Building a 283, how to get 300 hp?

[LeftEar55]

When it comes to rebuilding an engine, I'm at a total loss OK, a buddy at work has a complete 283 from an old Vette and he says that I can put either 305 or 350 heads on it and do some stuff internally to it, to produce 300 or a little more? Can someone tell me exactly what parts to buy and what heads to go with? I will be building this engine over the next few years and a nice parts list would be great? Also, should I run a th350 or th400 tranny with it?

[Fred T]

You should be able to do it. I would think the small Vortec heads and one of the newer cam designs would give you a 300 hp daily driver. I would suggest you call some of the cam manufacturers, Comp, Crane, etc and see what they recommend. These companies want your business and really know what they're talking about.

[LeftEar55]

Thanks, but I didn't want to use newer anything for my build. I prefer to use older heads. I also have a cam, that my neighbor gave me. I think it's a comp cam, (not sure, it's in storage, still in the original box). He said it was rather on the harse side, when he had it, in his 77 Vette. It only has 500 miles on it. I also have a matching set of lifters too. I'll try to find them and post the specs on here, it may be too much cam, for a 283 though.

[bigjimzlll]

OK..lets think about this a bit. Back in the early 60's chevy managed 283 HP from a solid lifter 11-1 compression dual carbed 283. So to reach 300HP isn't going to be easy. Especially with old school tech. Compression is hard to make with the small bore of the 283. Also the old shcool 283 of yester year made its power way up in the rpm scale..it would rev all the way to 10,000 rpm...not really street friendly. If GM with all of its money and research could only make 283HP....I doubt if we can(with old school tech)

[69 longhorn]

stick a low profile (B&M , or Weiand) blower on it..... L

[deth_1970]

my dad told me about his 283 he built, using a 327 crank, 30-30 duntov cam, not much more info, cept that it was in a titty pink 57 chevy, was supposed to be a custom blended lavender, but he said it ran high 11's low 12's, at sea level, he lived in SF at the time,

[bigjimzlll]

Originally Posted by deth_1970

my dad told me about his 283 he built, using a 327 crank, 30-30 duntov cam, not much more info, cept that it was in a titty pink 57 chevy, was supposed to be a custom blended lavender, but he said it ran high 11's low 12's, at sea level, he lived in SF at the time,

ask your dad how high he used to rev that 307

[jamis]

Originally Posted by LeftEar55

Thanks, but I didn't want to use newer anything for my build. I prefer to use older heads. I also have a cam, that my neighbor gave me. I think it's a comp cam, (not sure, it's in storage, still in the original box). He said it was rather on the harse side, when he had it, in his 77 Vette. It only has 500 miles on it. I also have a matching set of lifters too. I'll try to find them and post the specs on here, it may be too much cam, for a 283 though.

That old stuf is fine......but you wont see the 300hp your looking for.

Originally Posted by deth_1970

my dad told me about his 283 he built, using a 327 crank, 30-30 duntov cam, not much more info, cept that it was in a titty pink 57 chevy, was supposed to be a custom blended lavender, but he said it ran high 11's low 12's, at sea level, he lived in SF at the time,

He sounds like my neighbor....don’t take any offense to what I'm going to say, but there is no way to get a 57 to go 11/12s with such a small motor with out the wallet of a Rockefeller. You will here a lot of old timers saying things like 30-30 and 3/4 race cams (I think 30-30 was a reference to how much valve lash they ran in those days and 3/4 race meant it wasn’t a "full" race cam, only "3/4" race LOL). A small motor like that wont likely send a 57 down the track fast enough to turn a 12 much less break into the 11s. Your dad certainly sounds like a great guy and I wish I had a dad that was into hot roding back in the day.

