There are eight different big blocks. The B blocks are short deck and the RBs are tall deck. The RBs require a wider intake manifold.
B: 350, 361, 383, 400
RB: 383, 413, 426 Wedge (not Hemi), 440
All B engine use 3.38 stroke crank with different bores, and all RB engines use 3.75 stroke crank with different bores. You'll notice that the 383 is listed in two differnent places; there were two different 383s. The 350 was only produced in 1958.
Ian Smale added: The 383 cubic inch RB Block was only available in 1959-1960 on the US built Chrysler Windsor and Saratoga.
Bill Watson added: In 1959 and 1960, the "RB" block engines were used in American-built Chrysler and Imperial cars. The 413-cid V8 was used in the Imperial, Chrysler New Yorker and Chrysler 300 E/F. The Chrysler Windsor and Saratoga in 1959 and 1960, U.S. built only, used the RB-based 383-cid V8.
The two 383 engines (by Curtis Redgap)Confusion can reign when attempting to repair/restore these "babies."
Of the Golden Lion 383 perhaps there hasn't been as much divisive condemnation of that engine due to its simultaneous introduction of its bored out big brother 413.
The 383 "RB" (Chrysler) had its head deck raised, and was stroked to the famous (or infamous) 3.75 inches that covered the RB 383, the 413, the 426, and with the thin wall casting techniques, the 440. It was also the same size stroke for the 426 "HEMI."
In the "RB" family, the outward appearance will not give you a clue as to the cubic inch size. The major difference is the bore size. The 383 was a 4.03 inch bore. The 413 saw a 4.18 inch hole which directly resulted in an easy leap to the NASCAR limit of 426 cubic inches by boring the block to a 4.25 inch diameter. It was about the limit for this block.
In 1966, thanks to development of precision thin wall casting techniques used to make the 1964 small 273 ci V-8, this same RB could be pushed out to 4.32 inches which gave us the 440.
While Chrysler at the time had its eyes on the racing development of the 413-426 family, it also wasn't asleep. Lynn Townsend was probably one of the better Directors to come along in quite awhile. Ford introduced the mid sized Fairlane in 1962. A mid 1962 featured introduction revealed a brand new line of "ECONOMY" V-8 engines with 221 and 260 cubic inch displacements. There were completely different from anything anyone had seen. They used the precision thin wall technique and eliminated the "siamese" valve configuration. A whole new engine family resulted later on in the Ford line, 351, 429, and finally the 460. But, Townsend was impressed and saw the need for a small engine for the "small car" lines at Chrysler. It took two years, which isn't too shabby a development time. The 273 was a great little V-8, with lots of potential that was only touched by engineers.
I'm happy I found this but now I'm confused if the 440 Police package was available in Hemi config. Gonna have to visit my dad.