This is what it takes to build a Chevy 383ci "stroker." Some assembly is required.
When Chevrolet introduced its 350ci 5.7L engine in some of the '67 Camaros, it forever changed the automotive world. The popular small-block 350ci is one of the most easily recognizable and enhanced engines of all time.
A popular engine-enhancement procedure for the Chevy 350ci is to stroke it. To do so, we needed to increase the cubic inches of the production 350ci block to 383ci. You cannot bore a 350ci block out to make it displace 383 ci. The only way to make a 383 Chevy small-block engine is to use a new 400ci crankshaft. A 400ci crankshaft has a longer rotating stroke, thus producing more cylinder displacement. The most you can bore out of a 350ci block is a .060-inch-diameter increase per cylinder, which would give you a final displacement of 360 ci. A stock 350ci engine has a crank stroke of 3.48-inches. By using a 400ci engine crankshaft with a longer 3.75-inch stroke, it will increase the piston travel in the cylinder, thereby increasing the cylinder displacement by 4.12 ci. This also increases the engine's overall air/fuel mixture displacement by 33 ci, which makes 383 ci. Increasing the cylinder displacement will greatly increase both the torque and horsepower.
Danny Grill and Matt Leedy of M&R Engines in Glendale, California, have gained the reputation of building potent and reliable Mouse (small-block) "stroker" engines for the street, strip, or water. With camera in hand we followed along as Matt assembled one of the most popular engine combos, M&R's Chevrolet HP383 "stroker." These fully assembled crate engines are dyno rated at 480 hp at 5,600 rpm and 450 ft-lb of torque at 4,000 rpm!
M&R uses nothing but virgin 350ci V-8 late-model roller block from GM, part number 10105123. The block came factory machined and ready for assembly. Due to a long-stroke crankshaft with larger counter weights, the block would require some clearancing at the bottom of the cylinder bores. This will eliminate any interference with the larger 400ci crankshaft counter weights and connecting rods during crankshaft rotation. Before the block was mounted onto the engine stand, the two-piece top half of the rear main seal was installed, along with the cam block cap and oil. | 
The camshaft bearings were installed at the factory. Matt carefully inserted the well-lubed Comp Cams 08-433-8 camshaft into the bearings. |
Next, the crankshaft bearings were installed into the block. Attention was paid to the oiling hole alignment. | |