Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Jeg’s shipment arrived via FedEx Ground yesterday - with my flex plate. Mounted it last night, with a new set of bolts. It’s perfect. Now I can put the motor up on its stand tonight and get down to some serious finish work. This weekend’s going to be busy and fun!

BTW: Jeg’s sent me a hat with my part. Cool. :metal:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Does anyone know what years the passenger side rams horn manifold outlet curved to the back (versus dumping straight down). A friend needs one for a hot rod and was told they came on early 60s trucks with 283s. Any help will be appreciated.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I have a set off of my 64 that dunp straight down... PM me and we can talk about them. They're just sitting in a box.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

After some amateuristic foul-ups this morning - got the motor on its stand and the top end done. Never think you've got your tools until you check it out and verify, prior to starting.

The loss of two of the wing pieces forced me to make a couple out of 1/2" x 1-1/2" bar stock at the shop. it was kind of a nightmare, but I put the engine stand's main strut up on the hoisted engine and then gradually bolted everything together, using grade "8" bolts, washers and nuts.

The next item is the water pump and lower alternator bracket.

I'm converting the truck back to the original voltage regulator and alternator system - based on what I've read in the "Electrical" forum. That may take a bit of doing, but I'll feel a lot more comfortable with the original system and the kit updates.

Not a bad day - just a great deal of time detailing paint and stuff.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Mounted the new motor’s water pump last night and ended up leaving out the "locator pin" (?), as it wasn’t even close to being functional. .005 slip fit into the block - no big deal, but going into the blind hole in the water pump - .060 clearance. Does this matter?

Better to find out now than when the engine’s in the truck. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

If I understand you correctly the blind hole is in the back of the pump? Those pumps had an extra hole on one side that was for a bypass, from the face of the block through the water pump.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Bingo. Just couldn't understand what the pin was for(?) This hole is on the left port of the block and water pump - if you're looking back from the fan. I'm assuming that with the gasket and sealer there won't be any complications.

Mac.:chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

No you should not have any trouble with it. I glue the gasket to the pump with gaskacinch. Let it dry, then put axle grease on the surface were the pump and block meet. Put the 2 top bolts in loosely, install the bottom ones, run em in finger tight, then wrench em. Does your alternator upper bracket come off the top of the pump? Make sure you put the right bolt in there.You can remove the pump without the gasket sticking to the block and scrape the gasket off the pump on the bench if you ever have to replace it. I don't like bending over the core support scraping gaskets that may end up in the block.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Went with the lower mount alternator bracket - so there's no problem.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#1./ Correct flex plate (from Jegs) on the '283'. Ready for engine stand.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#2./ Motor finally on the stand - with newly made hardware for two bolts.;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#3./ Intake manifold gaskets and RTV end-seals in place.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#4./ Intake manifold in place, with nice chrome bolt set from Summit.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#5./ Old School oil filler tube (chrome cap coming). New School swivel neck.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#6./ Exhaust manifolds installed - after sand blast, paint and restud operations.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

#7./ Installation of the 2-Barrel rebuilt carburator.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Hey that looks pretty sweet! Nice work

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

looking good!
I like you step by step photos also, verry niiice!!

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

You’d think I’d want to completely finish this motor - but I’m finding every excuse I can to avoid doing just that. I got the correct oil filler tube cap (actually for a 327) in from Paragon Reproductions (800-882-4688) by UPS yesterday, and that’s it. Time to mate her up with the TH350. Need to make the modulator line now from some brake tubing. That and bolting in the motor towers - it will be showtime.

Mac. :ito:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Been there done that with a few projects. I took 2 weeks to rebuild a transfercase for a buddy in his 74 LandCrusier. I knew if I finished it in a few days it would be done. I wanted to play longer. hahahaha

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

The motor’s done - can’t abuse it any further.;)

I’ve moved on to the modulator tube.

Who knew you could buy a 60" piece of 5/32" ID brake tubing, with fittings, for $5.32 (+ tax) at NAPA? Outstanding. I got a small tube bending tool on sale about 10 years ago, used it once since that time, and found it again in the bottom of one of my roll away drawers.

Figuring that I could always buy another length of tube, I got bold and started bending away - first with a full half-circle at the modulator end and then mapped out the other bends along the transmission with blue masking tape - at each predicted turn.

It took ten minutes to fabricate the whole thing. The finished units were like $30.00 (less shipping) and they were all for a 70’ Camero and ‘might have worked.’

