Posted by mark dingbaum on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 4:34PM :
In Reply to: Re: Stroke the 318 posted by Fred Coldwell on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 9:39AM :
Hi,
Well, obviously they would nearly be the same size as measured by CID. The 318/384 would be 3.91" bore x 4" stroke, the 383 would be 4.25" bore x 3.38" stroke. I think most people would agree that more stroke gives more low-end torque. The 318 was produced more recently than the 318, and probably are more plentiful. I'd guess the 383 parts are more expensive. The 318 is smaller and lighter. Various high performance parts are readily available for both engine platforms.
I'd probably go with a stroked 318 if forced to choose between 383/318. However, there are 4.15 stroke cranks available for the 383 that would put it at 471cid (at stock bore). The extra 87" of a stroked 383 might tip the scales in favor of the 383, depending.
Remember that the bellhousings are different and you'd need to get a B/RB bell if you went with 383.
hope this helps,
mark