Which torque converter??!!

[Guy G]

Hello all
Confusing subject for me. Stall speed…lockup…10 or 12 inch, all are confusing to me.
Going with a carbureted SBC, 383 from Blueprint. Planning on a 700R4 transmission. Running the FFR IRS with, I believe, 355 gears.
Manual suggests 3200 - 3400 stall speed.
I’m not a drag racer. The occasional burnout is about all it will see. Decent amount of highway miles. Mostly to and from shows and Saturday night cruising.
Do I need one that high?
Do I need lockup?
Would a 2800 - 3000 be ok?
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
I’ve done some research on them through videos from Summit, but they just added to confusion. Cam numbers, exhaust numbers, rear gear combinations, all factor in (I assume)
Is there some sort of rule of thumb that would make the thought process simpler?

Thanks in advance folks!
Guy

[mrglaeser]

I would suggest finding a good drivetrain shop and get advice. Much of the Torque converter requirements will also depend on the power curve of your engine ie: where it makes power. Not sure where you live but I used these guys to build a custom torque converter for my 69 Mustang. It's been in and taking a beating for 5 years now. https://www.midwesttrans.com/

[GoDadGo]

Hey Fellow Dark Sider,

I'm assuming that you are building a 33-HR or Hot Rod Truck and if you are then you will need a short water pump not the more common longer versions. (Standard & Reverse Rotation)

As for the stall of the converter, understand that every combination is different. The weight of our cars, in our case the lack of weight, comes heavily in to play along with the engines operation range and transmission stall speed requirements. With that said, a convertor that flashes/stalls between 2,200 and 2,400 RPM would work fine with a reasonably cammed 383 because that engine makes a lot more torque than the beloved 350 SBC. That extra .27" of stroke (3.48" versus 3.75") makes a huge difference so while the 350 SBC is a nice Mouse Motor, the 383 is more like having a Mighty Mouse Motor.

If you are going with a Blueprint 383, with a 700R4, then I'd suggest hitting The Easy Button and simply ordering a complete kit similar to one in the link below, but remember the 33 HR and Hot Rod Truck need a short water pump:

https://blueprintengines.com/collect...9e1561f9&_ss=c

As for me, I am probably the Biggest Mighty Mouse Fan on the forum and here is why:

https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-ne...-mk4-roadster/

Good Luck & Welcome Fellow Dark Sider!

Steve

PS: Hope This Helps!

[Just 1 More]

My combo is a 383 SBC that made 401hp 437tq on the engine dyno, running a 700r4 with 3.73 gears. I went with a Boss Hog Street Bandit Torque Converters 9.6 in. Diameter, Lockup, 3,200-3,500.
I have not had mine on the road yet so I can't give a real world performance review. Based on what FFFR recommends, I contacted a couple converter companies, explained every detail I could and they all agreed this was the stall range I wanted.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/APE-48444

[Guy G]

Hey Fellow Dark Sider,

I'm assuming that you are building a 33-HR or Hot Rod Truck and if you are then you will need a short water pump not the more common longer versions. (Standard & Reverse Rotation)

As for the stall of the converter, understand that every combination is different. The weight of our cars, in our case the lack of weight, comes heavily in to play along with the engines operation range and transmission stall speed requirements. With that said, a convertor that flashes/stalls between 2,200 and 2,400 RPM would work fine with a reasonably cammed 383 because that engine makes a lot more torque than the beloved 350 SBC. That extra .27" of stroke (3.48" versus 3.75") makes a huge difference so while the 350 SBC is a nice Mouse Motor, the 383 is more like having a Mighty Mouse Motor.

If you are going with a Blueprint 383, with a 700R4, then I'd suggest hitting The Easy Button and simply ordering a complete kit similar to one in the link below, but remember the 33 HR and Hot Rod Truck need a short water pump:

https://blueprintengines.com/collect...9e1561f9&_ss=c

As for me, I am probably the Biggest Mighty Mouse Fan on the forum and here is why:

https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-ne...-mk4-roadster/

Good Luck & Welcome Fellow Dark Sider!

Steve

PS: Hope This Helps!

Thank you Steve!
It’s a 33 hot Rod. Found that out about the short water pump. Probably going with the March setup with short water pump, ac condenser and alternator. Had them on a few of my builds and was very satisfied. I’ve always run bow-tie setups in my builds. Just comfortable with them.
I’ll do a little talking to some of the better trans shops around me and see what they say. I guess I’m leaning towards a 2800-3000 stall converter at this time. I’ll see what happens.

[Bob Cowan]

My drivetrain is significantly different than yours. But I went with a 3400-3600 stall speed. The point is, this seemed a little much, since it's so much more than normal cruising speed. But I talked with a few experts, and they all agreed that was about right.

When cold, it's a little tight. But once it warms up it works really well.

I installed a Circle-D triple disc, billet converter. Probably much stronger than I'll ever need. But it's one part I'll never have to worry about.