383 stroker kits...2 good 2 b true

Looking at the Powerhouse add on pg 91 of May 2002 issue and see an ad for a kit for $469.00. Add $199.00 for balancing, harmonic balancer, and flexplate and you you have an inexpensive set-up. $668.00 and 50.00 to upgrade the pistons to hypereuctic seems cheap. Is it? Am I gonna purchase a low quality collection of parts that have me wondering " What the heck did I do that for?" Is there any real world experience with these kits? Does the addage "You get what you pay for" apply?

QUICK...SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!

Well it depends on what you are doing with the engine. If its going to be a mild stroker 300-400 Hp the cast parts will hold. A cast crank is good for about 500HP. Actually its the torque that it needs to hack not the power. IN that case I would say 500ftlbs of torque. Cast pistons are good for about 350 hp or so.

Whats my experience with this. I raced an El Camino a few nights ago and I asked him what he had.

He said "A 383"

I told him that I wanted to do the same thing and he said

"Dude look up Powerhouse they sell a kit for 600 bucks man, they give you everything exept the block and ujpper half"

He had no complaints about it.

just my .02 cents.

Frank

You didn't mention whether you won or lost :-P
From the sound of it he had a heads up on you? :s

Yeah he won of the line and pulled away slowly. Read my other post "cam or supercharger"

sscam69

[Jack]

Newonad:
You can do better on price & still have quality. Kit w/cast stroker crank, resized & cam-clearanced rods with hyper pistons can be had for about $470 including shipping. Keep in mind that just about any sbc stroker crank install WILL require some clearancing/grinding on your block! And may require further grinding on rods also! I strongly suggest the balancing be completed AFTER the motor has been assembled, rolled-through and all clearances double-checked ... then take apart and have it balanced. If you pay for a pre-balanced rotating assembly, and then have to grind on part(s) of it to get clearance ... then you'll NEED to have it balanced once more.
JACKSON

[Jack]

Newonad:
I seem to recall that Ladson SC is in Charleston area. Long ago I used an auto machine shop/speed shop in Charleston called " ? Simmons ? " for balancing. Lotta fellows (Chevy, Ford, Harley) recommended them ... Simmons'd been doing it a long time. I was pleased with their work too. I worked for local H-D shop at the time & built a few stroker H-D's ... we used Simmons exclusively for balancing. That was twenty years ago ... I don't know if they're still there ... give em a look see.
JACK

Thanks Jach. I'll do the yellow pages thing and give them a call. They may have a few suggestions.
Bty, Ladson is near Summerville which is largest town w of N. Charleston.

[Jack]

Newonad:
I can also point you to reputable shops at Conway SC and Hartsville SC that do balancing.
JACK