Next, we dragged our 383 block out of the basement and to a local machine shop. (Danny and Jose's shop is so busy they asked us not to give them an editorial mention). These guys squeezed us in and finished all the machine work (bore and hone cylinders, square deck block, line bore, size check all parts and block) and assembled our short-block. A few words-to-the-wise: If your machine shop can't get your stuff done in a timely fashion, get it out of there.
With our finished short-block at home, it was time for final assembly. The Crane stick and timing set were installed straight up. With the cam button and timing cover in place, we moved on to the oiling system. The engine was rotated upright, and the Edelbrock heads, Crane juice roller lifters, pushrods, and roller rocker assembly finished it up. We filled it with 7 quarts and primed the long-block assembly to ensure the lube was making it to all the vital parts. Satisfied with good oil pressure and no leaks, we moved on to the valley pan and RPM intake. Once all the accessories were bolted on, we moved to droppin' it in.
We notched the K-member for pan clearance and cleaned up the engine compartment. With the new motor sitting in place, we performed all the hookups and got it running by 10 p.m. After letting it run for 25-minutes (at 1,500 to 2,000 rpm), we changed the oil (20-50W) and filter, and called it a night. The next day, we took the Dodge on a 10-mile break-in ride (total timing was set at only 30 degrees). the next day, we nailed it a couple times (miles apart) for a few seconds to feel the new power-it felt strong! With only 20 miles on the oil, we changed it again. This readied the stroker for the 80-mile ride to dyno test.
At Crazy Horse Racing in South Amboy, New Jersey, the Coronet was strapped down. Our baseline with the old 383 was 281 rwhp at 5,600 and 332 rwtq at 3,600 rpm. On the first pull with the 431 (32-degrees timing), the dyno read 381 rwhp at 6,000 and 426 rwtq at 3,800 rpms. Wow! It felt much stronger and proved it with 100 more rwhp. A backup pass on the rollers showed the same power but more torque (436). This is due to how fast you step into it considering converter lockup (flash, torque multiplication). If you step into the throttle too fast, the transmission downshifts. Next, we brought the timing up to 36 degrees. This showed us a gain of 2 hp and a lot of torque (29 lb-ft). We made a pass without the K&N Xtreme air cleaner and lost 5 hp. The timing was advanced to 39 degrees, and we didn't see any gains. On our best pulls, with timing set at 36 degrees, showed the A/F (air/fuel mixture ratio) was dead on at 13.0. That meant this well-matched motor combo with the Holley 950HP made a very efficient package.
Before the '65's one-hour ride home, the timing was set at 33 degrees. We didn't want any chance of detonation happening to the fresh motor. On the owner's ride home, he called to say he'd wasted a new Roush 427R supercharged Mustang (which is rated at 435 hp). Considering that the $51,000 Roush is an established mid- to low-12-second piece, does this mean the 431 might go into the 11s?
Track AttackWe scheduled our strip test for early November. We brought along tools, tuning supplies, 28x9 slicks, and QA1 adjustable shocks for hook. Once at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, we were greeted by gorgeous fall weather conditions, which are conducive to low e.t.'s. The slicks were mounted, and the ignition timing was brought back to 36 degrees for max power. Before testing began, we removed the junk from the trunk and drove the Coronet onto the scales to observe 3,770 pounds. The Dodge lost 60-plus pounds off its nose thanks to the aluminum engine components and steel headers instead of cast-iron manifolds. On our first pass, the scoreboard lit up a much-improved 1.67 60-foot time. When the '65 flew through the traps, the lights read an amazing 11.78 at 114.32 mph. On a two-minute later hot-lap pass, the Dodge ran an 11.77 at 114.35 mph.