I am looking for more low to mid range torque. I currently have a 283 cam specs unknown (probably original), 700r4 AOD 2400 stall and I think 3.90 rear gear, but not sure. Any suggestions? Plan to get a new 600cfm carb and new intake manifold combo. Has Dual exhaust and ram heads.
find some 305 Vortec heads for it. Your stall speed, low first gear trans, and relatively low final drive gear give you a little breathing room with cam duration.
big block. But yeah, with that gearing you could run a decent sized cam, maybe 220ish or so duration at .050" lift. You'd want the rest of the engine to also work with that rpm range. If you really want some torque and are not married to the little engine, then a 350 swap would be the most cost effective way to get a noticeable performance increase, because it's a bolt in. If that's not enough, try boost of some sort, or move up to a big block. I have big blocks in mine.
Original now, but soon to have Edlebrock performer intake with edlebrock 600cfm Carb endurashine series.
^^^^X2 But, as you've already got a 283, I understand. The issue is, the word torque and 283 are almost an oxy*****. It's hard to make torque with a small cubic inch, short stroke engine. I tried it years ago with a 301, and I wound up turning it into an engine that did nothing well. It didn't rev like it should and it made hardly any torque. It was a real disappointment. But, once I put a proper cam, intake and carburetor on it, it ran like a ****d ape. Don't get me wrong, in the right application a 283 is a great little engine. Sometimes you've got to let the little dog eat!
Go with a jegs cam the 272/282 .442/.465 lift this cam sounds good and will improve youre torque should work great with the manifold and carb.
Good suggestions and I have thought of a 350, but I think I will wait and see what the intake and carb will do for me, and if not instead of a cam and install, I will just get a 350 if it does not improve to my esxpectations. I can always mount the carb and intake to the 350
I guess that my next question is, what do you mean when you say "torque"? Or perhaps more accurately, what rpm range do you want to improve? If (for example) you want more low-rpm pulling power (like for towing), no aftermarket intake is going to out-do a stock Chevrolet Quadrajet intake below about 3000-3300 rpm. Even the Performer. (If you have a 2-barrel intake & want to switch to a 4-bbl., I'd look at an aluminum version of the Q-Jet intake, which are found on late '70s-early '80s GM cars and are sometimes pretty cheap.) If you are looking to make better power from about 2000-5000rpm, the Performer is a good choice; also the Weiand Street Warrior. With some mods, that same Q-Jet intake will work also. Beyond that, as others have noted, you would be better off with a 350, most likely. However, if you want to stick with the 283... I'd look at 3 things, in order (actually, I'd do 1 & 2, before switching intake manifolds/carbs, unless your current pieces are ****): 1) Make certain the ignition system is in good working order and that the timing is properly set...then either recurve the distributor yourself, or have a good shop do it for you. If you can't find a local shop, GMC BUBBA here on the H.A.M.B. http://www.lindertech.com/bhrs/ can do it for you, or supply a vintage distributor as well. Whoever you use, be straight with them about what you have to work with...the results will be much better. (IOW, don't say you have 4.88s & a tunnel ram, because "someday" you plan to have them...) 2) Use a set of long-tube headers with 1 1/2" primaries, about 34-36" long. 3) Look at a different cam. IMHO both the cam guidelines suggested to you may be a bit long for a 283; I'd look at something like a Lunati 60100 or the Comp 12-235-2. Again, that's only my opinion. Some of this will depend on your intake manifold choice. Remember also that you are restricted to about .470-.480 max lift with your stock valve guide height...something you'll definitely want to check before starting it up. With a small displacement engine like the 283, you really have two options: either A) try to make as much torque as you possibly can below about 4500 rpm, and build accordingly, or B) spin the **** out of it, to 6500-7000+, use a manual transmission, and build for that accordingly. You have a fairly heavy vehicle, no matter how you look at it....
I did the put-a-4bbl-on-a-stock-2bbl-283-engine thing about a week after I turned 16. It did not meet my expectations. I put a big block in my 59 truck when I was 17. This was over 30 years ago.
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