Heres my little 58' 283 chevy motor. Standard bore with lots of goodies. This is my throw-together motor until i get my 327 back together. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dj2k1FQZEGs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The first year, 57, didn't have side bosses cast for the side motor mounts, so they are front mount only engine. The 301 was legendary. The drawbacks are no drilled crank for the damperener, so have your machine shop put one in. I have a 64 283 that's going in my 55 truck, and three 57 blocks I'm going to sell to to a stock restorer. You have to build them as a labor of love. They improve with the 305 HO heads.
1972: I'm a senior in high school. My classmate and best friend Ron has a 65 Vette 4 speed roadster and a white guy Afro hairdo. He's a real big hit with the girls but he always comes in 2nd behind my red tri-power GTO. Ron buys a hot solid lifter 301 with 6X2's out of a '55 Chevy drag car that the guy was moving up to an LT-1. We spend the weekend pulling the tired 327 out of the Vette and installing the 301. Had to change the distributor to keep the Vette tach drive. I'm inside the Vette cranking it over and Ron is outside screwing with the timing and running the throttle. It starts to fire then backfires. The front of Ron's Afro was in the flame travel path. Now he looks like Bozo the clown with his new Stromberg haircut. When that little motor wound up, it hauled ass. We raced, he would get me on the launch but half way through 2nd gear I'd catch him and it never beat my GTO.
This is one of the best threads I've read on the HAMB. Like a trip down memory lane. I'm age 62 and grew up with Tri 5 Chevy's, 265-283's. I have a complete 57-283 PP in the garage. Thinking about replacing the Flathead head in my 40 Ford Tudor that I've been running for 13 years. Granted, the small block Chevy has come a long way since the 50's but if you are going to build them like we did in "the day" (which is a different day for all of us) I'm staying the 283. I ran a number of 265's and 283's which seemed to pull my 56 Chevy's around with out a problem. Should be no problem pulling a 40 Ford. As said, good thread. Dan
In the late 60s, we ran a 283 block .030 over, with a 327 crank to keep under a 310 max displacement un a VERY light Jr. Fuel Dragsters. We ran ported 327 heads, Foredunes alum. Rods and Pistons, Chet Herbert roller cam, main cap straps, Hilborn Injrctors and Vertex Mag. The car ran direct drive with a slipper clutch. We ran 8.0s at 195 plus Mph. This was pretty much the standard Jr. fuel configuration until Adams and Enriguez came out with their 305 Desoto. Love that motor.
No, stock bore, so they must have been the 1.94's. I put the engine together, and owned the car it came from since new, so it wasn't bored out.
I had a .040 over 283 in my channelled '32 5w with a close ratio 4 speed, single WCFB, 270 cam through 3.50 9 inch. Most fun car to drive I ever owned. This car loved RPM and could be driven really hard without going all that fast. If you really rung it out, the fins on the generator pulley would straighten out a bit and start chirping on the fan belt, easily cured with a few ball peen bumps.
The same thing was said by the non sbc (before it was called a sbc) guys back in early 60's. The "other engine" guys made the claim that "anyone" could build a strong running 283 implying that it didn't take a lot of performance knowledge or skill to build one. Unless you had the heads ported it didn't take huge sums of money either as a lot of the gains were made with wrecking yard or over the counter from the dealer parts. An 097 cam was around 30.00 over the counter at any Chevy dealers parts counter in the country and most of them had several in stock all the time along with several pairs of finned Corvette valve covers for around the same price. My first put it together for myself engine was a 61 283 that originally came in a 61 Impala 4 door ht that I bought from, a coworker at the Firestone Store in Waco Tx for 100 bucks and drove home in about 1972. I pulled the engine, tore it down and had it hot tanked with new cam bearings and freeze plugs and bought the pieces to do a rering job from Cogdells Autoparts in Waco. I bought an 097 cam off a dirt track racer and new solid lifters. The power pack heads were 20 .00 for the pair and a 30.00 valve job. Remember this was 1972. The machine shop guys threw a fit when I wanted to paint the heads Cat Yellow and gave me hell for that. I put a 300hp 327 intake on it with a used 650 Holley and then swapped that for the Corvette Dual 4 setup that came with the 57 Panel truck I bought with a stomping 327 in it. With a set of the first wrinkle black Weiand finned valve covers I had a grand total of right under 300 bucks in the whole engine. It went in my T bucket in front of the powerglide and a 56 Ford F100 4.11 rear end. The car was damned quick stoplight to stoplight but I never did get it up to any speed as tire and windshield shake served as pretty good governors as far as speed was concerned. That engine was pulled and put in my 48 in front of a Muncie M21 where it lived happily for several years until it got pulled and stuck in a 62 Impala ragtop that I drove for a few months and sold. The engines were popular because they were cheap and easily found and you could build a pretty strong engine without a lot of exotic