[LeftEar55]

Well, origianlly, I to go with a 327, but they're hard to find as well..... Thought about a 350, but gas is too much for a 350 at the moment..... And for a 400.... I could go with a 305, I guess. Not much of a fan of 307's, but the same fellow from work, said you pump a ton of hp from a 307 too..? I thought all 307's were good for boat anchors

[bigjimzlll]

put a mild 350 in it...better gas milage than a hopped up 283 with more power

[69 longhorn]

Originally Posted by bigjimzlll

ask your dad how high he used to rev that 307

Ya man! I will bet that little stroker was revvin real tight(8500?), & running a 40lb f"wheel! I still have a "virgin " 64 , 283 in the basement.....+ 1 extra steel crank(also "virgin")! All I need is the lotto, & that little "pooch 83" will be running in my longhorn, with a small blower, fuel injection & of course the 6 spd Richmond & a mid 3's gear......gotta love that open road you can make that little eng rock, but it will NOT be cheap! Go for it, I love the little eng that could L

[cdowns]

you could always get a set of double-hump heads have them ported, stepup to 14:1 comp pistons and go for a hilborn injection systemrun either alky or 110 octane gas with a full-race cam that's all old school stuff you could probablly make 300hp with a combo like that . BUT WHY?? for less than the cost of the injection system you can buy a 300hp/350 that burns pump gas and will live in the thousands of miles not the 10's of miles

[WB72]

Use 882 castings on the Heads, Dual Plane intake (like Performer by Edelbrock), and a Comp cams 268H will give the 283 330 HP and 330 ft-lbs of torque. Using 9.5:1 Compession, Small tube headers and mufflers, and a 700cfm carb.

As per Desktop Dyno 2000

[dregs454]

Originally Posted by bigjimzlll

put a mild 350 in it...better gas milage than a hopped up 283 with more power

If a small cube motor and a larger cube motor make the same power, doesn't the smaller cube motor get better mileage because it is using the cylinder volume more efficiently? Isn't that why 200 HP hondas get way better mileage than 200 HP trucks? (well, bad example because of weight/aerodynamics)

[bigjimzlll]

Originally Posted by WB72

Use 882 castings on the Heads, Dual Plane intake (like Performer by Edelbrock), and a Comp cams 268H will give the 283 330 HP and 330 ft-lbs of torque. Using 9.5:1 Compession, Small tube headers and mufflers, and a 700cfm carb.

As per Desktop Dyno 2000

they dont make a dome piston big enuff to give 9.5-1 CR with 76cc heads. Use the compression calculator and see for your self. Figure the same combo with about 7-1 CR and see what you get.


as far as efficently<sp> with the small /big engine a 275HP 350 will be regular gas friendly and run no more than 5500 rpm. Most of the power will be at 3000rpm. A 275HP 283 will not to start to make any power until 5000 rpm. Its highest power will be at 8500 rpm or so. The ricer engines make their power the same way the new GM cars do...electronics/fuel managment and much lighter/stronger rotaiting parts

[LeftEar55]

OK, I'm not going to hotrod this truck when I'm done. I'm just going to drive it occassionally. Maybe 2-3 days a week, maybe even less. Just how many horses does a stock 283 have? Surely it will be enough to propel a 55? Reason I ask is, that I found an all stock 283 for 100 bucks! And it's not locked up. I'm probably going to pick it up tomorrow sometime.

[bigjimzlll]

fresh and new around 170HP

[Warrens69GMC]

You might want to do this:
283 rebuilt shortblock with FT pistons
Comp cam Xe 256 or Xe262
world products 305 torquers- cut to 55cc chambers and bowl ported
This would get you @ the 300 mark and be a lot of fun!
warrens69gmc

[bigjimzlll]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

You might want to do this:
283 rebuilt shortblock with FT pistons
Comp cam Xe 256 or Xe262
world products 305 torquers- cut to 55cc chambers and bowl ported
This would get you @ the 300 mark and be a lot of fun!
warrens69gmc

How do you know? Just curious. GM couldn't do it with more compression and better flowing heads and dual quads..I do agree that is a good combo though...just I figure around 250 HP and 275 ftlbs of torque

