That doesn't make you a hacker Nick, that makes you an engine builder, old school.

We call you what you are a master mechanic, and you are also a master at your craft. You are known worldwide, and you earn everything you have Nick. You have never failed anyone, and your fans have the utmost respect, and we love you from PA.❤

We are never really mastered mechanics because we're always learning something every day

Been a Machinist for 40 years and built a few engines in my time this was the perfect plan for your situation

I remember one of my old friends that was working for Chrysler in Highland Park Mi back in the late 60's early 70's as a dyno mechanic and had a ton of dyno experience. He told me several times years ago that the 440-6 actually peaked way over 390 hp and over 480 ft-lb and was close to 430hp and 505-510 ft-lb. on many engines he witnessed . The advertised 390 was @ 4700 rpm and the actual hp was at peak at 5600 rpm. He also told me that the 335 hp 383 actually made about 345-350 peak true hp and about 435-440 ft-lb of peak torque. It is no wonder back then that the 383 Road Runners would out accelerate a 396 350 hp 415 ft-lb torque Chevelle. It is strange that this engine with an upgraded cam (maybe +15 hp over a stock 440 cam which the 383 /335 came with), good set of 440 heads (906 castings), milled heads for lower combustion chamber cc, more compression , 750 Holley HP etc can only produce 350 hp and 400 ft-lb. This is really a mystery. I know the stock pre 1968 383 engines had a milder cam, lower valve spring rates etc and produced less hp and torque than 68 and up 383 engines.

Mr.Nick ,you are no hacker ...You are a Master Master Mechanic. You did what is a required to correct the problem and help with the owners budget . Most Mechanic's today would have no idea how to do this . Done seen you build and repair to many engines here . God Bless You Mr.Nick !!!!

I love it. Old school power mods. You don't get any better than this.

You're not a hack Nick you got great craftsmanship. Cheers 🍻

Back in the 80s I did a lot of work on BB mopars. As a matter of course I did some bowl porting and milled the heads 0.025"/0.031" on the intake face. This was per the direct connection manual. The intake face milling was done to ensure that the intake lined up properly. I milled a few engines 0.035", mostly 400s with their terrible low compression (some were as low as 7.5:1), and milled the intake face accordingly. It always perked the engines up. I did one '73 Charger Rallye 440 where I found a pair of '67 closed chamber heads. That plus some bowl porting plus a hemi-grind cam, and tuning, made a massive difference to that car. I am firmly in the camp that increased compression always works for more power, and think that engines should be built with the highest compression practicable with the fuel available.

When cutting valve reliefs in the piston like this - run a string around the piston side gap, grease it like you did, then when cleaning the shavings pull the string out and it will take any shavings out. I really liked the multi part series on this engine. I'll bet that with a set of small tube long primary headers it would approach the 425 torque with this cam. Yeah - finally 400 tq!

"I love the smell of burning engine block paint in the morning, it smells like victory." 36 degree timing seems to be a sweet spot for many B series engines.

This is what I just love about Nick: he DOESN’T give up till he gets what he’s after!!!! No WONDER he’s so sought after!!! I saw something today I’ve never seen before: fly cutting pistons. Didn’t even KNOW it could be done the way I watched Nick do it. Nick, you are the GURU!!! I think Nick could enter the Engine Masters challenge and win or at least be in the top 3, but, he’s so busy, no way he’d even have TIME lol. Anyway, Old Weaky ain’t weak no more!!!!! Kudos, Nick and see you at Carlisle!!!!

That would be Betsy’s 383 that made those numbers ❤ Nick you are the best! TTYs my friend!

This 'Old Weaky' series of videos is great! I love this type of troubshooting exploration into engine performance! Awesome!

I'm 56 years old an have done this . Them cutters been around for decades . Alot of work but does what's needed . Alot of work tho

You’re the one Nick you are a master mechanic good for you. You’re never gave up. That’s what all us old timers are like never give up never given. ! That’s what my grandfather taught me and my dad and I use that no matter what I did in life And I teach my grandsons to do the same !

