsepower than the I-beam rod, 4140 crank engine. If so, how much? I'm assuming the price difference is coming from the rod and crank difference. I really wanna stay way from the one that cost $3,300(H-beam, 4340 crank), but will the $2,200 keep up with it(I-Beam, 4140 crank). If so, it would be the 6" 355 vs. the 5.7 383, and the rest of their differences(Rods, Crank, Pistons, etc.).

These cars tires aren't that great, and they have no traction devices. Some of the guys who have cheated in the past with 406's, said it did them no good because they couldn't get the traction they needed. I've heard the extra torque that comes with a 383 vs. the 355 is a little harder to hook up on dirt.

Back to the heads, will the 202/160 Vortecs do as well as a set of DART, Pro, or World Heads. Remember with those heads there is a weight penalty, and they have to be unaltered. Is it worth it to buy them if I already have a set of Vortecs.


$1,700 383

$2,300 355

$3,300 355

Free Vortecs

64cc World 200cc $750

64cc Dart 200cc $800

64cc Pro 200cc $750


If you read this, thank you, I need your help.
 
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#2 ·
Torque Monsters

Now I ain't dirt tracked in many a year but seems to me if you are running a short dirt car (3/8's or 1/2 miler) you need torque over horsepower. How much banking do you have in the turns? Those big cube motors need the longer straights to really come on but if you build a motor to the old Camaro 302 z/28 specs you will have all the horses you need plus the God awful torque those things build. I would think the Vortec heads would do nicely since the others are penalty driven and the Vortecs lend themselves well to torque motors. Can you work with tire stagger on the rears? If you can that will get you out of the turns under good power...just slide the rear end around, point the nose to the bottom, turn into the slide and nail it and you should come out form the top of the curve and settle in to the straights about mid track or a little lower. Now this all just opinion but if you will do a little research on the Trans-Am 69 z/28's that Chevy used to factory race you will find that they used to out run bigger cube motors with those little 302's a lot. Anyway for what it is worth thats just my thoughts on the matter. Of course it could just be my Old Timers disease kicking in......
Johnny32 :confused:
 
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