Let's Build a 265 Chevy V8!!!!!

What an awesome thread!!! I am resurecting it because I am getting ready to build up my 56 265 and I have a question. I have a chance at a set of original 2x4 56 265 heads (I would think pretty rare) and a dual 4bbl manifold for $660 for both. Intake is awesome good and heads must be rebuilt. Should I do it? Seems like it would be a nice orginal motor that way.

 

If the heads are real dual quad heads, yes. Better check the casting numbers first.

 

whatcha got goin on for carbs?

if you are running original ones and you dont currently have them beware, they can get pricey...

 

cast #3731762 seems to check out.

I was gonna use 2 390 cfm AFBs

And what is the difference from all the other 56 265 heads other than the 58cc chamber? Do they have larger inlet ports?

 

ive got a pair of power pack heads and matching staggered bolt corvette valve covers.... id let em go if you are interested

pm me

 

Ports on almost all 55-56 small blocks are bad, they said basicly said back in the day, "dont bother porting the early 265 heads, just get some 57 or newer ones" and that is don francisco

 

Yup, that's them--better buy them, or at least tell me where they are. AFBs won't bolt to the intake without carb adapters.

 

That's what I did for my 265/283. The '56 units are on the shelf now and the '57's have a little bit of work to them and are one with the engine.

 

Just read throught the whole thread good times. Love it!

 

Quick question, what is the depth of a 265 pan? Mine is 30 miles away and I am setting the block in my rails for mounts.

 

7 5/8"

 

Thanks, I kn ew it was somewhere around that! Either way, I achieved my goal, TONS of ground clearance. Watch out LaCarrera!

 

Super thread

 

OK, not 265 but in the Early 60s Mickey Thompson went to Indy with teh Smallblock. I have an HRM artical showing the domed pistons they used. Look like they cam out of a similar blank to my MT pistons. All the sharp edges on the domes were rounded and they ention a shallow groove in the dome between the valves to help flame propagation.

ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS? Is it in one of the smallblock book I still need to buy?

 

hey brother its darryl [the big stahu] from buffalo sorry [milner3268]to the board had i known you were looking i just gave away the 283 out of my 60 brother it had only 70 grand on it all org generator canister filter stock air cleaner carb and dist and of course i put an old big duration 450 lift [no screw in or pinned studs,a must if using a big lift cam with them old studs] it could have gone your way had i known let me know if you need some tech help gettin your small chevy of choice goin im jammin as usual but ill do my best to help been a while drop a dime brother

 

1956 2x4 heads are #3731762,
1956 2x4 intake #3731394
Did you buy them?

 

Gonna resurrect this one, hope you all don't mind.

Sometime in the new year I'm going to be getting my '56 265 built (going into a '28 A coupe) and am planning on running a Weiand 4x2 intake. I called the local old-engine guru to see if you would like to do my machine work, and he's not very fond of so much fuel for such a small displacement engine. I respect his experience, and his input, but being the strong headed guy I am wish to soldier on and build my 265 and run my intake.

I know there are other members running the same set up I plan on running, any pointers?

 

Well hopefully by the time you're are ready to get your engine back in I will have my intake back from Dickster and I'll have some pointers for ya. I am a couple hundred bucks shy of his price so if I sell a few more things I should have it there in a couple weeks I think. I'm interested to see how Dickster wants to set that intake up really. I wonder if there's a way of running progressive through just the front pass and back drivers carbs? Anyways, I think he's probably set these up quite a few of them so I'm sure he'll have some insight.

I mean, Flatheads sometimes run 3 or 4 carbs so it's definitely not TOO TOO much right? I know those are normally the comp engines running 4 but my engine is rated for about 225-250 hp so I think 4 94's would probably be ok for it. If you were worried about 94's being too much you could run 97's.

 

I'm just excited to have my engine in the car and sitting pretty. The trans and clutch are all hooked up but that's as far as I've gotten. I still need to chrome my generator and exhaust manifolds before I can fire this pig!

 

I was going to run 94's, mostly because I have 4 rebuilt ones. I'm wondering what sort of machine work should I looking at getting done? Also, a cam that is good for the street and capable of handling the intake setup. I know the stock 265 heads are not known for any sort of decent flow, but can I get by with them or should I only use them till I can find stagger-hole 283 heads? (Sounds stupid but the stagger hold valve covers on the 265 are one of my favorite features of these early small blocks)

Thanks JJ

 

Not stupid at all. The staggered holes are the first thing the people that know look for. Not sure everybody knows that the dipstick is on the opposite side as a 350 but even people that don't know early Chevy's know about the valve covers. So if you can keep them by all means do it!