[cableguy0]

i agree with him^^^. the biggest thing with a 283 they dont make much power unless ya wrap em up real tight and that costs a buncha money in internals so it stays together.plus when you put enough cam and head work into one to get over the 300hp mark ya might as well just build a mild 350 and get twice the gas mileage. the little cubic inch motors are going to struggle at lower rpms to pull the truck around regardless of peak hp they arent going to make much torque.so what if it peaks at 325 hp at 7000rpm big deal dont mean much on the street. especially when its struggling to get there. desktop dyno is not accurate whatsoever. for example its claiming my motor makes 504 hp@ 6500rpm rightttttttttt do not judge off of desktop dyno it aint close in most cases even with using head flow numbers and proper cam profiles.

[jamis]

Originally Posted by LeftEar55

OK, I'm not going to hotrod this truck when I'm done. I'm just going to drive it occassionally. Maybe 2-3 days a week, maybe even less. Just how many horses does a stock 283 have? Surely it will be enough to propel a 55? Reason I ask is, that I found an all stock 283 for 100 bucks! And it's not locked up. I'm probably going to pick it up tomorrow sometime.

I ran a 283 with the "camel hump heads" and 460/302 crane fireball cam in my 79 step, It wasnt fast but it made enough power to pull my 21' open fishermen. I only went with that motor because it was sitting on the floor of my garage taken up room. The motor put out 220 hp on a real dyno. I only put it on dyno on a bet, and it cost me a case of beer when it didnt make 250 mark. I dont have the spec sheet for it anymore because it was 15 years ago.
My post wasnt ment to stop anyone from running a 283(I have owned 3 of them myself) its just that the smaller the cubes the more difficult it is to climb up the HP scale.

Dont put to much into desktop dyno (ITS A TOY NOT A TOOL) if that really worked their woudnt be a need for real dynos, Let an experienced engine builder with a real dyno give you some real numbers for small cube combos and save your hard drive space for internet porn.

[LeftEar55]

Well, I've decided that I won't buy it now. I'll go back with my original plan and look for a 327 or 350. I had a 69 SS Camaro last year with a 69 truck 350 4 bolt main and when someone sneeky dropped an intake bolt into the #5 cylinder, you can figure out what happened? Anyway, I think I still have that block, with double pyramid (400) heads, is it worth the trouble to re-sleeve it and drop it in the old 55?

[cableguy0]

my machinist normally sells a 350 block basically ready for assembly already bored new cam bearings freeze plugs. checked for straightness an align honed for like 350 bucks

[CHEVY & GMC FOREVER]

Originally Posted by bigjimzlll

OK..lets think about this a bit. Back in the early 60's chevy managed 283 HP from a solid lifter 11-1 compression dual carbed 283. So to reach 300HP isn't going to be easy. Especially with old school tech. Compression is hard to make with the small bore of the 283. Also the old shcool 283 of yester year made its power way up in the rpm scale..it would rev all the way to 10,000 rpm...not really street friendly. If GM with all of its money and research could only make 283HP....I doubt if we can(with old school tech)

I agree with you totally those 283's were good motor's but they dide'nt start going till 8-10,000 RPM's, that's why one of my favorite GM motors was the old V6 401, 4.87' Bore, 3.58' Stroke, oh yeah now that was a motor.....

[Bowtie67]

GM made 315 Horse out of the 283 with a make shift fuel injection system, with todays heads being even much more efficient than even some of the best heads produced up to the mid 90's dont even compare to the current Vortecs heads (not that I am a Vortec Head Lover by any means). There have been many 283's pushed out well beyond 300HP without blowers, Turbos or even Nitrous. Smokey Yunick made 430HP in a naturally aspirated 283, another guy did over 800hp with twin turbos. If GM can spin up a 2.8litre V6 naturally aspirated to 430hp I see no reason 300+hp cant be done to a 283 respectable and also be dependable. Good heads, proper intake/carb or fuel injection & the right cam should have no problem especially with todays technology. Gas milage could also be optimum in an engine with shorter stroke & smaller bore where it doesnt suck so much air & fuel to breath when matched with proper gearing.