Chevy 265 build up info needed

I just bought a 56 265 small block for my '36 ford project.

I don't know much about them, so I am looking for any build up tips or tricks.

I do know I would like to run 3 strombergs and manual trans (t5).


Thanks in advance

 

Just like any other small block. only major difference is no side motor mounts front only. 3" stroke not a lot of torque to the motor, but it will rev to the moon.

 

ports on the 56 engine were tiny, perhaps the old power pack heads would be the way to go?

I have a 56 truck engine I'd like to build up one day, I have some of the X heads I was thinking of putting on it just to confuse people

 

I built one many years ago. I asked an old machinist how far I could bore it and he said .125. I used a set of standard 283 pistons and rods I had laying around (265 cu in + .125 = 283 cu in), and had a 350hp 327 cam slotted on the rear journal and she ran sweet and hot with an old set of Corvette dual 4's. There was a question on oiling and the camshaft yesterday.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135961

Read this thread. The motor mount issue is the biggest drawback.

overspray

 

Thanks for the tips so far.....

 

Get this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Chevy-283-Hi-...ef=sr_1_1/102-0943928-1118528?ie=UTF8&s=books

I got it to help me learn about my 283 but it covers 265s too. It is a bunch of old hot rod magazine articles that they ***embled into a book. Good tech.

Good thing about the small bore SBCs is they rev very nicely, and hey, that's fun stuff.

 

My 56 has a 265 powerpak. I'm having problems with my 500 cfm edlebrock carb being too rich (out of the box) I'm going to try to re-jet and see if that will help. I've got 305 heads on mine, great upgrade as same cc's as the powerpak heads.

Here's the tech info:
Tri-5Chevy.com - 305 heads on a 265

A local guy has a 265 bored, stroked and sleeved to a 353 with dual quads.

 

i've got a '55 265 that I have considered building someday. How good (or bad) is the oil system on these first small blocks? Anything anybody can tell me will be much appreciated!

 

I've got a 55 265 I'd like to do someday. Any info on how good (or bad) the lube system was on the 55's?

 

Well 55 265's are only good for restorers. 56 on up are different all completely.

55's use a by-p*** oiling system instead of full pressure.

 

Sorry if I'm sounding a little thick, but what exactly is a byp*** system?

 

some oil p***es past the filter and some goes through it.

 

That doesn't sound ideal. Is that the same as the lubing on the 216?

 

Same as a 235, 216's were splashers weren't they?

 

actually 235s came standard with NO oil filter system, a byp*** filter was optional. somehow these engines lasted for years and years.....just kept running....maybe a full flow oil filter isn't really absolutely necessary?

 

I've got a 216 splasher in my '48 pick-up and it's never even had the head off in 59 years. Of course it ain't exactly high perf! If I was to put the 265 in a small rod how much could I build it without it becoming a grenade?

 

My first 56 had a 235. Valves ticked like crazy. I wouldn't own another.

 

What is a 265 power pack. Is it a type of head?

 

power pack was a different set of heads with higher compression, and 4bbl carb.

 

No way are the cc's the same on real 265 power pak heads the same as 305 heads. They might be the same as 283 heads but not 265's. The combustion chamber on 265 heads is very small. Has the basic same chamber as 283 fuel inj heads. The ports are smal but a grinder will relieve that problem. I had a set of ported 265 heads on a 292 (283 bored .060), a chev.30-30 cam and a rochester 4-jet carb in a 61 vette and ran 13.08 @113 at the old green valley raceway in 1964.

 

The Fly doesn't even have an oil filter. It's a55 265.

 

Well, when it was the only small block around, people bored and stroked it and did everything to it they could think of, and it tended to live longer under high stress conditions than most other engines, so I wouldn't be afraid of building one...in fact, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I've got a couple '55 265s, and I figure a hot rodded '55 engine will look in place in a rod as much as an Olds or Cadillac. Considering the oil filter situation, I'll probably change the oil more often. Remember, all Cadillac engines through the '50s and early '60s had the same byp*** setup.

 

one of my favorite Hot Rod mag covers

 

early 283 heads are listed as 60 cc, the good 305 heads are 58cc. What is the size of the 265 pp heads chamber?

 

I've seen them listed at 57cc, but published cc values are often inaccurate. There was only one cylinder head in '55; in '56, the power pack engines got a different casting.

 

Ordered it today..thanks

 

How hard is it to find an early set of power pack heads? and what is a fair price for them?

or if I am buying pistons anyways, can't I just get a dome piston with the regular heads?

My motor is a 56 two barrel.

 

If you want to keep the vintage look of ****eyed valve cover bolts ('55-early '59), and you're going to buy new pistons anyway, don't shy away from a pair of '57 2bbl heads. All '57 heads got the same increase in port size, and the only real difference between these heads and the power pack heads is the size of the combustion chamber. I picked up a new set of Speedomotive 283 pistons, standard size, at a swap meet for $50, including rings. They're a copy of the factory F.I. pistons with 1/8 inch popups, and as was previously mentioned, your '56 265 can be punched out to 3 7/8, which makes it a 283. These pistons will work out well with a pair of '57 2bbl heads. I have picked up a pair of '56 power pack heads recently for another project at a swap meet for $100, oily but not sludge caked, and complete.

 

I would ***ume that '58 and early '59 2bbl heads would have the large ports and offset valve cover bolts also, correct?

Thanks for the info.

 

I ran across this as I was building a motor to replace the 265 in my '56.

http://www.compcams.com/Community/Articles/Details.asp?ID=-884626457

Dave