parts. Inexpensive Factory cams over the counter at the dealers. Heads that worked off later engines at the wrecking yard for little money. Pistons didn't cost your childs college fund to buy. If you lived in an area full of circle track racers they were always selling their "obsolete" pieces for chump change. But they also took a toll on the local supply of available engine blocks. When I worked for J.T. Carpenter in Waco in the early 70's he made a weekly pilgrimage to Lipsizt's engine pile looking for prospective blocks, cranks and heads for his and Robert Prior's circle track modifieds. Those engines often turned close to 10 grand on the back stretch at Heart-O-Texas Speedway or the Devil's Bowl. I agree with those who said that the 283 likes a lot of gear as most of my friends who ran them in the early 60's ran 4.11 gears with three or four speeds. Those were still 15 second cars at the drags if they ever made it to the drag strip but were hell on wheels on Yakima Avenue crosswalk to crosswalk. t
The Chev V8 was a sensation when it came out in 1955. It was the smallest, lightest V8 and it would fit in cars the other engines wouldn't. For years it was the engine of choice for hot rods, cheap common easy to build and easy to swap. There were hotter engines but the 283 was the one to beat. In 58 Chev brought out the 348 but it was a dog, not as fast as a good 283. 348s and 409s did exist but not many of them and they were expensive, and not that much faster than a 283. It wasn't until the 327 and especially the 350 came out, that the 283 became obsolete. So, they had the top position for 10 years or more. No other engine can make that claim, with the possible exception of the flathead Ford. Now as to whether a 283 is worth building today. As for that, in a light car it will give you all the HP you need and it has 2 advantages over a 350. Better mileage and snappier response. In a light car like a roadster it will be a lot of fun to drive and get better mileage to boot. Could you beat a 350 in a drag race? Probably not but this is a moot point. If you were at the strip the 2 cars would be in different classes. On the street who knows? I think it would be a great gag. Build a 283 out of lunch money and scrounged parts. Put it in a light car and laugh like hell. At any car show watch the old guys crowd around with misty eyes saying "I used to have one like that" as they ignore the (hundreds of) 350s and big blocks.
My Dad got a new Chevy Nomad wag in early 1955,265v8,was a super good looking wag,but the motor leaked oil,smoked some and not much power brand new,the dealer fixed it kind of after a few trys,but it was still low HP for a v8. My Gradpops 1955 Ford would blow it in the weeds EZ,by 1957 the chevy v8's were making some good power.
I've owned my 57' Vette for nearly 10 yrs. with its original 283/245 H engine(dual quads) backed by a 3 speed BW. It's no power house but moves the car along pretty good when you kick in the 2nd carb. It easily out runs the brakes pretty fast...not a very good feeling with all the A-holes on the road these days. You gotta look way ahead....
My dad has a 283 bored .040 over single plane air gap edlebrock manifold, holly 650 double pumper, isky cam, long tube headers, double hump heads, sitting in his 62 jeep and that thing runs like a scalded ape!
here's my story on the 283..... back in the early 70's like 72.... i bought a 66 chevelle 283 engine i found in the paper... like $35... broght it home ,chevked it out ... took it to machine shop where i had it bored out 1/8th inch... made it a 301/302.... now the bore stroke combo is just right at this point to amass some amasing performance....it took a while .. later like 76, i bought a z28 phase !!! camshaft at the dealer. fits a 302 engine got double hump heads i got from budy.... put a torker manifold and new 600 holly on it.... put it in my 71 vette to replace the 454 while i rebuilt it...the performance was amazing... topped 150 mph with it(cant do that now between toledo and detroit) I275 hwy....didnt notice any difference in the small block and the big block!!!...love it ... it sits on the engine syand now as we speak (for years now) . work takes me away...i was 16 when i started this engine project... first engine i rebuilt in my garsge... im going to get it running this year and put it in a 54 chevy.....good luck with yours.....................k
cam is a Summit K1108 Duration 302/312, Lift .510/.533 Comp is anyones guess. Whatever a standard motor with flattops and 52cc 305 heads. probably high 9 or low 10. What you wont believe is the tunnel ram with 2 600 afb carbs on it. I think its about time for new valve springs though. I find the valves start floating at about 7300.
Out of high school in '69 got a job at the local Pontiac ,Buick dealership.Someone traded in a 64 Nova 2dr ht with a 283 speed.I think i bought for $900 bucks or so.It had a 300hp intake with a afb,and the stock single exhaust.The single exhaust was like a governor on it.5200 was about all it would do.I decided to hop it up a little bit with Hooker headers,and at the same time i had the valves ground,and put a stock 4 jet rochester and intake on it.The first time i took it out with headers and duals ,and stomped down on it I about messed my pants.The tach jumped up to 6500 and the right rear tire was a blazing.That started my love afair with Novas,and small blocks.
