hello to all.  I am a newbie here. It looks like this site will be a great reference for me.  here is my question.  I want to build a 383ci stroker for my 62' Nova.  I have a 350 4-bolt block that im using for the build.  I do not have a ton of experience so this will be a BIG learning experience for me.  I want to build it myself and have the machine work done locally.  i know that i could just buy a crate engine and spend the same but i want to do it myself and im also on a budget so building  piece by piece will help me greatly.  Im trying to figure out a good setup.  I dont know who is a good company to buy a stroker kit from. also, im curious what cam to use, what intake, what carb(i live at 7000 feet ASL) etc.  If anyone has all the particulars on a good solid setup.  I dont care about economy.  This is just a project/weekend warrior project for my self and my son.  thanks for the help. Nik  

Glad to see there are still people who want to take on the engine building experience rather than "cheese out" and buy a crate motor. There is far greater satisfaction in knowing it was your build that left that Mustang in the dust! The first thing you have to do is come up with a plan. What rpm range do you want it to make power? If it is going to be streeable, 1500-6000 RPM is a good target. Look at camshafts in this power range, 220-230 dur@.50 and .450-.500 lift at valve. See what the cam maker calls for in regards to a needed comp. ratio. Adhere to this strictly! Choose what heads will flow ample volume to get into the desired rpm. range. If your going to run a iron head and you are on a budget, the Vortec head would work well with a performance three angle valve job, bowl blend and gasket match.The head comb. chamber cc. will be a deciding factor in figuring the piston tops.Once you have that figured out, look in the parts books and see what they offer for a full rotating assembly with pistons in your comp. range. Eagle makes quality pieces with an affordable price. Intake manifold choice should be a high rise dual plane, ( Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-GAP), or if hood clearance is an issue, a Edelbrock Torker would work well. Carb choice is a personal prefference. In my oppinion the Holley will make more power with less gas milage. The other choices will make decent power with better milage and be more dependable. With whatever carb you choose, size it to be near its max. flow, at max. engine RPM. This will make for crisp part throttle driveability. Making every thing work together in harmony is the key to a potent powerplant.  JW.  

Since when was flow measured in volume?  

well, JW, thank you.  that was exactly what i wanted to hear.  good old advice.  I have far too many people telling me that I'd save money and time buying a crate engine.  I really want to have that pride of creating the engine from the ground up.  I am planning on replacing the hood so as much clearance i need, i will buy the applicable cowl induction hood.  i think that 1500-6000 is a good range for my uses.  It will probably never see the freeway and I want it to be streetable.  Is there any special considerations I need to make for this car living at 7000 feet?? thanks  

Glad to have helped in your engine building conquest. To answer your question about 7000FT. above sea level, the main consideration would be less air density. The rule of thumb is, for every 2000FT above sea level, jet down the carb one size. Hey Gib, have you ever actually helped somone on this site, or is your sole purpose to make sarcastic statements.  

You think really hard about what sarcasm is and come back and tell me if you think my question to you was sarcastic.

It would have been constructive criticism if you would have answered it respectfully like any decent human being should do. It's a very important fact to note that volume is not more important than flow and that volume is very different than flow - but I guess you'd rather take shots at me rather than helping someone.  

"Cant we all just get along"  LOL it comes down to proportionate intake velocity and all that fun stuff.  The general idea is to use components that will compliment each other.  

Constructing a methodical plan for nikwho to build an engine and be happy with the results was my intention. I dont think any of the info was misguided. I really dont think he is interested in how many cfm's a Vortec intake or exhaust port is capable of flowing with a given valve lift and valve diameter. I dont have access to a flow bench to tell him if he did request that info. From general engine knowlege I can say with certainty that Vortec intake and exhaust ports are of suffient size and constuction to support the flow demands of a 383 streeter. Us "commoner's", who dont have access to a flo bench can only go by a given port volume to know if it will support flow to a given CID. I joined this forum to try and help others with their problems. Good luck on your build nikwho.  JW.  

Your intentions are good but telling someone to use a head that, "flows an ample volume" doesn't help them at all. The industry doesn't measure flow in volume and never will because if we built engines based on port volume alone all ports would be sewer pipes and we would have to find some way to defy physics to make power.

I thought you may have been on the right track when you mentioned port size, but then you went right back to volume. Think cross-sectional areas, that is the most significant factor to velocity.  

Would anyone mind explaining "cross-sectional areas"? Thanks  

It is the area of any particular part of the port. Think of a slice of the port with a minuscule thickness.  

so, as far as the cam goes, how does the lift, duration and deg. change things?  Im sure that the explanation that im asking for would probably take up an entire novel, but i want to just have a firmer understanding on what i want.  What descisions do i need to make that will change these measurements on my cam?  Or, is there just more or less specific numbers im looking for for a 383 making power between 1500-6000rpm???? thanks for any help....  

so, im looking at this cam.  It seems to fall into the specs that you reccomended, JW.  let me know what you think... although, i do not see any compression ratio recommendations along with this, so what compression ratio would i want.  also, with this combo and a Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-GAP, what size carb would i want to run?  would a 780 cfm holley be too big?  

whoops, i forgot to add the cam specs. here it is:

Comp Cams CL12-211-2 - Comp Cams 'Magnum' Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshafts Details

Chevy 262-400ci Small Block 1955-98

*Note: In order to use these camshafts in 1955-57 265ci blocks, it is necessary to machine a small groove in the rear main journal of the cam to allow oil flow to the top of the engine.

High performance. Biggest cam with stock converter. Use lower gears. Mild rough idle.

Operating Range: 1800-5800 RPM
Duration Advertised: 270° Intake / 270° Exhaust
Duration @ .050'' Lift: 224° Intake / 224° Exhaust
Valve Lift w/1.5 Rockers: .470'' Intake / .470'' Exhaust
Lobe Separation Angle: 110°  

would a 292 degree version of this magnum cam be too aggressive? it produces more of a radical idle they say.   sounds good.  I dont mind running a 2500 or 3000 rpm converter.  I just want to do this once and not be replacing the wrong cam in a year