Technical Let's talk 283s again...

I like 283's. When I was growing up, my dad had a 4bbl 4 speed 283. I've had a few over the years, one ran a best of 14.9@89 in the quarter in a 3700 lb car.

I have one sitting in my shed I just can't bring myself to part with. It's an early steel crank unit, standard bore. I have a set of lightly used .030 forged flat top pistons for it, along with a set of 58cc heads. A small solid cam and an early Edelbrock intake for it, but no car to put it in so it sits. Won't be as radical as the one you're building Dave, but should be a fun driver.

Devin

 

Oooh, pretty!

 

You really do it “your way” @F-head , I don’t know that I’ve seen an Autolite 4100 on a SBC before but that’s an excellent choice. The C-3B, clear distributor cap, and ‘vette covers with the wing nuts all say 1960’s. Nice!

 

What is wrong with the 283 Heads???
I used a complete rebuilt kit from "Northern Auto parts" plus a cam, lifter, valve spring kit.
This was done to keep the period correct front mount 283 for my 57.

Personally for a generic rebuild into an older car I wouldn't bother.
I would chase down a low [ish] compression roller cam 350 [TPI] shortblock with the 1 piece rear main seal.
Then use the 283 heads , intake, waterpump, pulleys, ramshorns, distributor, etc etc and build a "stroker 327" [aka 350]

You need to get creative with the PCV that's all, but the engine will look like an early 283/327 but be a reliable roller cam non-leaker.
Then sell the 283 short block that is left over

Power pack heads are fine on a 327 and a 350 [unless you want to turn it to 7000rpm] You can fit larger valves and de-shroud them in the chambers to lower the compression a bit.

 

Yes it's a little odd, thinking about new heads. And there's nothing wrong with the power pack heads, other than availability of decent condition castings. The 305 SR World Products heads are just easier to get. Oh and they already have 1.94 intakes and take large diameter valve springs. Yes, this can all be done to the older castings. However it's already going to flow better before any port work.

The heads on the one in the garage now have 76 or so cc combustion chambers. Hard to get compression with flat tops. And better chamber shape, so less chance of preignition.

The other heads available are aluminum, and small chambers as well. Even better chamber shape and lighter. Oh, and alloy heads were available by the early 60s, so one could argue okay with the cutoff date issue.

As was mentioned, cam timing is important for a 283. However it can be used to lower effective cr so an engine can be used on today's 91ish octane fuel (I still can't call it gasoline, don't ask...).

So while it was mentioned that weekly people ask open ended questions, if you look at the real question, I was looking for guidance on sources of internal components. Like pistons. I have a good picture of the end of the build up, just looking for current experience and sources guidance.

Because remember, I'm really computer illiterate, even tho I've had to use them in my work for years. Web searching gives me migraines, because I never seem to get the search terms that hit the mark. Then I get distracted, waste huge amount of time, go down rabbit hole after rabbit hole...

Well, you get the idea....

Thanks guys, for all the suggestions and input

 

Autolite 4100 on an SBC keeps the Chevy guys scratching their heads
I like em though
Easy to rebuild and they run great

 

True, and they are great looking, great working heads, but they are 2.02/1.60's in a 60cc chamber which is excellent with a 4 inch bore. The version I mentioned are 1.94/1.50's in the smaller 56cc chamber, better suited for a max effort 283, if that's what you're after.

I have one 283 going together as a 5000 rpm daily for a 66 C10 with a 200-4R. It's .030 over with the SP flat tops and moly rings, decked .020 with stock rods on a .010-.010 cast crank, freshened "520" power pack heads with a bowl cleanup and a camshaft that would be considered a torque cam in a 350. Short block is together, heads are not.

The second 283 block is just heading for the machine shop. For it I have .040 over KB hypers, **** rods, a std-std steel crank, and aftermarket flywheel and balancer. It will likely get my set of Speedmaster iron heads that have 165cc intake runners and 1.94/1.50 valves in 58cc heart shaped chambers. I'm shopping for some "small" solid roller goodness.

 

Cammed 283's do sound snotty, don't they ?

 

Are the Speedmaster heads available? Last I checked, I got the impression they were on backorder or something. I like their chamber. Good mixture mixing. Shouldn't require a lot of advance.

 

The 307 was my weapon of choice when I raced in a claimer stock car division. The bigger crank and the PCV system were the main benefits to us. Plus we could get a 307 anywhere, nobody wanted them. Everyone else was on the 350 4-bolt main bandwagon.

 

By chance was there also a carburetor rule? A little more airflow thru the pcv?

 

I did this 283 for my roadster pickup which is period correct for 1963

 

Dave, I bought mine roughly 10 yrs ago on feebay and the vendor seemed to be set up as a clearance house for procomp/speedmaster at the time. I bought the pair bare for under $300 shipped to Niagara Falls NY, thinking "these ought to work good on a hot 283 someday". My expectations were not real high but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the runners look.

 

283's are GREAT engines. Mine has been in my 55 since I bought it in 1977... I was 14 years old. The short block is a 1960.

At that time' it was bored .080 over. In 1984, I had it bored .125 to 301. It has the 2.02 Camel Hump heads, 375 Hp 327 cam, Tarantula intake and a 780 Holley from a SS 454 Chevelle.

I've been "Vintage" drag racing it since 2011, with times in the high 13's.

Glory Days 2020 John Clothier vs Chuck Clothier - YouTube

 

Here's the mangy motor (not as bad as the 327 was...). And here's some of the parts I have that are screaming, USE ME AGAIN!



And other things that I don't have pictures of. 2 other magnetos, a Summers Brothers 3 gear cam drive, and other ***orted things that I have collected over the years. One decision of course is which pump drive. I do have a crank driven water pump, so ultimate build is basically just making some selections of the era intended.

And there's always the potential for some horse trading. The picture is becoming increasingly clear in my demented mind's eye...

And please don't call the men with the white jackets...

 

That injection setup would be tempting!

I've read that they're not good for the street, idle and WOT only, but that wouldn't stop me from playing with one if I could afford it or, in your case, had it on a shelf.

Devin

 

There was a no Holley 4-barrels rule, but somehow we got past them with a spread-bore Holley over 3 seasons.

 

We’re practically twins! Back to the subject at hand. A friend recently did a rebuild of a ‘61 model 283 and said he could not find the correct bearings for it. You may want to round up the bearings before diving in.

 

I LOVE this little mill. Been keeping an eye on it. Thanks fir the video!

 

You automatically get more horsepower using Ford parts .

 

The only excuse for your weak time slips is that minute and a half reaction time .

 

Rules interpretation .

 

I just tell em' it's a sbc, the rest don't matter.

 

I had a cousin that drag raced a 32 Ford coupe with a flathead in the early fifties. It ran high 12's . He said it was still compe***ive with the flood of Chevy's that showed up at the drag strip in 1955. By the late 50's the flatheads were disappearing from budget drag cars and being replaced by the 283. The 283 was an amazing motor in its time.

 

Reaction time ain't **** too me on test and tune brother lmao

 

That looks like a fun car. Cruise the drive in, roll the boulevard, a little drag racing. Oh yeah!

 

I COINSIDE WITH THIS OPINION.

 

Friend of mine says he ran mechanical injection on the street.
Guy said it took a good bit of tuning.