I don't think I've ever seen Nick so excited about a 'fix' as he was to make the 400 ft-lbs. Congratulations Man!

Nick you never cease to amaze me. You’re a true master engine builder. Every car manufacturer inflated the hp numbers back then because hp sold cars. Live long and prosper.

This is the home of old school. Yes there are other ways but you do what you have to do sometimes.

You didn't give up and that's what counts! GREAT JOB NICK! That engine is gonna be great for the customer. And of course, for me and many others, ANOTHER GREAT DYNO DAY AT NICKS GARAGE ! ! ! Thank you!

Honestly Nick, you're the most amazing, humble and dedicated professional I've ever seen! There's some really good content out there, no doubt!, but here, it's just something special!!!

Well Nick , you certainly busted your butt on this 383 to get 400 ft lbs. You did well beyond the factory build as stock . 1969 and 70 showed 425 ft lbs for both 4 barrels options , EXCEPT the compression in 70 dropped to 9.5 to 1 and the claims of 425 ftlbs of torque for 69 and 70 remained the same . This would not be possible . I noted the HOTROD 383 stock build never reached 400 ft lbs, let alone 425 ft lbs. All of the big three automakers played with power numbers , usually lowering the actual power ratings , specifically for car insurance costs . This is also why chrysler produced the Twister for example , a Duster with all the goodies on the outside , with a slant 6 . My congratulations on your hard work . You certainly have proved out the rated torque of 425 ft lbs was and is incorrect from chrysler . Hot Rod couldn't make it either so don't feel bad . Scottinsoca

Good afternoon Nick & George, Happy to be here for the continuing saga of Old Weaky , the low power 383. I have been waiting for this episode, to see if this engine will finally produce some decent torque numbers. Nick's Garage is a great place to be on a Monday. I hope that you guys have a great week. Here We Go!!!

This has been a fantastic series to watch. well done sir. Thanks George for the cool drone footage.

I wouldn’t hesitate to bless this engine,(with Nick’s approval first), “Ole Weaky 383”. This engine has more publicity and provenance than 99% of the engines out there with one name given to it out of the love for chasing more power. One “Nick’s Garage” sticker seals the legend that this daily will have which no other will.

Hey Nick, greetings from Brisbane Australia. As a Mechanical Fitter myself, I totally agree with you. The grease around the top of the piston will catch the swarf.

Nick, you're no hack!! Back in the day, Mother Mopar knew everyone would use headers. I bet they got those numbers by testing with HEADERS. In any case, they knew very well what the 383 is capable of.

Been waiting to see the results so far .....can't wait to see George's 6 when it's built

Isky cams used to rent that tool because I used it before and it worked great they had some kind of spiral cutter on the bottom of them and they worked really good

Well the strangest thing about this 383 to me is oil leak went away on its own + Nick you gave it your very best to get the number's up to specs.....An congrats on that.....Thanks Nick and George the camera man..... Shoe🇺🇸

You balanced all factors in a real life situation with a customer, budget, improperly decked block from chrysler, etc, You didnt have the ramchargers engineers and unlimited budget , an a perfectly blueprinted engine and a hundred tries to get the torque figure as Chrysler may have. Plus you know dynos can vary and you dont have the same one they had. Its hard to say what Chrysler did back in the day, or if they looked at their competitors torque figures to influence any results or decisions The point is that you are in todays world with a 50 some year old used engine, and a real live customer, . And I enjoyed the process, the decisions and leaned a few things too.. You have morals which so many business owners lack these days. Keep doing things the way you did this challenge.

Nick we did this process on a 289 Ford after putting 1.94 in. valves in early 289 heads . We had a local chainsaw shop solder the cutters to an old 350 intake valve. It worked like a champ. The engine is still running today down here in Brenham Tx. Love watching ya'll apply your knowledge to real world projects .

Dr.Nick I enjoy when you show your tricks of the trade, on the now NON Weaky 383, that RoadRunner will be one sweet ride, cheers.

