My son and I have been wanting to build an engine as a father and son project for some time now and we've both agreed that a period-correct SBC would be a fun choice. My son is an 18-year-old first year student in the Automotive Restoration program at Penn College of Technology and has a special appreciation for vintage muscle. I'm a 58 year old banker with limited mechanical ability, a love for vintage muscle and a willingness to learn and share this build experience with my son. We were fortunate enough to stumble across a bare '57 283/220 4 bbl. auto trans block that initially appears to be standard bore and in pretty decent shape. The previous owner of the block was generous enough to give it to us for free as he obtained the block free while purchasing vintage muscle parts from an estate sale. The widow of the former owner insisted he take the block home with him as he was leaving. (See my prior post ***led "283 Block Questions" for details http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/283-block-questions.102899). We'd like to stay as period correct as practical while building a neat little back-in-the-day power plant. More specifically, we'd like to build it to Power Pack specs and top it off with a 2x4 setup. We don't have a particular vehicle in mind for the completed engine, rather, we just want to tackle the challenge together and marvel at the finished product. With that in mind, we recognize that this is our first build and the only thing we know with certainty at this point is that we know very little about the process from start to finish. We do recognize, however, that the first step is to put the brakes on at this point and EDUCATE ourselves as much as possible: Read, ask questions and take our time are the initial marching orders. Hitting the books on building the SBC will be a prerequisite. We know we must crawl before we can run. Could we just write checks to obtain all the components necessary to complete the build and hand it over to someone else to complete? YEP. Do we want to do that? NOPE. That's not what this about. We want to experience this together and we're not in any particular hurry. We want to learn together and be together while we're doing it. We want to enjoy the hunt for parts and celebrate a good "score". We know and fully accept that we will make mistakes but want to minimize these mistakes with knowledge, planning and preparation. While we are in education mode, I'd like keep my eyes open for parts if I come across something we will need that is priced right. Consequently, I will need to compile a complete list of parts required to build this engine as well as what to look for, watch out for and flat out avoid. Consequently, we'd like to warn everyone on the HAMB that we fully intend to drive everyone on this board completely nuts with our seemingly endless questions and requests for guidance. There is a staggering amount of collective knowledge here and we are grateful for it. So here goes guys: We are a blank slate. Where do we go from here?
Sounds like a great project. Lots of good rebuild books out there for a small block Chevrolet and you have picked a good place to ask questions. Have a great time. Pete
As far as reading material, the book "How To Hotrod Small Block Chevys" is a good start. Here's a copy on Ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/How-to-Hotr...181395?hash=item58e05afcd3:g:cYcAAOSweWVXdu9x Not sure if it is still in print, though. Bought my copy in about 1978 and still use it for reference, and information. Another that specifically deals with the early 265's and 283's is "How To Modify Chevy V8 Engines" by Don Francisco. http://www.ebay.com/itm/How-to-modi...389244?hash=item3cfe2cd6fc:g:fs0AAOSwjVVVn9-B This was originally printed in about 1957, (and later was updated), and contains all of the information that is specific to the 1955 - 1957 engines. It's still an excellent book after 60 years.
Love 57 283's 097 Duntov solid cam, factory dual 4's and an 891 mech dual pt distibutor--you are done!!
I'd search out a pair of '520' casting 283 Power Pack heads for it. I had a pair on of those heads a '57 283 that I built about 25 years ago, it was my first ever V8 engine build. I found them on a '67 283 at a local Pick-Your-Part yard. Much easier on the wallet than original '57 Power Pack heads and easy to find. The small 1.72"/1.50" valves sizes are perfect for a strong-running 283.
All good stuff guys. I'm putting it all on my parts list. DragginGTO, do you have the full casting number on those 520 heads? Any guidance regarding ***essing the condition of heads I might find?
