Projects Cutting my Hotrod Teeth (57 Chevy Budget build/revival)

Ragin, somewhere I have an NOS from the late 60's, flywheel, clutch and PP, I pulled from a stalled project the neighbor had, it was bolted to a 265, so I'm sure it'll work on your 283, I'll look to see if I have an older intake as well...but I'm not sure.

Tell you what, you get the engine running on a tire, stand, whatever and give me some time to dig through my stash out back (it's buried in a trailer from my last move), and I'll send the stuff to you for shipping cost.

Also, if anyone knows if the older GM Bell-housings for the trucks that used the hydraulic slave will will work in his car, I have an NOS one of those as well, I'd send too.

Even though I'm much much older than you, we College kids gotta stick together

PS, this was bolted to an early '55 265 with no oil filter provision...just so those that know can let up know if it's right to use.

Oh, the BH is/was for early 60's GM PU's

 

Or rodents making a home. It's that time of year. You should close up all your open orfices.

 

I went and took pictures of the proper bolts you must use to be certain the flywheel and clutch stay put. notice how much shorter the left auto trans flywheel bolt is. and notice how the threads on the 3/8 cl utch bolts do not go all the way up to the head. and you need hardened bolts,

 

The only bellhousing that will work using the factory 4 point mounting is a 55 thru 57 V8 car bellhousing.

 

I don't know how much hardware you buy but I would call places like ARP pretty good sources. There are plenty of excellent hardware items made in the US.

 

I don't care where anyone get's their bolts. I was attempting to give the pineapple advice about something that's importiant. And its very importiant that the flywheel bolts are long enough. And the bolts holding the pressure plate have the proper shoulder to fit snugly.

 

sorry your later heads won't accept '57 valve covers (they have a staggered bolt pattern the later heads bolts are opposite each other)...there are many other obvious differences like the side mounts (the '57 block had none) and the oil filter mounting boss is different on the '57-62 block for the canister style oil filter vs. the later spin on etc for two examples.... I get it I really like my early 283 aluminum covers and want to put them on a 350....but really dude you can't clone an early engine there are too many obvious differences if that engine runs fine with the vent system and manifold it came with why $#@* with it? once again you're opening a can of worms, details like this can be done later after you've actually enjoyed driving the car...

 

The draft tube system was also very dirty and caused crank case venting smells inside the car. You can get adapters for the covers or set them on the heads and drill and tap them for the old covers. Just get a new Aluminum intake and be happy with it and a new good carb.

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I’m sorry but i gotta say, some of you guys really suck at reading. I have a 283, not a 350. I have chevrolet script valve covers and power pack heads, they bolt up. I did end up getting the right bell housing and a flywheel and starter, thank you for the offer though, i ordered bolts for the flywheel that are long enough. If i dont have an oil fill tube intake by the time i put the 283 in, i’ll just use what i’ve got for now.


Anyways... this happened today.

I’m not a big guy by any means, but i managed to get this motor out by myself without taking out the core support. It was a bitch to do, but i eventually got it. Tomorrow i’m going to clean up under the hood and get rid of all the grime. I also have to get some new mounts for both the engine and bell housing because mine are really dry rotted. I have a clutch, some new gaskets and seals, and a bunch if misc. cotter pins, bolts etc to put everything back together. Even with the transmission off, the engine still doesnt turn.

 

Power pack heads i can use the old center dump rams horns right? Theres a guy close by with a few sets i could get some from him. I may just look for a cheap old pair of headers.


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You made good progress today. Hopefully you can get more done before you return to school.

Curious as to the problem with the 6 though.

 

Right On! Awesome job today. Thanks for posting.

 

I’ll eventually get around to taking it apart but that’s for another time. I haven’t taken off the bell housing yet so i’m not sure what i’ll find in there but i’m really curious what the problem is too. Thanks guys I’ll probably just do a few small things tomorrow, take my flywheel to get resurfaced, clean up the car a bit, put my back window in so i don’t break it before i get a chance to install it.

 

Progress! Good on ya. Rams Head manifolds are appropriate. The

 

I'd let that 6 sit for awhile, flywheel has to come off before the bell housing, real PIA to get to the bolts if the engine won't turn over.

Good job on pulling it yourself, roll it out on the dirt and degrease and pressure wash the heck out of the engine bay. Home Depot rents steam pressure washers.

Now would be the time to take good pics of the whole engine bay, pull everything out, and sand and paint it.