"Old Weaky" The 383 has proven temperamental To some folks the numbers might seem inconsequential but when Nick sets himself a target his determination is elemental Hes done the valves replaced the bullet cam Now he's upped the compression he's divised a piston modification plan This is the end of the "Old Weaky" drama of Nick's tricks there's a whole panorama I've been hypnotised by the saga Thanks Nick Shout out to George and Congratulations Joe It's not what you know it's who you know

Another great job , this is what customer service looks like. I know for a fact that Chrysler pointed their Dyno down hill and used a tailwind to spec out those engines.😜

Boy I sure look forward to Monday Nights at Nicks. I learn new things every time I watch. And I have been putting engines together since 1976. 318,340,360,383 and 440. We used to street race in the 70s. My first car was a Hemi Orange 72 Duster. I built a really stout 318 and drove it through High School. My last year in High School I bought a 69 R/T Charger 383 to compliment my Duster. Me and my younger brothers along with my best friend built that 383 up pretty good. 2-4 bbl carbs,headers and a hot ignition. Hit the streets with thoughts of drag racing on our minds. Thanks for a brief trip down memory lane Nick. Now I will climb into my 70 White Vanishing Point Challenger and get some ice cream.

Thank you, Nick!!!! I really appreciate the follow through on the 383 Chrysler!!! Congratulations on making the 400 foot pounds of torque👍😸

George, thank you for the fantastic quality of the videos. You are every bit as much of a master at your craft as Nick is at his.

It's always an adventure at Nick's garage, what an awesome place! Looks like the final chapter for the not so weak, "Old Weaky" 383? The torque curve looks great, and this engine will pull through the gears. It's not only about max torque and hp, it's also building good power getting there. The 383 is an over-square engine, so it'll wind tight and build good power, which this one does!

Put a vacuum on the port to suck the filings out as you cut as well as the grease Mike from Australia

Great show! From the previous video, I did not understand how little material you were removing from the pistons. And the same amount was removed from each piston, so there was no imbalance. Great job!

What a fantastic display of the amount of work it takes to improve a stock engine! While that 425 mark was elusive I believe this series served this channel well! I’ve had numerous back and forth conversations with other viewers of this channel and everyone of them had something of value to state. Most of all I felt we all kept it professional and respectful towards one another and to me that’s gold. Bunch of good people are following this. I don’t think Chrysler fudged their numbers at all. Nor do I think this engine will not make 425 lb/ft of torque. I think it’s making it now. Just environmentals making it tough to see. One thing I know about these stock heads is they have smaller than optimal cross sections in the intake ports. Good for velocity and torque but the moisture in the air is taking up some that space right now and reducing power like we are seeing. A different day with better environmentals will likely show a big difference. I’d be interested in knowing what the weather report looked like the day this was done. Additionally I think that crankcase ventilation would show a significant difference but I think it could be stepping outside of the factory stock realm. Great job working the problem and showing us all. I had fun watching this series and visiting with others about it.

Good old fashioned engine work that warms your heart. Keep it coming guys, I could watch this all day long

Nick, 400 is nothing to sneeze at! Congrats!

I have a Sept 1968 Hot Rod magazine with a 383 Roadrunner Stock Eliminator build. They had to notch the pistons .090” due milling the heads and decking the block. In the end the car ran 13.18 with slicks and 4.56 gears.

Most expensive low budget engine in history considering the man hours spent on it from Nick and all the video production around this one project. Not complaining at all… love the content and old school ways.

We have had some engines with the exact same machine and parts be a 15 - 18 hp and up to 25 pounds torque difference. Anytime you mass produce a product you can and will have minor differences. Seen some Hemis easily hit the 460 hp and others struggle to get 420 hp. A few thousands here, few thousands there, factory intake and heads with flashing inside the ports, the list is long. Congratulations on achieving your mark brother, well done.

I'm ok with that method done carefully as you did Nick... it's quite easy to make sure there's no shavings left. Nice job...

You’re a bulldog Nick and I love your videos. You love your dyno and your place is spotless compared to the dump I was working at for a while. Send that 383 !