I picked up a set of '57 heads that I had ported and polished along with new springs and such installed. I chose the 097 because of it's low end torque characteristics which will work nice with the high revving torque associated with these small stroked engines. I think the only two real choices for cams are the Duntov 097 or the Duntov 30-30 which were supposed to be the shit. Both are solid lifter cams so if that's what you want get one of them. I'm sure Isky has something comparable. I also punched my engine out .125 to 283" so take that into consideration. I'd go ahead and try to find some '57 heads whether they are PP or regular. You can always have the regular heads worked on to give you better performance then the PP ones would have offered. It's just nice to start with ones you know have been proven. Every person that has helped me told me to ditch the stock 265 heads because there's no meat and they are not worth working on. I picked up a nice set of '57 heads for less then $200 and the original 265 units just sit on the shelf looking very sad.

Bass has probably the baddest 265 built in a long long while but he consists of a stroker crank and a ton of machine work. I think he said his should be good for 400-450 hp but that's a whole other animal.

As far as the Wieand Intake, I tried to use all of the parts that were hot back in the day to make a very authentic engine which coupled with the Vintage Intake should produce the same results that a guy in 1958 was used to. If I can take advantage of Dickster's ability to sync the carbs and get the linkage made then I think I'll be a leg up! Since you already have 4 rebuilt carbs your price to have Dickster redo your whole intake set up should be a fraction of what I have to pay.

 

Thanks buddy. I got linkage with my intake, guy *claims* it's progressive but I honestly won't know till I get it all hooked up (I'm doubting it's progressive). You aren't worried about the practicality of the solid lifters? I know that makes me sound lame, hot rods aren't practical vehicles, I was just leaning towards a hydraulic lifter setup myself. I have no doubts you will have your engine all buttoned up before I even manage to get mine into the machine shop, so I'll await the "///Mother Of All 265 Threads!!!\\\" with great anticipation

 

NO PROGRESSIVE..........you can never have enough carbs.

 

I've talked to a bunch of Hot Rodders who run Solid Lifter cams and they said they don't adjust them nearly as much as people think they do. One guy said he hasn't touched his in years! So I think in an all out race situation you would be in there and making adjustments getting them back to square one but in street driven hot rods I think it would be not nearly as much of a hassle. I mean like you said, hot rods are really practical but they aren't nearly as impractical as it seems looking from the outside in. There's nothing quite like the sound of a solid lifter cam ya know?

The engine god has spoken. In case you didn't know Old Soul, E.C. built Bass' all out war engine so when he speaks he speaks volumes. This dude knows his shit and when I get my HEMI ready for a build he's the one getting it.

 

Old Soul this is E.C.'s engine....I think 4 carbs might be not enough!!!

http://www.youtube.com/v/t5Wpqk8HF4k&rel=1

 

Also do you think those guys with Corvette's back in 1958 were out there adjusting lifters every weekend? Those cars ran well with the fuelies running 283 HP with solid lifter cams I believe. They have to be somewhat practical otherwise the Corvette would have died off because no one would have bought one.

 

This is true. My Dad was saying that I should go with a solid lifter cam, they are given a bum rap but were never as bad as people say. When I had a 235 built a few years back I loved the sound of the solid lifter setup. Where did you source your cam, if you don't mind me asking?

E.C, that video makes me feel all sorts of funny "down there" ya know??

 

Also, I know I have been told this before but I have a terrible memory, were 283 produced with stagger bolt valve covers in '57 only or? I'm gonna start looking for another set of heads.

 

I can't be sure about the Staggered VC's ending in '57 as they sometimes ran them half way into the next year. '59 is first year for side mounts so that makes me think that '57 was the last year that completely used the Staggered VC's but some '58's may have them as well.

As far as my cam, I bought a stick and had a company grind it down to 097 specs. I believe fel-pro (or what ever they are called) offered an 097 with a modern part number. I think the Corvette forums were where I found that stuff.

 

You really aint running a lot of fuel, 4x150 cfm= 600cfm And thats if you go 97's you could go stromberg 81s that are only 125 cfm instead. Also i've heard one of the 4x2 intakes is fine with being run progressive, so that might help low end too.

One thing you'll find is most engine guys are too wrapped up in go fast and dont grasp the concept of traditional, like the guy last week that told me "It'll be cheaper to buy aluminum heads instead of punching out the valves in my power pacs", well he isnt getting my business