66 Dodge 383/325/290 any good for SS?

[Chipper Chapman]

Would this engine be a viable choice for my friend to dip into our local series? It would be a Coronet for SS/KA, 11.55 index as we run IHRA rules.

Opinions?

Pros?

Cons?

[Bret Kepner]

Good news: There were only two KA cars running in the IHRA in 2012 from the Northeast.

Bad news: They were both one-second-under cars.

[Hemi Moose]

Are there any others that run this combo on here...always heard the 383 was a good engine just don't see too many running the '66-'67 B-body models...

[GTX JOHN]

I think that combo is pretty decent! Not all that many Heads-Ups
rounds in SS/KA. My kid borrows my stocker and runs that class
with pretty good success......It only goes a tenth or two under in
Decent weather!

None of stuff is very fast in SS but we do fine and have a good time
without breaking the budget!

[Chipper Chapman]

I thought it looked pretty good on paper, Should only require 450hp to go a few tenths under. I'm no dodge guy, but I would think thats attainable even without the expense of a roller cam lol. Thanks Guys!

[Tom Goldman]

There were 2 different head castings for those 383's, I dont remember which casting number is which anymore, but one of them has a way better short turn radius on the intake port.
I used to do 383 bracket engines for a friend back in the '80's and he always went way faster with those heads with no work other than a race valve job.

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by Tom Goldman

There were 2 different head castings for those 383's, I dont remember which casting number is which anymore, but one of them has a way better short turn radius on the intake port.
I used to do 383 bracket engines for a friend back in the '80's and he always went way faster with those heads with no work other than a race valve job.

The small exhaust valve 915 head is legal and probably the best choice. It has the same intake port as the 906 and stalls after .540 lift unless the short radius is reworked properly. The 516 head is worthless and the 287 stage V head is a tough find although the best choice if you have the money to search and pay for it.. The small AFB which was made without the weighed secondary air valve flows about 565 cfm. 500 HP shouldn't be a problem with a good but less than all out effort.

[Tom Goldman]

Paul, I may be mistaken ,but I believe we were using '64-'65 915 castings because the intake port casting was much nicer in the short turn than the later '66-67 heads.
Lot of years since I've had any of that 383 stuff, but they were fun to race.

[treessavoy]

Tom,

The 915 head is a 1967 year only, the 516 head was produced for 383, 413, and 426W's from 1963 to 1967.

There are two types of 915's; one with the 1.60 exhaust valve and one with the 1.74 exhaust valve.

The 1967 915 head was designed for the GTX/RT 440ci only, all other big blocks that year used the 516 head.

JimR

[Jeff Teuton]

Jim Hale has all the Stage V heads. I'm sure he would sell a couple. Or maybe the Edlebrocks, with some changes.