Dana "60" Glass. I think the end results of this '70 Roadrunner 383 were incredible. I think the cam choice, head work, and hitting that sweet spot with the timing made the difference. Going almost 20 hp over stock running manifolds is amazing along with hitting the 400 torque. Just goes to show that Chrysler tested this 383 with headers to get the torque at lower rpm. Great job!

Nick you are absolutely the best! If anyone you can get the ole Weeky nursed back to prime health Dr Nick can! You truly are A Dr in this field & have a PHD of hard knocks & over the multiple decades of healings the sick & wounded, neglected, or forgotten dreams! Nick can, & he will get it back to the best possible in all areas of process of a combustion Eng. From the Suck Squeeze Bang Blow of any 4 stroke Nick truly is the Einstein of the V8! Appreciate your efforts and quality content you create Nick & Crew! Glad to be on this journey of learning! Its more then i could of ever acquired "Ever"in my lifetime! I Ty for that! Luv&Peace, Sean&family Cheers!🍻 Our friend to continued health, happiness & success I truly hope to meet you & your awesome & amazing crew one day! 💛✌🏼🤝🏼💫

Ive used those Linde cutters before and plunged .150" with no problem at all. Fantastic guy to deal with and he will buy the tool back from you too.

Did this exact thing to a 302 build back about 10 yrs ago. Needed just a little more intake clearance for 2.02 aftermarket aluminum heads. Worked like a charm. Welded my own cutters! Lol

Prof. Nick, You assessed the situation, identified the issue, isolated the problem, theorized a course of action, sought council of said theory, and then executed. That is Master Master work. Im always learning something new with Uncle Professor Nick Panaritis.

I never had a doubt Nick! You always keep moving forward! 👍

I've used Play-doh or modeling clay to check piston to valve clearance on Harley engines. Make a thin disc, press it onto the piston, bolt on head with no gasket, adjust pushrods, turn it over. Remove head and see how thin it crushed the clay. Head gasket added a safety factor.

Thanks for that, Nick and George. That's one of the steps I had to do 40 some years ago to adapt Buick 350 hi compression pistons to a 231 V6. Guess where they cracked when the nitrous solenoid froze open. 😳

A wise man once told me you can build 2 engine exactly the same, to a t and 1 will always make more power than the other, no matter what. That man was very right

Old weaky 383 in. Good performance 383 out! 👍 I like the repair. It didn't break the bank. And it performs again.

Nick, you absolutely have the best camera man on KZfaq! And just to let you know…. I will gladly take the blue Duster off the owner’s hands 😅👍🏻

I knew that a master mechanic could do it.

Another fine quality video by Nick 's Garage

Good…no…GREAT JOB Nick! You went way above and beyond to get that 383 to where you knew it would satisfy your customer. That’s why so many people come to you from all over the place. You have high standards and a love for these legendary machines from a very special era. We might never relive that era, but we can still drive those cars and re-capture some of that magic.

Nicks tricks!! I always learn a little something every episode!! Thanks Nick & Co !!

Nick has forgotten more than most will ever know!

Awesome Nick!!! Thanks for preserving on the weaky 383

This is completely acceptable, people who say otherwise don't build engines.

Great Job Nick. A Master at the craft of engine building. Nick is the best at getting what he wants out of an engine. Nick is the best at pulling all of the stops . A True craftsman . You are the most respected individual for engine building. Matt from RI

That was done all the time back in the 60s and 70s. Perfectly acceptable. It did look like about .125" in the video when you were pulling up and down on the valve.😂 Yes, I did see you use the feeler Guage. Everything looks bigger in videos. Hahaha!

Chrysler's 383 was the upscale equalizer V8 for its entire lineup. Nick proved how it was a balance of performance and entry luxury car motor option

Evenin Mr George an Mr Nick! Have Great week!!

Awesome JOB Nick......Old Weaky in Now Old Sneaky!!!!!!! I think you are right on old numbers from Chrysler!!!!

It's been a long time since I've taken a class with Professor Nick. Let's watch this video!

