FED engine choice hemi or wedge

I am bulding a FED and need to deciede on a motor. I have a good stock 55 331 hemi and I was going to put a intake cam and a few odds and ends on it to try to make 300 horsepower. I am only wanting to go in the 10's for now and think 300 hp would probably get me there in a FED. my other choice is a 383. with parts more available and easier to make more like 350-400 hp I am sure that would work. I wouldn't care if I threw a rod or something either. The hemi I would probably be upset if I blew up pushing to hard. Anyway just trying to get opinons here. Like I said not looking to fly just to have fun in the 10's with a great looking nostalgia dragster. I am leaning toward the hemi and with a 55 motor with a cam, zomies, intake it should make just over 300 I would think

 

The 383, is that a chebbie 383 stroker or chrysler wedge. Since you are building a 'sportsman' fed then the traditional engine is the chebbie. If you were going 'pro' then the hemi. A 383 chrysler don't belong in a fed.
You are 'minimizing' your expectations and that is a bad thing. Keep it simple, look at a picture from the early 60's and that is your blueprint. Deviate from that and when you take it to the track you will be so busy making excuses for your 'mutt' that you won't enjoy it and you won't get the recognition and respect from those who run period correct cars. Remember you race for only a few seconds, but you'll be talking/working cars for hours and hours and that is where the real fun is, so it is best to have what people expect to see.

 

This will probably get a lot of negative response, but I'm 69 years old and broke, so I don't care. The dirt modified in my avatar has a '54 331 I built to the hilt about 15 years ago. 12.5 JE pistons, Engle roller tappet cam, Donovan exhaust rockers, ported heads, 2 500CFM 2GC's, a Cirello "Frankenstein" magneto, and all of the other goodies. It also has a 5500 rev limiter in it. Like I say, 15 years and no problems, just having fun. I win my one alloted race a year and that's all right with me. "'Minimizing' my expectations"? Yep, but as Clint Eastwood once said "A man has to realize his limitations".

This thing cost a TON to build 15 years ago, and I don't want to even think about how much it would cost these days. I'd rather come in last than have to go through what it would take to do it again.

Unless you're 27 and are overloaded with testoterone, go out and have fun with you hemi.

 

its a 383 chrysler. You make a great pont oj and that is pretty much what most people are saying.

 

Hell I'd run the hemi, it will look cooler in the fed Go have some fun, I'm building one with a flathead in it just to go out and have a good time

 

Hemi

 

the hemi of course,easy to work on and gobs of torq.

 

It shouldnt cost too much to build 400+ outa the hemi being you are past the limitations of pump gas, you already have decent flowing heads, so a bit more compression and a ton of cam.....

Really for a weekend race motor, i'd regrind the cam, throw some high comp pistons in there, mabey a set of bearings and beat the crap outa it, 331 hemi's are cheap, you should be able to get a $500 core for every weekend

 

Wrong The mopar wedge was first introduced in 1958 and very soon after was used in dragsters. I think it was Dode Marten (sp) used one in the early 60's and the car was or is still in the NHRA museum, top eliminator I believe.

 

An RB 413 would make a cool wedge motor....

 

either motor would be find as soon a a motor came out it found it's way into a dragster the Hemi has the looks.it's not only the motor you have to look at there is the trans/torque or clutch it depends on your budget and what you want

 

Are you using the engines 'as-is'? or rebuilding them prior to running?
A proper rebuild on the 331 will set you back about $5k, the 383 probably $3k. On a basic hot-rod rebuild you will easily exceed 350 hp with the 331 (depending on the parts list it could be 450) but the 383 (with current crop of goodies) is easily good for 450.

Yup big Hemi fan here, but the 383 is real contender, also period correct, and alot cheaper to build.

.

 

X 2 nothing wrong with the 383 Chrysler - good revving well engineered engine that will give you heaps of fun without breaking the bank

 

Actually if I am not mistaken period correct would be a raised deck 383. Not that anyone will notice.

Either engine will be a good choice for the rail. I am going to be the negative voice here and say I don't see 300 ponies going 10 seconds. But even a 12 second run can be fun with your ass hanging behind the axle.

 

383 is a great choice - these guys thought so

 

thanks guys. I am leaing more towards using the hemi but have some itme to decide what to do. I have more of the 383 peices to build and that is the only reason I was even considering it. the hemi though is cool and I have a few if them but also know who much more the cost.

73RR I will probaboy be in contact on some parts in the near future

 

Uh, Flathead of course

 

Hemi

 

Just say the 383 is a 413....99% of car guys can't tell the difference anyway...haha...

Tony Nancy also ran Mopar wedges in his FEDs .....and he ruled....

 

Put me down for a 413 Wedge, though the 383 would be my second choice. If money is not an issue, then go for the Hemi. What are your plans for a trans, Torqueflight or the Powerglide? TR

 

Hemi would be cool, but if it was mine, I would run the 383.

 

Yep, run the hemi, 331s aren't that rare and will probably run easy 10s. Based on weight and et. my FED (1,430 lbs with me in it) runs 5.90 in the eighth, low 9s in the qtr. Calculated hp is approx 363. Its a crate engine supposed to be 355 hp. Anyway the hemi is way cool!

 

was planning on runnin a powerglide. maybe 1.82 first gear with the hemi

 

that is what I was figuring. around 350 horsepower would be in the 10's in a 1500 pound dragster.

 

As a engine builder I'd not recommend this, a 1.76 first gear is how I would go. Match the converter and final drive ratio for the optimal performance. Notice I suggested " final " drive ratio, this would include rear tire O.D. in the equation. I'll humbly accept if I'm wrong here of the 1st gear recommend, thank you, TR

 

Once you firmly establish the engine you are running, contact J.W.Performance transmissions in Florida. They have been building trans for me and cusomers of mine for 2 decades. Not 1 issue ever. Street or race P/G are there specialty, have 2000 HP, no problem either, they even make thier own P/G complete cases, quaranteed indestructable, thier own converters too!! Yes they dyno transmissions. TR

 

Just wondering if you got a chance to look at the posted pic of Dode's car = I mean MUTT
Recognition and respect must only come from running a SBC.

 

Go with the Hemi, you won't regret it.

 

Really for a beater race motor you should be able to get by with a set of pistons, bore, bearings, and regrind, even a hemi should come in under $1500 with that, after all, who cares if it leaks a little oil past the guides. Really you could save a ton of scratch cleaning up stock rods, and doing your own porting, and a u-fab manifold

 

This is just such a great thread - everyone arguing over which Mopar motor to run - Love it!

I would still go 383, .030 over, off the shelf pistons, stock rods, port the heads, Good valve job, Chrysler specific cam grind, High volume oil pump and big pan and just let that thing eat.

What are the induction plans? Single four, cross ram, injection, blower?