The Mopar 383 V8 engine was manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation, which installed this motor throughout its entire line of automobile brands: Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth. The 383 did not come standard, but was an option in all models. Many of the Mopar "muscle cars" of the 1960s and 1970s featured the 383 as the power plant of choice. It was not offered with fuel injection, but only with a carburetor. The 383 is currently not being manufactured, as of 2010.
The two-barrel carburetor models came with a bore and stroke of either 4.25 and 3.75 inches, or 4.25 and 3.80 inches, respectively. The cylinder compression ratio was 9.2 to 1, 8.7 to 1, or 8.5 to 1, depending on the model year. The 9.2-to-1 version produced 270 horsepower at 4,400 rpm and 390 ft.-lb. of torque, the 8.7-to-1 model produced 290 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 390 ft.-lb. of torque, and the 8.5-to-1 model offered up to 275 horsepower at 4,400 rpm and 375 ft.-lb. of torque.
The four-barrel models had a bore and stroke of either 4.25 and 3.375 inches, or 4.25 and 3.38 inches, respectively. The compression ratios and corresponding horsepower ratings were as follows: 10 to 1 with 300 or 325 horsepower at 4,800 rpm, 10 to 1 with 330 or 335 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, 8.5 to 1 with 275 horsepower at 4,400 rpm, and 8.5 to 1 with 300 horsepower at 4,800 rpm. The 325- and the 330-horsepower engines both had a torque rating of 425 ft.-lb. The 290-horsepower engine offered 390 ft.-lb. of torque, while the 300-horsepower motor produced either 400 or 410 ft.-lb. of torque.
The 383 V8 was used in Mopar-factory-built police vehicles. The lineup included the Plymouth Fury, Dodge Polara, Plymouth Belvedere, Dodge Coronet, and the Plymouth Satellite. The police car engines produced 290 to 330 horsepower, with vehicles making 300 or more horsepower being termed "pursuit" cars. Some of these engines were made with two four-barrel carburetors. The police departments needed something to keep up with the muscle cars on the road, and often they chose the Mopar 383 V8.
