Your opinions are welcome. I'm gonna build my "weekend score 57 chevy" g***er style, up high, no front bumper, gutted interior (it didnt come with front bumper or interior), ect. A friend owes me a favor and I have my choice between a fresh 283 or a rebuilt (.030 over) 292 six and ***orted speed parts. I know the 283 is a natural but something sick inside me is leaning towards the 292. I have a built t400 I can use with the six (lotsa torqu) or t350 with the 283 (lower first gear). Tell me what you think, I'll listen. Hubcap
I would go with the SBC, just because I like the sound of a V-8 more than the sound of any other engine.
If my memory serves me correctly a 283 bored .030 over is a 292 & bored.060 over is a 301. Dont do a six.
It depends what "speed" parts you are getting with the 292. If you get a good set of headers a single 4bbl. manifold,a good HEI distributor,a Kool finned offy valve cover,a good cam,I would go with the 6. Use the TH 350 with a mild converter. You will never believe the howl of these engines when they go down the strip. Be bold,be different! Have fun! Anyone can do a 283....
Fuelpump and I are good friends so what a more natural thing to do than disagrees with a buddy. I'd go with the 292 because it's different, makes a ton of torque and would test your hot rod skills putting it in there. It's not a bolt in like the 283. I'd also go with a stick instead of an automatic simply because tri-5 chevy g***ers were predominatly manual trans cars "back in the day" and hot rods have 3 pedals. Built one like this in the 60's and put many v8 cars "on the trailer" Frank
Cl***iccruizer, Your off a little on the CI vs bore. A .060 283 is a 292 and a .125 (1/8") is a 301 Frank
If you decide on the 283 would the 292 be available? The hoodlum build has a 250, the 292 is always THE option to me. If it were my g***er I would run the 292! If your building it to sell, I'd run the V8.
283! Great motor, lots of parts available. My brother-in-law had one in his 1964 Chevelle Malibu back in the early 70's. Put a 4bbl on it, tricked out the distributor, beefed up the Powerglide, and then went racing. He still says the 283 is the best smallblock ever. ALso, anytime you get away from a Chevy V8, parts prices go up. Maybe just a little on somethings, but everything IS more expensive and it adds up. Why fight it? Tony
All opinion welcome. This has got to be low buck. I have a 3500. budget to work with so just getting it on the road means stock engines for now. The six does have either a 3x1 or single 4 offy manifold. I already have the ******s so a stick is out (for now anyway). Th car has been sub-framed with (I think) 86 Trans Am front clip and disc brake rear on stock springs. All I have is a freshly painted body (no rad, wireing, ect) So no frills at first. I promise to post pics as soon as I can borrow a camera and figure out how to post them. hubcap
Your right, I dont know what I was thinking. Its been a few years since I played with a 283, or is that several years.
I'm not trying to be a condescending **** here or anything, but you said opinions are welcome, so here comes mine - fake g***ers are gay with a capital "G". All of the sacrifices made in the handling department and whatever are just stupid if you're not building a car to haul ***. If you want to do a g***er style car, put a fast motor in it. Otherwise, consider doing the car more "custom" style. Fake g***ers are right up there with Fake hemi valve covers and guys who nail 3 2barrels onto a piece of plywood on top of their 2 barrel intake and claim tri-power. Just my 2 cents.
I doubt that the clip is an 86. Most likely 70-81 if it is trans am. the 86 is a strut front end. Having a clipped car and making it a g***er is not the best way to go about things. I agree with Repoguy about if it ain't fast don't make it a g***er. Since it is clipped, you may want to do a custom like repoguy said.
For that particular car a V-8 seems more logical. and of course if G***er Speed is your goal then you can hide a much larger and nastier mouse in those humdrum 283 clothes. If you just want people to look, then a built straight six attracts a crowd, well at least for now it does.
Irregardless what Repo guy says....a 292 can run all over a 283....IF it's done right. Like one of the earlier posts said, if your getting some good parts with the 292 it will beat up on some small blocks. The one 250 that I have put a couple of small blocks heading down the road with their head hanging low (clifford cam, headers four barrel intake, a little porting and polishing in the head and 1.7 roller rockers). The real ***** is that the 6 creates a ton of torque and I ripped two trans out of the car (sagina 4 speeds....yeah I know, but they were the only ones available and I paid for it by ripping them apart). You gotta do what feels right for you, but if you like being different don't fail prey to the easy way out with the V8. Either way have fun with it...that's the most im[portant thing
Are'nt all "street" g***ers fake? I still remember when that was a NHRA cl***. Absolutly no offense taken. Could be right on the front clip. Anyway on my budget I have to work with what I've got. As ever opinions welcome. hubcap
the 292 @ 60 over is a 301. it will if built correct beat up a 283. it is not a high rpm engine though. the stroke is 4.12, bigger than a big block chevy! turbo it and really make them look. tom
If you have a front clip already installed, just put a motor in it (personally, I lean toward the eight), get the steering and brakes squared away, and drive it. Those cars were EVERYWHERE in the late 60s, especially high school parking lots. Chances are, whatever you do was probably common, at least for a while, during the car's heyday. And the advice above (have fun) is excellent.
I actually agree with you. If I were building one of those 2 motors, I'd probably build the 292. But in g***er trim that car is screaming for a big block.
Keep in mind the 292 is longer than the 283. You'd have more side room but less fan room. Then there's also the distinctive sound of the 6 with split manifolds to consider. Any way you build it most folks will see it moving at less than 60 mph. Really all you need is for the car to sound like it will go fast to leave the impression that it is fast. That is unless you intend to race it.
In the early to mid 60's many 55 & 56 Chev g***ers did not have straight axles. Al Tschida ran on the C/Gas record with a 55 Chev with original front suspension. D/Gas & E/Gas cars had small engines and were pretty heavy. As a result they were not real fast. You could put enough weight in the back that is wasn't necessary to change the front suspension. There were gas cl***es designated for cars with flathead and 6 cylinder engines. So, if you want to build a streetable replica of an early to mid 60's g***er, you can do it a lot of different ways.
the 283 in my truck moved it around okay. its getting a rebuilt 327 now. I would go with the v8. the 292 would be different,, but different isnt always good!
as many times as i heard everyone bash the belly ****on motors , i am amazed that there arent more guys telling you to go for the 292. i personally would put the six in it and load it up with speed parts. it will most likely run just as hard if not harder than a 283 and it will for sure draw more attention and respect . mike
292 all the way! Not only are they bulletproof motors, but parts aren't particularly expensive these can make a ****-ton of power and torque. Leo Santucci notes in Chevrolet Inline Six Cylinder Power Manual that a turbo'd, bored, heavily worked (read: drag motor) can make 1100HP...yeah, 1100. I'm in the process of building a mild 292 bored .060, with Chevy 307 pistons (dirt cheap!) stock rods, a "lump port" cylinder head, HEI, cam, and a 4bbl Edelbrcok on an offy manifold that oughta be good for at least 300 streetable ponies and the motor will still be put together like a brick out house. And yeah, a built up 292 with a split manifold sounds liek the ******* child of a big-block V-8 and a Jag Six - pretty wicked and VERY different.
The 6 cylinder resonace at high RPM's makes it difficult to keep flywheels on too if it will be basically stock. Theres just more power for the money with a V8 unless you want it to be different then everyhting else that runs a small block Chevy. People will walk right by a small block car to look at a 6 cylinder powered one though.
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