Hot Rods Are you a 283 engine guy or a 327 guy?

The 283 punched out to 301 certainly was literally a hot setup! Mainly because almost any 283 bored .125" over ran hot and didn't make a very reliable street engine. Most were done on blocks carefully checked for wall thickness, and then used for drag racing, not normally street cars. Usually it's only early '58-'62 283's used for 301 builds as later have thinner bores.

 

The early Chevy II/Nova block casting #721 was popular for 301's as Chevrolet used the same casting for 1965/early 1966 327's in Chevy II's.

 

When I built my 3W in the early '80s I had an old '70 350 that I had in the shop. Ended up at 360 cu in and still run my old Mondello double humps. Since then I've built 2 '57 283s one for my roadster and the other for my '55 Delray. Both run great and are very dependable. But I found a 327 CE, counter exchange, short block with 11.25 pistons and small journal crank still in the wooden box. It's all ready to put in my 3W with Canfield aluminum heads. The small journal 327 was the best engine GM ever made and the '57 283 engines are pure history. I've built so many that it's second nature knowing what works.

 

327. Hey, @DDDenny didn't specify chevy engines in his title.

 

327.
283's will get you there.
327's will get you there faster.
Opinions may and probably will vary.

 

327 for the early 60's mystique, the stories my Dad(class of 64) told me, and the fact that my first small block was a 283( but I was told it was a Corvette 327) and was a total slug. I like big cars, so that's a factor too. Physically, anyone who is going to tear my car apart to tell me what size small journal I have is too close to my car too warrant more than a few words. Now, do I get bonus points for my November 61 casting date on my current 327? Vs my last core engine, which is a 66 model year.

 

Yes. All of the above.

I was loading spare blocks today into my trailer and I was thinking how great it would be to build a 283 with the latest hyd roller setup and use the powerpack heads with a tripower setup.

I am also a 327 fiend. I have had tons over the years.

 

I'm a YES to this question also. The only sizes I haven't tinkered with are the 3 with displacement around 265. The other 2 are 70s era smoggers, and not many made.

People denigrate the 307s, however they were pretty good for a sportsman class engine back in the 70s. 2 ways to go: a 307 60 over with a large journal 327 forged crank, or a 283 60 over block with a small journal 327 forged crank. Gave about 317 cid. Right at the limit. I don't remember what 283 block was required, as you needed one that the 327 would clear in. Good torque off the corners, and reasonable rpms.

A little notch at the top of the cylinders and 2.02 intakes would clear, however a good set of 1.94 heads worked just as well without the notch hassle.

 

Built our first dirt track car in 1965. 55 chev with later 283. "Blueprinted" as much as we knew how. Had Carter AFB with wedge adapter plate underneath to keep it from starving in the corners. Early this year I found the original receipt for the Duntov cam that we bought from Rapid Chev. in Cedar Rapids Ia.
Working in a Chevrolet dealer from 8th grade thru senior year......1959 thru 1964, I really, really fell in love with the 327/300hp engines that came out in 1962.....really need to find one just to overhaul and run on an engine stand.....and smile !....no time left to put it in a car at my age.

 

Horsepower is traditional.

Bigger is better.

 

I’m a whatever is on the shop floor
So that’s why I’m messing with a 283

 

327 is truly a different world than a 283. Just went back to a 327-331. Better than my ZZ4.

 

Bitch'n

 

I'm new to 327's but I like what I see so far. Opened it up to see how it looked inside and it's a good engine.

 

For some strange reason most of the '60's Chevys and Pontiacs that were assembled here (Australia) had 350 crate motors put in them starting in the late '80's. They came out with either a 283 or 327 (Pontiacs used Chevy motors here). There were plenty of 283's available very cheap or free. I stashed a few away, so everything got a 283.

 

I'm more of a "whatever is my favorite car right now" kinda guy. Right now that's a DeSoto 276, but that could change...

 

You’re never too old
Dan

 

When I was in HS a friend had a 301/302 based on a 283, his car struck terror in more than one BB cars, always wanted to build one Someday maybe
Dan

 

I have a 283 in inventory, so I guess that wins, It is a 40,000 mile motor out of a snub nosed stake truck, hope it goes in a model a coupe some day.

 

You can love all “4”….You can’t mention the 2 without their bastard cousin the stroker 283 . . 307 and the destroker 327 . . . The 302.

 

I seem to always come up with the oddball 1.5 year only Large Journal 327's. I have 3 of them currently. 2 in actual 68 Chevy's and then a block on the shop floor, that one might become a 302 with a new crank. the 327s in the 2 tri fives are earlier small journal blocks.

 

I bought one of them cheap last year, mainly because someone had bolted a pair of '65 461 heads to it.

 

I'm a "this was free so I'm going to use it" guy. I have 3 "free" engines that are in cars or will be, a 350, a 455 Buick, and a 283. The other 2 vehicles have what I bought them with. My 28 roadster pickup has the '67 283 slated for it.

 

YES !

Someone finally mentioned the awesomely mighty 307

 

Considering the many comments so far, I guess I have the answer to the question that I didn't ask............... which is, do you like what you like because of the "whatever is lying around" (WILA) mindset or are you the kind of guy that chooses his engine based on a certain passion, history, legend, myth, etc.
My mindset is more passion based but still somewhat based on "fuzzy logic" in that my first three cars were 348 (another thread), 283 and 327 powered cars.
The biggest influence was due to the fact that I got attracted to drag racing starting around 1966/67, when I first started reading various car magazines, this was long before I even had my drivers permit.
It was the "door slammer" classes like stock, super stock, modified production, etc that I was drawn to, much of the time the tri-five Chevys were dominating, also, both the 283 and 327's could be used in the Chevy II depending on class and weight.

Oh baby!

 

My dad campaigned a C/Gas car from 59-76. He always ran an injected 265, so his theology was always CID per lb. He was always a small, small block guy. I guess it rubbed off on me.

I know a 327 will never hold up against a 427 sbc, but for a street car, the 327 always hits the sweet spot for me.

 

that's how I got the one block that's in my truck now. It had 69 Z/28 186 2.02 heads on it but he just though they were smog heads due to the accessory holes in the ends.

 

My handle says it all....

 

oh yeah the super stock stuff was fun to read about when I would go through my grandpa's old magazines. I always enjoyed reading about might mouse motors beating Hemi's, lol.

Plus hearing a 327 or smaller small block Chevy just wind up is music. You can kind of argue the last of the "magical" small blocks was the 70/71 LT-1's but for some reason they just were not a L79 or a L65 (327/365hp).

Granted you then mention a 348 and thats probably my number two on my favorite engine list. I blame grandpa for that as well, I love messing with those W motors as well.