Technical Let's talk 283s again...

I just like the look. No other reason

 

When he tells you it's a disease, he means it!

 

Time for an update on what's going on with that mangy 283 I have in the garage. The heads I picked up last summer are casting number 3795896, with a casting date of 10 62. Eyeballing them I don't see anything wrong with them. Next step will be to get them to Boyd's and get them cleaned, magnafluxed, and have Jack after he stops laughing tell me what he recommends we do to them. Besides trashing them!

At a minimum I'm thinking screw in studs, new valves, maybe 1.84? from the 305s. Square the gasket surfaces and equalize the 2 heads to approximately the same ccs in the combustion chambers. Cut the guides for seals, look at conical springs, and match the ports. I don't know if they are still available, but I always used valve guide liners that looked like Helicoils, don't remember the name. They worked really good on the dirt engines, and as I remember they could be held to tighter clearances, as the coils held oil. Probably not available anymore but...

I procured a cast iron body tach drive distributor recently, and I will set it up as soon as I get my old Allen Syncrograph up and running again. Points, Hall effect sensor, photo eye, that decision is still up in the air. I've got a concept for a custom system. I'd like to finish this design that's been in my head since the 80s when I was setting up distributors for fun and profit.

 

I recall those liners from when I worked in an auto part store/machine shop in the '80s. They seemed to work pretty well.

 

Yes they did. Any idea what they were called, or the company name? I’ve done a little bit of research online, but don’t seem to have the right wording…

 

Have mine going together now - just a puppy motor for my shoebox - '67 block, flat tops ,"520" pp heads and a mild hydraulic cam - a far cry from the last one I put together for my altered with NOS TRW 12:1 pistons, 1.94 fuelies and a 30-30 cam. Still have the short block that matches Dave's heads in the classifieds on here - Someone needs it! lol

 

I've been trying to recall that ever since I saw your post this morning but, so far, that part of my brain is seized up. It seems to me that the brand name was hyphenated.

 

What’s the story on my 267…I think it actually has a 350 crank with tiny pistons…good for just cruising? It’s out of a like, 1980 El Camino.

 

Yep, it has a 3.5" bore.

I like playing with numbers. Here's a "what if"..

What if you had a 267 block (3.5" bore) and put a 262 crank (3.1 stroke), both being LJ engines, together with Baby Buick pistons (3.5" bore) for the right compression height? You'd have a 239! May be anemic, but it COULD work!

 

Or a LJ 302 crank, an even 3 inches. Smaller still at 230 cid. Rev it to the moon and back, it’d be the only way to make some horses. Put it in a really light weight car…

Okay the meds are kicking in now! But still, may be a better use for those antique power pack heads I have