Getting ready to put together a 67 283 .60 over for the Flint. Comp cams 268h with double hump 194 heads. I've had 265,283,292,301,327,350,383 & 400's. I,m a Chevy guy through and through. I,m 65 and someday would like to build a sb2. God bless the USA and Chevrolet. Happy New Year to all.
Funny you should bring up the "build a 302" subject. I'm a couple years younger than you but I've saved all the stuff to build a 302 for 30 years. I had a '63 Nova SS that was supposed to get the engine but sold the car before it happened. Engine is a std. 1963 Flint 327, std. steel 283 crank, forged TRW pistons and a set of 2.02 #186 heads. No cam or intake but do have a Holley 750DP carb. I just bought a '62 Nova wagon that has a great running aluminum headed 350 but I'm thinking about building the 302 for it after I get a couple other prior projects completed. Also have an M21 and a T10 sitting around doing nothing.....
I'll share two- Seems there are some folks saying that 7500-8000 rpm couldn't be done... Dad had a '57 convertible with the 270hp engine (with the 2x4 setup) and would just be shifting into 3rd when he went through the traps at the 1/4 mile (7500rpm in 1st and 2nd). The second is one I've shared before on a different thread. The salesman who sold Dad his '57 (and talked him out of the fuel injection because it was too finicky) wanted more of a sleeper, so he ordered a wagon with the 270/2x4 engine and also ordered a convertible with the 240/single 4. When they came into the dealership, he had one of the mechanics switch the intakes. After playing around with rejetting the carb, he had his "sleeper", and no one knew the better until he took a trip to Florida... Along the way, he and his wife stopped for gas, and had the oil checked. When the kid looked under the hood, he said that something didn't look right- it shouldn't have that intake/carb. "What make you say that?", Dad's buddy asked... "well, the fuel lines were too big and the pulleys had deep grooves- that there's a 270hp engine".
Well the 283 would turn some very high rpms for the time. Most engine back then would not turn much more than 5000. Had a 1959 293 HP Fuel Injected 4-11 gears Vette that turned 7000 right from the factory. Did it many times, street raced it many times. It was a very fast car for the time.
You're goin gto get conflicting information when it comes to cam shafts. There are several that i would suggest that someone else would not like and it depends on what you want to do with the engine as to what you need in the line of cam shaft and compression etc. There is a social group dedicated to the small journal motors that you would be of some help to you. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=718 If it were mine the thing would not even start climbing up on the cam uintil about 4 K and be done in the 7 ot 8 range, but I cannot suggest that for you unless you are really into high rev cruising and most people are not. If all you want to do is drive it I put a Lunati RV cam in a .040 over early 283 a couple of years back. I would have to look up the numbers on it for you, set compression @ 9.5:1. Power pack heads, stock size valves with a good 3 angel valve job and bowls blended. The car ran out well, had a mild lope at idle and pulled hard right up to about 55 hundred. There are a lot of little tricks to building one to suit a specific purpose. Probably not going to cover them on one thread.
When I got my `32 3w in 1972 it had a `64 327 block with a 283 crank, and `57 pp heads=301 c.i.; with a 1960 T-10 and 3:08 gears reved wild and ran great! In 1977 block cracked into water jacket. Then built a 1960 283 block .60 over with 10.5 TRW pistons,new L79 327/350 hp cam ,Rhoads lifters, Cloyes chain, Mellings pump, same `57 heads ported and polished with a C3BX manifold& 600 AFB. Switched to 4:11 gears. Its still running in same car, bang my Hurst around 6 grand...still FUN as hell...just love that thing!
An old guy told me he had a 53 Ford with a Y block that reved to 23,000 rpm, back in the day. Dead fucking serious too. I've got loads of respect for the guys that have been there and done that, but 23,000rpm? Come-on....
I also have had a bunch of 283-327 engines. One engine in particular stands out to me. Like 76 I bought a 75,000 mi 283 out of a junkyard 63 impala for $75 and they pulled it. Guy at the yard said, it's a good one so I took it home. I had got a 68 plain jane camaro that was a 4spd car and a blown up small block. It did have a 12 bolt rear with a posi and 4.88's, I took the 283, stripped it to the shortblock. Put a set of 1.94 heads on it, an Isky rev-master solid lifter cam, edelbrock torker a 780 holley, headers and a descent clutch. Double springed the points. New gaskets and painted it pontiac blue. Fellas we would have a couple beers and go hunting for cars to race. I absolutely beat the crap out of that little 283. 70 mph down the highway it sounded like a bumble bee. Solids just singing away. Never had a tach in that car just buzzed it as tight as it would go and shift. If you had that engine trans and gear in the OP's T-bucket you'd kill yourself. And all this with flat top pistons. Cheapest fun I ever had. It never did blow up, I pulled the engine when it blew the rearend and it sat till I sold it. I remember a mile from home the pinion nut backed off and locked the rear end up, I backed it home in reverse. Lippy
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