$1600 to spend on engine - stroker or better heads??

[wake328]

With all things considered equal as far as machining costs go to freshen up the block (its already .030 over)... here are my 2 scenarios on how I spend $1400 to $1600ish dollars.... thoughts....

1. Keep stock stroke and buy the $1600 AFR heads (I would freshen up my current speed pro flat top pistons with new rings)

2. Buy stroker rotating assembly for $800ish and use box stock vortec heads $640 new (limited to a mild cam)

Where will I see the best HP for the $$$....

[WB72]

IMO, if you stroke it, you will want to get the heads as well. Get the heads now. You won't be disappointed. You may even forget about the stroker.

Too many guys think that cost is too great for heads and put lesser amounts of $$ in other places and regret it. If you can afford it, do the heads. I wish I would have did it in that order. Heads will add a ton of power on their own.

[demian5]

Drop it and put some wheels on it.

[davepl]

Where do you want the power?

If you want to launch from a stoplight, you need more torque. A stroker kit will give you that.

If you want more acceleration once you get going up around 5000rpm, you want more horsepower. Good heads will give you that.

Big dollar heads will do little down low, but can make a world of difference in a drag race application or similar where the RPMs come up early and stay there.

[Mike C]

Torque is what makes driving everyday fun. And heads are a bolt on that can be done in the vehicle at a later date. I'd go for the stroker kit.

[towbar]

An engine is a air pump, more air in = more power/torque out....IMO and experience, heads are the lungs of the engine. Doesn't matter what CI the engine is, if it cant get the air in, the power won't come out. More cubes make more torque, but torque and power are still directly related to airflow.

[Robznob11]

If what you have runs well ....sell it and get the blueprint 383 turn key, it has good flowing aluminium heads. My buddy just got one and its pretty salty. I know lots of guys who build with hi dollar parts (ie...afr etc) and end up thinking they have mor hp then they really do. A well thought out and matched combo almost always performs better and is more fun even with less than top notch parts. Now if you are a master mechanic and know how and have the means to balance it and build it then do the heads!

[wake328]

Originally Posted by Mike C

Torque is what makes driving everyday fun. And heads are a bolt on that can be done in the vehicle at a later date. I'd go for the stroker kit.

Solid point... definitely more difficult to add a stroker kit later on versus heads. A part of me feels guilty not utilizing the perfectly good crank, pistons and rods that I have... Could always pick up another project for them :-)

[JustToxic]

With the budget you have, I would stay away from doing a stroker. Instead you'd see better results doing a balanced and blue printed build with a good set of heads. Most people think you can just throw parts at a engine and it will run and have a ton of power. If you use your money wisely and do research on what parts work together you can build a engine that run very well and reliable, and you won't have a ton of money into it. The main thing you need to ask yourself is how you plan on using the engine, do you want power out of the hole or do you want to be able to rev it to the moon and have all top end power? Once you figure out that, then you can decide how to build the engine. If you have questions on any engine part your looking to buy don't be afraid of calling the manufacture and asking tech questions, they can be a ton of help.

[Robznob11]

Originally Posted by JustToxic

With the budget you have, I would stay away from doing a stroker. Instead you'd see better results doing a balanced and blue printed build with a good set of heads. Most people think you can just throw parts at a engine and it will run and have a ton of power. If you use your money wisely and do research on what parts work together you can build a engine that run very well and reliable, and you won't have a ton of money into it. The main thing you need to ask yourself is how you plan on using the engine, do you want power out of the hole or do you want to be able to rev it to the moon and have all top end power? Once you figure out that, then you can decide how to build the engine. If you have questions on any engine part your looking to buy don't be afraid of calling the manufacture and asking tech questions, they can be a ton of help.

What he said!, but to add to that by the time you get it done you could have just bought a crate with a warranty that will do as good or better. Alot of people dont consider the time of build either

[wake328]

Originally Posted by davepl

Where do you want the power?

