1962 Chrysler 300 383 build

sdsurf73

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Good morning
I need a recipe for a 383 rebuild. I plan on keeping the crankshaft and stock bore but I need a list of all else to put it together. Aftermarket heads are ok. I was looking at the edelbrock top end kit.
Bearings
Rods
Pistons
Rings
Heads
Intake
Carb
Headers (that will fit)
Ignition

Thanks
 
In the machine shop realm of things, you might have some issues with your list and orientations.

"Wanting to use standard-size pistons" can be an issue as ANY machine shop will find the bores have enough wear on them to need about a .030" overbore to get to "new metal" and machine a completely round bore. Not your decision, but theirs, UNLESS you cannot afford new pistons and rings.

Similar with the crankshaft . . . might need to be polished, but most likely will need "turning" to the .010" undersize journal size. Have to measure the journals first, though. Sometimes, they can be polished.

Why new connecting rods? They do not wear out, but getting them checked for cracks can be advisable. Plus honing the "big end" and "pin end" for roundness.

By observation, 383 pistons can be problematic and still keep the OEM compression ratio. Look at the piston catalogs and you'll probably see you'll probably need to get forged pistons rather than cast pistons to maintain the OEM CR. IF Mahle makes some with the "MM" piston rings, those might be worth the price (as they include pistons and rings for each cylinder). Related . . . "plateau honing" is the latest cylinder wall honing technique. several YouTube videos detailing it and why it can be better.

Cyl heads? Look for the modern "heart-shaped" combustion chamber in aluminum heads. They will probably already have the 2.08/1.74 valve sizes. You can get the Edelbrock versions for a reasonable price or you can spend MORE money for the Air Flow Research models with premium bronze guides and such. Most of the "clone" aluminum heads sold by Mopar parts vendors are based on the Chry 906 castings, which is "last-century old", but not bad, either. You can use the Summit Racing catalog for one-stop shopping, then buy from somebody else, if desired.

Intake/carb can depend on which cam you will be using and the potential highway cruise rpm of the car. Self-learning EFI is great, but pricey, requiring other parts to make it work as it should. Sometimes BEST to "undersize" a notch or two for best street performance rather than ultimate drag strip performance, by observation. Cam choice can also affect torque converter choice, too. Which can ALSO relate to chassis upgrades to handle the extra power, too.

Chrysler had their first "up, over, and out the back" (think later HP cast iron style headers) for that platform. Which, according to Hot Rod Magazine, would not clear the factory power brake booster, so it had to be removed on the '62 300 they raced back then. With a series of related articles by Ray Brock.

I specifically did not ask about desired horsepower levels, because those higher power levels are usually ONLY at 6000+ rpm levels and that is NOT where most people normally drive. Super high horsepower engines usually require special procedures to drive then on a daily basis, normally. It might be a badge of courage to live with one, but it can get old, too. Which is why, as my late machine shop operative used to say, "You don't go to the bottom of the page (of the camshaft catalog) to buy your parts. Somewhere in the middle of the page usually works better unless you have a "No holds barred" race engine. For a good street engine, aim for the same neighborhood as the factory 383/335 specs, maybe with some better cyl heads and exh system items.

Your car, your dreams, your money.

Just some thoughts and observations. YMMV
CBODY67
 
I strongly recommend you write out your goals AND BUDGET for the build and then talk to your engine builder or machine shop before you buy anything. As mentioned by @CBODY67 there's a lot of interconnectednessofitall going on here.
 
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