97 C1500 383 Stroker build

[best97obs]

Hey yall I was wanting to ask a few questions about going the 383 stroker route. First big question I have is if it would be cheaper to buy a vortec 383 crate motor or if it would be cheaper to buy a junkyard motor or use the the motor I have now and just build one.

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Depends......lol
How much time and money are you willing to give up?
Is this your daily or toy/project?
Good mechanical background or rebuilding experience? Or is this a thing you always wanted to learn how to do.

Seems to be the consensus on here that by the time you get a junker or pull yours and get all the machining done and new parts, usually a wash price wise. But crate motors come with warranty, that you have to look very closely at! Some say installed by a shop only etc.
But either way, at least your not going the LS route, and that's awesome!

 

[Moofus02]

If you buy one you pretty much get what they build. If you build it you get to choose every part you use. I would probably build myself

 

[WICruiser-97]

I choose to build mine in part because I wante dto know what parts went into it. It wasn't cheap but neither is a crate motor. It is getting harder to find a good machine shop that knows how to machine the block for rod clearance as well as general boring/honing etc. so if you do not have access to a good machine shop crate motor may be the way to go.

 

[best97obs]

Okay thanks guys and I'm not worried about price at the moment I just need a base price of things to get a good idea of how much I need to spend. Where I'm at there are machine shops but I don't trust em I was thinking about getting a crate motor but if it's cheaper and or better to build one I will. Personally I love building things such as motors and restoring stuff. I really just wanna know what's best for me. it is my daily but it's also my project truck. I did everything backwards. I did all of the cosmetics first instead of my power train.

 

[Drunkcanuk]

It's definitely a fine looking rig!!!
Based on your answers, I would pick up a junker, tear through it, get it machined (once you find a shop you can trust) and rebuild it your way, at your pace. Then once it's done, grab some friends and on a long weekend, yank the old and drop the new one in.
....just a thought. If you can't find a machine shop, check Jegs or Summit and see if they have bare blocks already bored and clearenced for a 383. May be cheaper than getting one machined.

 

[best97obs]

alright thanks man it was my grandpa's truck he just gave it to me since I turned 16 not too long ago. I might go the bare block route. what's a good 383 stroker kit for one?

 

[best97obs]

best bare blocks?

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Wow.....that's a wicked ride for a 16yr old!!!
Check out the kits on Summit or Jegs. Usually Eagle cranks and Wiesco pistons are the go to parts. But sometimes Summit branded parts are just repackaged other brands, just cheaper. Check the reviews, heck, call the help line numbers and talk to an "expert".

 

[best97obs]

thanks man. I'll start looking on jegs and other places. thanks for the reply