This part of the project was easy - you just have to get someone to help hold the staring end of the tube (or put it in a vice) while you’re doing the other bends - to keep the relationship correct as you go along.

Also mounted the pre-bent transmission coolant lines and the TH350’s ready for mating to the new engine.

Mac.:chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

alright Mac....where are the pics???;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Wal-Mart. :mm:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

9.8mm starter bolt won’t fit. :cuss:

It’s 4.5 inches long - with the knurl on the shank. NAPA says it’s the right one, but it’s nearly .011 fatter than the standard 3/8 x 16 (.375) and jams about three threads in. I really don’t want to have to buy a 9.8mm tap and half-ass this.

Anyone got a lead of an original starter bolt supplier, with the proper head, or should I just go to ‘OSH’, buy a grade 8 bolt and shut up?

Mac.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Good job....now I'm with Joe....
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Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

LOL! Oh Man, the pressure! :lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Seems like I've seen starter bolts in the "HELP" product line. Other than that a GM parts dept. or one of the pickup parts suppliers like Brothers, Classic Ind., American Classic, etc.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Ground Up, Inc. $2.95 each. Perfect replacement. Came from Meriden, CT by FedEx Ground this morning - ordered 09/23/08. Outstanding.:chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:chevy: Back in commission and starting to work on the truck again - replacing the heater fan motor tomorrow, while the engine’s out, so getting to it will be easier. Anybody done this operation before? Do I need to pull the heater box cover off to get to the motor’s fasteners (the motor hangs down (vertically) from the box)?

The frame modification is done and the measurements for the new towers came out nearly perfectly. Used a coat hanger bent in a "U" shape to gage the distance between the two bolted up motor mounts. The cross-member’s drilled for the lower bolt holes and I was thinking I’ll just leave the new towers bolted to the motor mounts and drop the hole thing into the engine bay as one assembly, along with the transmission.

Any thoughts?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

yeah, i have a thought........................
:wop:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thant's just plain mean.;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I would leave the frame mounts on the frame and the motor mounts on the engine. These are easier to line up than the original style with the bolt up thru the center. If you're concerned about ease of alignment, leave the frame brackets a little loose and then tighten them up after the engine and trans are in place.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Good call - probably the safest bet.;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:devil:'Wall of Voodoo this morning on the heater blower motor replacement. Little, rusted fasteners can be a real b%*ch.

Took the cover off the heater box to check the core's condition and it was half full of leafs. After getting the small screws out - with much cussing and time - made sure the new motor's flange plate pattern matched and bolted the squirrel cage to it and put the side plug in the housing.

Because everything is painted flat black and it was an overcast day today - couldn't see well enough, even setting directly on the ground below the assembly with a drop light, so my kid came up with an idea to use a bottle of 'white-out' (the kind with the little pressure tip applicator) to mark white dots on the outside of the fan housing - indicating where the little sheet metal screw holes were.

Piece of cake after that.

The back two (over in the corner) have to be "felt" in and take some time.

If I ever do this again I'll put sheet metal studs in the bottom of this fan housing and simply use nuts to hold the fan motor in. I'm sure it was easy at the factory - in the initial installation, but serviceable - it is not.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

yeah I've had ours out a couple times. mirror and a flashlight works pretty well

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Finished the ‘smog tube’ over the weekend. This is the vent pipe that runs from the back of the block near the distributor. Connected a PCV valve to the end of it - via a brass fitting - and "T’d" off two smaller tube fittings from there to the two openings in the bottom of my triangle shaped Edlebrock air cleaner.

Ran into a bit of a complication though on using one of the (stock 2-barrel) intake manifold bolts to hold this pipe down - by the little tab that’s spot-welded to it. The #5 (in the torqueing sequence) bolt is used for this and the tube covers the last bolt back on the passenger side.

Question is - should I remove all the bolts and start over? And to get to the rear bolt should I go buy a ‘crowsfoot’ to reach the one that ends up under the ‘smog tube?"

Do these type of extensions work with a torque wrench?

http://www.northerntool.com/images/p...156552_med.gif

Or should I just forget about it and move on?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Decided to just retighten the single bolt on the intake manifold and move on - fighting the HEI distributor stab presently - having a real time getting it to line up TDC - piston #1. Doesn’t seem to fit like the OEM point distributor.

Got some frame lay-out pictures back in the mean time.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Length shot from centerline of rear bolt mount for transmission on crossmember.