What more could you do? Your careful steps to max out the combination, plus the fact that your dyno is spot on kind of shows the factory ratings, for torque, at least, made no sense. If we remember, back in the day, we didn't throw torque numbers around when we were "bench racing",lol. Great job!

Thank you for giving old weaky a new life.

Never seen this done, so simple BUT critical, excellent stuff, Thanks Nick.

The opening video "Fly Thru" is great.. I really like this one, going through the Challenger.... Genius! FYI.. My book says 69-70 383 = hp 290@4400 & 390 ft. lb @ 2900 ft. lb compression at 9.20-1 Not what I expect in a Road Runner.. I don't want to believe any of it... Mopar or No Car !

Nice 👍 did this my self tuned some cleavland valves into cutters then hardened them in oil worked for me on forged pistons 👌

Old Leaky turned into Old Sleezy fast!🤣

Great series on this engine and a fascinating finish.

Congratulations Nick you are the goat, I'm happy for you.

I thought you'd change the timing. It sounds well tuned and smooth. Love it. 383 was always referred to as a boat anchor. 340 or 360 was the desired ci.

I call that a quality piece of machining! Who cares if you didn't use a $50,000 machine to do it, it worked out perfect! As for the factory numbers, there are so many factors (no even including the factory b.s. factor) that it is really not "apples to apples". Even modern dynos read a bit different from one another, then you look at those dinosaurs that they were using back then (pretty sure they didn't have load-cells for measuring) not to mention correction factors, water-temps etc. In my opinion, with that cam and compression, that motor is putting out exactly what it should be. Good on you for sticking it out until you were happy!

Nick, I call this ingenuity. Not a hack.

Great job Nick. I think the engine sounded healthier in the Dyno. Certainly has a better sound. The sound of Nick's Garage Power!. Thanks for sharing the process. BTW, Flycutting the pistons you lost maybe 2 to 3 grams max. That is reciprocating weight and will not hurt your balance. Racers have been doing that for years without rebalancing.. Have a good evening. 👍

I won't be satisfied until Nick builds his own stock 383 from the bottom up. Then I will believe it is what it is. Although, with all the engines coming through the shop, maybe there will be another one, eventually, for comparison.

I have to admire that dauntless spirit you have and yes you reached your goals! congrats Nick and this is what keeps me tuning in to your videos! Great work!

Good stuff! I did the in engine fly cutting deal, using painters tape instead of grease, and finished with a Dremel. I finally did get 415 ft lbs out of my 302 Ford, though.

Nick you are the Best ! Keeper coming !!! THANK YOU

You're the man Nick. I would love to know quarter of the knowledge you have in your head.

This has become a hunt for factory tricks.

Congratulants Nick. Your experience and dedication is amazing. I can't believe the effort put into this weak engine. What a lucky owner. Great video George. By the way, it looks like a drone zipping around the shop at the start of the video. That is really neat,. So happy to see this engine finally meet a minimal rating

You're not a hacker u are the master!

I love the dedication and learning on this 383 build. I have a 1969 383/335 H-code out of my 69 Charger and the factory pistons are .005 above deck. This is common on 68/69 model 383's. Now I have it assembled with its original pistons and a felpro .037 gasket along with a small Lunati cam/spring kit. Now I'm worried about valve clearance. I'd install a Bob K (Mr. Sixpack) cam. He'd set you up. Worked great on my 71 440HP and 69 A12 RR.

You can make 600 to 700 hp with a gen 1, 383 small block Chevy relatively cheap these days. I really believe the rods are twisted or slightly bent. From my past experience with Big Block Mopar’s. Good luck. Thanks for the videos.

Great troubleshooting skills, very methodicaland analytical. Great work Nick and George

With manifolds, cut the exhaust seats and valves for 40° seats. Helps blowdown. With that flat of a torque curve, it will pull anytime you step on the throttle. Good street engine.

Congratulations Nick! 🎊 😊 Persistence pays!

This is surely one of your best instructional videos!

You earned your money on this one !, but we learned alot.