If you want to launch from a stoplight, you need more torque. A stroker kit will give you that.

If you want more acceleration once you get going up around 5000rpm, you want more horsepower. Good heads will give you that.

Big dollar heads will do little down low, but can make a world of difference in a drag race application or similar where the RPMs come up early and stay there.

hands down... my favorite kind of power is the feeling when you dont need to stomp on the pedal and you can just kind of roll it on... making power up top has never been as exciting for me. I love the low end pull

[wake328]

$1600 isn't my total budget... more or less deciding where a big chunk of the budget will go and I want to make sure I don't mess up that decision!

That big decision is... run the current speed pro flat tops with really nice heads and stock stroke.

Or... stroker the engine with stock vortec heads.

[webfoot]

Get the AFR heads and then also start getting the stuff to go with a hydraulic roller cam. More power everywhere. On a pump gas 383 chevelle and a voodoo hyd roller with AFRs, I ran a 8 flat in the 1/8 with a full interior and 3.31 gears, drove it to the track about an hour away, made 10 runs and drove it home. The guy I traded it to swapped in the better converter I gave him and it ran in the 7.70s.

Clay Smith cams makes hyd rollers specifically for the AFR heads.

[skytop]

Do the stroker. As you should know, the torque will put a smile on your face.
You can then easily do the heads later when time or money permits.
This is the win-win approach.

[paulspickupparts]

Not sure of your horsepower goals but with a spring/guide upgrade on the vortecs and a different cam (fairly mild) you should be in the 400 horse range. You really did not mention if is a roller cam or flat tappet .

The AFR heads are great but eat up budgets . Also a large runner head on a small engine is not really necessary . Lot of different AFR versions. Good AFR head and matched cam you can add some horsepower over the vortecs .

Kind of depends how you drive . If you like to rev to the moon pickup a moon cam . If you like a torque cam buy a torque cam . Or something in the middle. Torque cam will be fun to drive around town . Radical cam can get kind of old in town .

[Maximus]

lol, a strait 50/50 split on opinions, hope that helps you! heh...

If you WANT a stroker, I would do the bottom end now. You can swap heads and even a cam later without ripping into the bottom end...

If your not set on a 383, reuse your good parts and put a good set of heads on.

[wake328]

Originally Posted by paulspickupparts

Not sure of your horsepower goals but with a spring/guide upgrade on the vortecs and a different cam (fairly mild) you should be in the 400 horse range. You really did not mention if is a roller cam or flat tappet .

The AFR heads are great but eat up budgets . Also a large runner head on a small engine is not really necessary . Lot of different AFR versions. Good AFR head and matched cam you can add some horsepower over the vortecs .

Kind of depends how you drive . If you like to rev to the moon pickup a moon cam . If you like a torque cam buy a torque cam . Or something in the middle. Torque cam will be fun to drive around town . Radical cam can get kind of old in town .

This is a hydraulic flat tappet block. The modified vortecs at first glance seem like a great deal, but once you get into all the odds and ends of modifiying them.... it hardly seems worth it compared to a set of edelbrock e-street heads for example.

[BrianG]

I'd go with Vortec heads and a cam that is suited for the combination of those heads and the pistons/deck height, etc. You can pretty easily make a 350 make 400 ft lbs of torque and well over 350hp. And still have something that has enough vacuum for power brakes.
If a stroker is still in the budget, then, sure go that way. Will your current carb be enough for a stroker though, just another consideration.

[paulspickupparts]

Originally Posted by wake328

This is a hydraulic flat tappet block. The modified vortecs at first glance seem like a great deal, but once you get into all the odds and ends of modifiying them.... it hardly seems worth it compared to a set of edelbrock e-street heads for example.

They make springs that do not require machining of the heads with different hardware that give enough clearance up to 550 lift . Should be able to have a set of vortecs for about $800 new . I think the eddys are 900-1000 . Good heads also but not as good as edelbrock e-tecs or AFR . Both of the later will blast your budget.