If you don't do it now, wait until you do BBC conversion

Best of luck!

 

Pressure washed the engine bay. It isn’t perfect, the steering and suspension are still covered in grime, but it looks a lot better now. I decided i’m not going to paint it, just keep it clean. I will have to spray the frame in spots because the paint is completely gone there.


Wasn’t able to drop off my flywheel at the machine shop today because they were closed. It’s just across town from me so i can take it any time though. And unfortunately the window clips i need for the rear glass aren’t here yet, it looks like they’ve just sat in st louis since yesterday at this time, so that’s pretty annoying but i’ll get to that in a couple weeks.


So since i got a new sending unit and tank, i figure i might as well put in a new fuel line as well. I know nothing about it though, do you guys recommend getting one from danchuk? Getting one cut and bending it myself? Should i use a rubber line?


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I'd get a roll of tubing or pieces, and make one myself. Many recommend the Cu-something??? type of tubing as it's easier to bend and work with, I've only ever used brake line. You will need some rubber line to isolate the line...i/e out of the tank will be steel line, then a good idea to run a short rubber line to where the fuel line connects at the frame...then another rubber line up front where the steel line ends off the frame and over to the fuel pump on the engine. Everything from the pump to the carb can be steel line as no flexing can occur.

Not sure, but did you get a new tank as well? Because if the sending unit is rusted up, the tank will be as well.

 

Just run weather head rubber line front to back. Don't do Hardline, you'll have vapor locking issues. You can get it at Oreillys 86692 3/8 line.

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Well i got back to school and was gonna head over to the record shop but on the way i spied this hiding behind the chevrolet dealer. I’m a vintage sign fanatic so this was pretty awesome to see still here!

 

Hmm, thats a new one to me, not sayin you are wrong but I wouldnt have thought that and probably wouldnt do it myself. I always connected directly to the fitting on the sending unit with metal line and used the correct size fitting to screw into it.
Factory 6 cyl cars line was on the inside of the frame rail and v8s on the outside.
I only use a short piece of rubber line (6 inches?)at the fuel pump to attache to the fuel pump, then maybe a couple very short pieces to be able to install a filter after the pump.
Seems I bought 2 standard sections of line at the parts house maybe 8 ft each that had the correct fitting to screw into the sending unit at each end and had to couple them together with a coupler fitting then cut off the excess with a line cutter near the fuel pump.
I bent my line by hand being careful not to crimp the line, dont think it was beautiful or anything but always looked pretty decent.

 

I think I'm going to just do a soft line then. It'll be easier to install, especially since I've never done this.

 

Not sure if the rubber line mentioned is some kind of special rubber line that Im not aware of but generally speaking I dont think its a good idea, they didnt do it like that from the factory, doesnt seem safe,seems like a temporary fix etc.etc.etc.

 

It's 3/8 braided pushloc line we use it on every build we do. Been using it on race cars and street cars for 30 years, has 300psi burst pressure and allows you to easily use pushlocks. It's pretty much amazing we use it for everything trans line, fuel line water lines. Safe for any fuel or fluid. Use it for Meth gas or whatever you want to put it on.

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I have had customers run Hardline and regret it afterwards. But 90% of what we build gets LS so hoseclamps are not really ideal for 60psi.

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Or i guess i could go with a straight piece on the frame, then rubber on each end of it, and rubber from fuel pump to carb, or would it be a bad idea to have rubber that close to the engine?


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https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...20141/hydraulic-hose-19700/hose/86692/4336855

Take a look at it, I wouldn't call it "rubber" it's cloth braided rubber compound, it works on road race cars that are running 80% plus throttle for 3-8 hours straight, think it will do just fine cruising in a 150hp 283

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I'm kind of hoping the engine i bought is better than stock, and i think it might be. The more i look over it the more it seems like it was rebuilt, which i'm not real happy about but a 66 truck motor with power pack heads and a newer intake and newer freeze plugs seems to me like it's been rebuilt. i sure hope it makes more than 150hp, since it was 195 from the factory before the new heads and intake.

 

Most 350's that are 500hp engines are 150 or less. I am also talking wheel numbers as engine numbers are pointless to care about. One of our 327 engines that make 375hp at the crank barely muster up 250rwhp through an auto. So I highly doubt it will be much more than that.

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good point, i always think of it in engine numbers, and i'm used to a 262 v6 that made 195 stock so i hope i can get similar performance from it with some tuning, although it's a completely different animal with the 3 speed vs the 4 speed auto i'm used to.