Well, I still haven't finished the 265 I want to build for my car but I couldn't pass up finding this over the weekend. A legit, standard bore 57 265. Now I have one of each:55,56 and 57. 55 and 56's are much easier to find but I will try and grab all of these up that I can find when they cross my path.
That was 55 only. I also thought 57 265's were yellow. But it looks like the heads are off, so the bore could easily be measeued.
265's made in the Flint planted were painted chartreuse into early December 1956 and the end of November in the Tonawanda plant, then they were painted Orange like a 283. They call it red but it is Orange. The stamped code ending in "C" identifies it as a 265 but I did measure the bore and it is 3.75". Attached is the GM memo stating the color change.
I want to put together all the correct info. on 265's that I have found. I have a lot that will help eliminate some of the bad info. out there but I could use some help filling in some blanks or things I am unsure of. One for example is: do 55 and 56 blocks have different lifters than the full oiling small blocks ? Another one and this will be tough, what color were the truck blocks painted ? To the best of my knowledge they were never painted the same as the cars. Gray, a turquoisy type blue, a real yellow color and more of a fire engine red are the only colors I have seen or vaguely come across in research but I don't have concrete proof on these colors. Any help will be appreciated. Not many people care about these engines that "started it all" except for crazy people on a forum like this ! LOL !
I've got a 56 265 in the corner that I disassembled that was already a hundred over. Had everything magnifluxed and it's good to go, so it probably just needs some sleeves, pistons etc.
I have the original 55 block from my dad's car in high school in the corner and I have a highly machine prepped .060 56 on the engine stand that I plan to put in my 55. I have another "plan" to build an interesting twist on a 265. I'd like to find another bare 56 or really a 57 block that is standard or slightly over bored. The plan is to use GM 5.94 rods for the L-99 (called the Baby LT-1) of the 90's era and then I can use any over the counter 305 piston. This makes for less expensive parts and the "long rod" concept should achieve more dwell time at top dead center. After some discussions with some full time racers, this should actually make more power than your typical 5.7 rod and 3" stroke. I think I need my head examined ! LOL !
Got what I believe is a 56 265 in my deuce daily driver pickup backed up by a 350 trans into a 3.0 geared 9 inch rear. It runs great so far. Truck is very noisy so I wear noise canceling head phones and find myself running 80+ on the 4 lane.
Looks like the 57 265 still mounts from the front, as I don't see side motor mount holes in the block. If that's the case, then the 57 265's probably were never equipped with Turboglide, as I don't believe the aluminum bell housing had provisions for motor mounts. Block mounted starter holes are probably absent too.
Yes that does look like the mount holes. But does the 57 265 have the block mount starter holes or do they use an adapter plate to mount starter?
57 265's were two barrel, stick shift applications only. No need for side mounts or starter pad bolt holes.
Thank you for the history Good stuff! I see a lot of 265 and 283 stuff at swap meets for damn near free, amazing to me. I should start buying I guess. Dan
I've got a 55' 265 in my 46 ford farm truck backed by the flathead 3 speed. Fantastic little motor. Its a factory 4 barrel so I think that makes it 210 hp? Bypass oilfilter mounted off the water neck. I've got a 56 oil filter block in the barn for my roadster. They do have special lifters with a higher oil hole. The rear cam bearing is not grooved so the cam has to be notched for the pulsed oiling to the top end.
Only because there are so many 283 blocks to find. I do have a set of original std. bore 270/283 pistons that just may get used for a future build.
Correct. 57 265's were an upgrade from a 6 cyl. and all were 2 brl. 3 speeds whether in a car or truck. To the best of my knowledge, they only put 115 265's in 57 trucks!
Buy them before everyone scraps them. Most think they are all worth big bucks because they are old and rarer to find but only me and the rest of the nut jobs on sites like The HAMB care to mess with them ! LOL !
Thanks for answering the lifter question. You can also modify the rear cam journal and connect the oiling hole with the annular groove and make it full oiling to the top end. Then you can run a 1 hole rear bearing and no notch. 57 block is not like a 55-56, full oiling. 55-56 is also a different distributor. The oiling is different on it too.
If the casting number ends in 991, it's a 56. If no filter on the block, you know it's a 55. 55 casting number ends in 524. a 57 block ends in 548 for a 265 and a 283. You have to check the stamped code to be sure but some 57 265's were bored out to 283 because you could do that easily since the block was designed that way from the factory.
I've got an early small block that I'm trying to identify that was in this old model A roadster when I bought it. It's got an old iron powerglide attached to it and no side mounts. It has straight across valve covers and I ran the numbers on those and they were early sixties. The valve covers were staggered bolt covers that were old chrome and had been redrilled to put them on the early sixties heads. It's got a four barrell carburator that was from a 1960 Dodge so it was obviously pieced together from what they could find.
The Jalopy Journal
