65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

I am thinking of building a 65 Coronet 440 2 dr hardtop into a 4spd stocker. Anyone have experience with the 383 330hp and/or 426 365hp Street Wedge combo? Both engines are factored down: 280hp and 300hp. I am thinking the 383 might be a better combo than the 426, especially with a 4spd. Also 383 parts are probably alot more common.
Only a slight compression difference between the two engines, heads, cam, carb all seem to be the same. Looks like this combo would fall into I/S - K/S.
Thanks
Steve R

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

I would go with the 383. Virtually the same top end feeding both engines. The 383 likes to rev, the 426 has always been a slug (but then again at the HP level it has possibilities).

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

Yes - I agree - Thanks for the input.

Steve R

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

John Shaul, Jim Hale, Steve Wann or Don Little are very good with any 383 combo.

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

Thanks for the info - are you running a 383/330 hp combo - looks like there is not much difference in the factored HP, but the 68/69 383/330 hp has bigger exhaust valves, higher lift cam and larger carb than the 65. Just thinking that the 68/69 383 is more competive to start with?

Thanks
Steve R

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

Steve, George Widuch and Jerry Bennett have been pretty successful running the 383 / 343hp combo in D/SA for the last couple of years. Contact me if you need a number. jimwahl@embarqmail.com

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

Shaul was helping Tom Kreeber with his H/SA or I/SA '65 Coronet 383 a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if he's still running it. I think he has the same combo in a '67 Barracuda now. He was pretty quick in I/SA with the Coronet - was quickest in class at Indy, easily qualified for the eliminator.

Steve Wann works with the Winslow's in Div 5 - they run Super Stock with a '65 Coronet 383.

Good luck! It would be cool to see another '65 Coronet out there!

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

I have just finished building a 69' 383/335hp combo. I don't recommend the 68-69 383.

The 68-69 383 runs a flat top/open chamber/high compression set-up. The problem is valve clearance. If you build it according to the specs you'll have no room for any real duration. The pistons is too high and a flat top. Big duration and/or a tight LSA calls a for a sacrifice in compression. Or you build the compression and sacrifice the duration.

The 67 and earlier runs a dished piston/closed chamber. There should be room for the necessary duration.

The 70' 383 runs a flat top but drops compression giving room for the duration.

As for the smaller exhaust valve, 1.60" compared to the 1.74, in the earlier heads...? I'm not completely sold that it's a hinderance. A review of the engine builds in the latest Engines Masters competition shows smaller exhaust valves to be popular and effective.

Whatever you choose, build the valvetrain for rpm. RAS bushed iron.


Connecting rod choices are limited.
Jim Hale had con rods a few years back. Now...I don't know. They were a custom Manley rod. The Eagle rods are the only other "legal" aftermarket rod on the market that I know of unless somebody has an old set of C&A rods on the shelf. The Eagles are heavy. There are some 6.385" rods on the market which would be the longest rod you can run although not too sure about legality.

Good luck.

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

Thanks for the all the information - very much appreciated.

Steve R

Re: 65 Dodge Stock Combo?
 

The early 383 is a good combo for stock due to the HP factor being reduced and it hasent been thrashed to death yet. . If you went to a later year I would go to a 1971 version. I ran one of these back in 1971 in a new Dodge Challenger like the old Dave Boertman/Rod Shop car. The very first pass I made on it was 4 tenths under the record at 75 & 80 Drayway in the old 7 inch tire days. It has better heads, cam, etc. Neither combo has valve reliefs in the piston so piston to valve clearence can get a little touchy there. There is a current killer INDY class winner 71 Challenger running today but I dont recall the guys name.