gm performance crate motors

[Nemesis Gnat]

ive been lookin around at every option for a swap in my 60... literally everything... and i really like the idea of new motors cause ill know exactly how its been taken care of and driven its entire life, unlike a used diesel motor that i could drop in or something

so i came across this GM Performance Parts | HT 383 Overview

the lil kid in me wants it bad cause its shiney and new and powerful, but how do you think a toy tranny and mostly stock set up would hold up to that torque? its pretty darn near the same amount of torque as a 12 valve cummins, which is my other dream motor (albeit a heavy dream)

basically im asking for thoughts on that 383 on a stock drivetrain

 

[Bomar]

do it. do it. do it.

I am with you on the used engine.

It looks sweet. 400 hp in 60.

Better buy big ass brakes.

 

[Trapper50cal]

I flipped through the Summit Catalog

I think there are two issues

One, maybe a bit to many horses, I was looking at the 4 bolt main 350 with 260 horsepower. That, it seems would be plenty and easier on the drivetrain.

The other thing is that the crate motors are normally aspirated...if they offered an "economy" crate small block with fuel injection, that would be the ticket.

They should bolt up like any other SBC to the adapter plate...???

 

[Elbert]

I don't know how ithe yota drive train would handle that kind of torque, but if I had the money at the time I started my engine swap I would have some idea at this point. Do those engines have one piece or two piece rear main seal? I think you would need to run a carb or have someone setup a fuel injection system with plenty of fuel for you. I think these engines make a great setup for an old school type system (HEI distributor + carb) I'm sure you can forget about passing emissions if you are required to do so?

 

[ohrly?]

drop in a 404 at least... if you want power then go the distance,

otherwise just drop ina used 13bt

 

[Tinker]

PM Gary Waggoner here on MUD - he's the king of high power GM swaps.

 

[lehiguy]

I'm impressed with the ability of the stock drive train to handle the extra torque of V8s. I have done two conversions and I never broke anything. I currently run an NV4500 which is virtually unbreakable and if you're worried, you might want to do the same. A properly built 700R4 will also do a nice job for you and get you some economy that a TH350 or 400 won't. You will want to find a savy trans builder for that. Then comes the T-case question and whether or not you want to swap that and if you do, you're also swapping rear axles. It never ends, but I have done it and I don't regret it. Chevy parts are plentiful, cheap and sturdy.

 

[Bret]

I have a version of the same engine (300+ w/450 ft/lb) in my 40 in front of a 60 drivetrain. It all depends on how you drive it. The beauty of the motor is you don't have to wring it out to get some motivation. Mine rarely sees 3-4K, it is there if you ask for it though. Easy to merge in traffic, pull hills etc. but if your not launching at the lights your really not putting that much more strain on the drive train. If you start wheeling it harder you will start finding the next week link. Birfields/pinions/axles, but folks kill these with stock rigs too.

I love the motor though. I'm running a Q-jet with HEI and love it. Setting it up for TBI shouldn't be that hard, it has been done plenty before, I just wanted very simple.

 

[lehiguy]

I have a version of the same engine (300+ w/450 ft/lb) in my 40 in front of a 60 drivetrain. It all depends on how you drive it. The beauty of the motor is you don't have to wring it out to get some motivation. Mine rarely sees 3-4K, it is there if you ask for it though. Easy to merge in traffic, pull hills etc. but if your not launching at the lights your really not putting that much more strain on the drive train. If you start wheeling it harder you will start finding the next week link. Birfields/pinions/axles, but folks kill these with stock rigs too.

I love the motor though. I'm running a Q-jet with HEI and love it. Setting it up for TBI shouldn't be that hard, it has been done plenty before, I just wanted very simple.

So far my FI hasn't been able to out do the Rochester I had for mileage. Power, yes, but not mileage... so far.

 

[Nemesis Gnat]

i guess i didnt make this clear enough... im dreaming hardcore here, aint got the dough to do anything yet... i figure if i start thinking about motor swaps now, by the time i have the money for one, ill have years and years of research into it and ill make the right decision

that being said, if i were to run this set up, i would run carbed... i just have more experience with carbs and i have a thing against computers.

so the notion im getting is that if i dont drive like a pissed off teenager, i could run the stock drivetrain, and with some upgrades here and there, i could have fun... then, is the weight the primary reason people dont run a 12 valve cummins?

now does anyone wanna buy a baja bug?

 

[Trapper50cal]

next

while u r dreaming, you may as well tack on a 30 spline Superset and some 4340 rear axles...that would go a long way towards protecting from breakage

 

[Joshua993]

I am looking at nearly the same setup. My brother put a 383 Stroker engine (360ish hp) in his short bed Chevy truck. It only logged about 3k miles before he nearly tore the arse end off of the truck with a tree. I have all the same questions regarding tranny and t/case setups. I have a preference for fuel injection though...

 

[brokenparts]

depends on how you intend to use it.... bombing around town and occasional trail use and you'll be fine. If you intend on keeping your foot in it, I would look into doing some upgrades along down the line.

 

[Nemesis Gnat]

most of my driving is either open highway all round the western us (where id like to be able to tow a small trailer easily for bike races) or old beat out abandoned mining roads in the mountains getting to and from bike trails... some around town stuff too

so basically its not some rock crawler dedicated wheeler, its my daily driver and as it says in my sig, my bike hauler with attitude

by the way, beefed up axles are in the plans eventually too...

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

i guess i didnt make this clear enough... im dreaming hardcore here, aint got the dough to do anything yet... i figure if i start thinking about motor swaps now, by the time i have the money for one, ill have years and years of research into it and ill make the right decision

that being said, if i were to run this set up, i would run carbed... i just have more experience with carbs and i have a thing against computers.

so the notion im getting is that if i dont drive like a pissed off teenager, i could run the stock drivetrain, and with some upgrades here and there, i could have fun... then, is the weight the primary reason people dont run a 12 valve cummins?

now does anyone wanna buy a baja bug?

First, 400 bhp is nothin'. Heck, my LT1 with barely any mods is 340bhp, and my old Kaiser J300 is running a 383 with well over 550bhp (I've broken the rear axle before just coming out of the garage and have to take it out of gear at stop lights...a 6200lb rig that has punched Cobra Mustangs due to the 5.26 gearing).
A mild SBC with FI really is the sweet spot for this size/weight of rig.