3884520 – 1960-1967 283, 60cc chambers 3884520 – 1962-1967 327, 60cc chambers Look for heads that haven't had many if any valve jobs, in other words no sunken valves from the seats having been cut too deep for clean up. The valves should sit 'proud' above the chamber floor, not even with it and certainly not below it. Damaged rocker studs should be avoided, unless you're planning on replacing the press-in studs with screw-in (machine work necessary to do so). Find a nice greasy virgin never-rebuilt 4-barrel 283 and harvest your prize '520' castings. Folks often sell complete 283s for next to nothing and sometimes even give them away.
Pinning the studs may work okay, but converting to screw-in studs is certainly the most reliable and durable solution to a half-***ed factory money-saving manufacturing shortcut. If some of the studs are stripped or otherwise damaged, then replacement will be in order. Plenty of heads have been damaged beyond repair while attempting to pin the studs.
The fact that the valves aren't sunk combined with being already converted to screw-in studs and guideplates makes it a big-time score!
i think that's still one of the sbc's that need a flat spot on the rear cam bearing for lube. as i recall, a h.s. buddy did it on a drill press.
Sounds like you two are in for a good time. I too am a huge early SBC fan, currently tripping over 2x 265 and 2x 283 in my garage...along with bits and pieces pertaining to said boat anchors. Have fun!
Only 1955 and 1956 engines need the flat spot milled in the rear cam journal. The oiling was redesigned on the 1957 283's. Not sure if 57 265's have the newer oiling design, though. The book by Don Francisco covers all of the differences between 1955 - 1957 engines and the newer small blocks. Another example is that the early heads, (with staggered valve cover bolts), have a few head bolts that are longer than what are used in the later heads. The 55 - 56 engines use different distributors, as well. There is a flat spot milled on the housing.
Bore it .060 for 292 Cu In. 30.30 cam. Hedders or 2&1/2 in. log ram exhaust. Port match the intake & CC the heads. Just use two stock carbs and make it idle on both carbs at about 850 RPM. Direct carb linkage. Both carbs syncronized and use a stick shift trans. When you wind it to 8 grand the sound & feel is unreal.
Two afb,s can be adapted to the stock intake and will clear each other. Two Rochester 4GC,s will interfere with each other. Ive seen a pair of two bbl carbs adapted to the stock 2 four intake and it looked hairy. Don't worry about period correct. Your heads are post 59 and don't have the stagger bolt pattern valvecovers.
What we are going for here with this project is a fun/cool/*****in' little motor. That's why I stated in my original message that we want to make it as period correct as "practical". While we are total newbs and don't know much, we do know that striving for true period correct will be way past our budget and perhaps be counter-productive in the fun department as well. If we can score some back in the days parts cheap, great. If not, we will gladly follow a different path that will still get us to where we want to go and meet some great people along the way. Our apologies if we were misleading, unclear or ruffled any feathers. As always, thanks for your advice and counsel as it is much appreciated!
No doubt. Exactly the reason I p***ed on a factory vette intake a couple years ago. Hind sight being I should have bought it and flipped it :/ I scoured the net for almost two years looking for my Weiand 4x2 intake about 7 years ago. Putting serious thought into selling it now as I just don't seem to get around to using it.
you didn't "ruffle any feathers", you got some free advice from someone who is actually doing what you are thinking of doing. Sorry I let reality intrude, I'll delete the offending post and keep my mouth shut, y'all have fun now.
Back in 1982 I bought a new cam for my '57 283 from Racer Brown, it had a slightly smaller flat milled in the last bearing journal like the '55 cam I have pictured above. Whether it was needed or not, it didn't hurt anything having that flat there. I ***umed Racer Brown wouldn't have milled the flat there if it wasn't needed.
Stumbled across this today. Offy 5253 that could use some TLC. Any guesses as to the approximate vintage? Any recommendations regarding clean up? Not sure why anyone would take a grinder to it.
That's right. The flat spot won't hurt if it is not needed. However, if it is needed, and is not there, that will cause LOTS of problems. Not sure of the exact age, but since it has an oil filler tube hole it must be an earlier intake. No idea why someone would grind on it, though. Looks like a nice intake. Does it have any cracks? Are any of the bolt holes worn?
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