veiws on using the 283?

[67 fleet side]

Hey everyone I just pulled the 283 out of my 67 and was of full intention of rebuilding it and putting it back. The plan was of course to give it some horse power, but now im thinking my money might be better spent on another block to gain the hp I want to achieve. Now I found a fairly detailed build about some guy running a 283 with standard bore and power pack heads and he's up to 373hp and pulling wheelies in his 66 chevelle. So my question is this; who is running a 283 and if they like it or not? (I do plan on a stall converter and different gears in the rear)

[67_C-30]

There's nothing wrong with a 283, but no matter what you do to do it, if you do the same thing to a 350 or 383, you'll have more power. If you are talking about putting a stall and gears in it, I'd definitely go another route. A 373 HP 283 is great, but I'm betting that's not a very streetable engine.

The bottom line for me is this:

If I was going for a stock restoration or was just going to use the truck to drive, save a little fuel, and sound good - I'd stick with the 283.

If I was going for power - I'd go another route.

JMO...

[67 fleet side]

Kinda seems to be the general answer from what I've read. Is 350hp a realistic number for that engine? I'm I going to have enough torque to push it around? Or would I just be far better off with a big block?
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[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by 67 fleet side

Kinda seems to be the general answer from what I've read. Is 350hp a realistic number for that engine? I'm I going to have enough torque to push it around? Or would I just be far better off with a big block?
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No hard and fast answer there. Depends on your goal. For a nice cruiser/ daily driver, obviously the 283 will return excellent mileage. For all out power, there is no replacement for displacement. Dont forget that a big block truck typically will not handle as well as a comparable small block truck though, sue to the extra nose weight. Also, same argument applies to big blocks as far as displacement. It cost just as much (sometimes more) to rebuild a 396 as it does to do a 454 to 468 or even 496. You will be able to pass everything but a gas station.
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[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by 67 fleet side

Kinda seems to be the general answer from what I've read. Is 350hp a realistic number for that engine? I'm I going to have enough torque to push it around? Or would I just be far better off with a big block?
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Btw, imo 300 hp is about the streetable limit for a naturally aspirated 283. Even that is pushing it. He small bore makes it hard for it to really breathe. The 4" bore of the 350 makes abig difference there.
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[special-K]

I have this pipe dream of a Stepside shortbed with blueprinted/balanced 283 fuel injected & overdrive for the ideal interstate road trip classic. Not looking for speed,looking for go go go go go...with great effeciency

[tlcrz1972]

If your looking for the least expensive horse power, go a 350 and build it from there.
Now if your looking to make a fun driver not a stump puller, I like the 283.
And to put fuel injection on it would be so cool. And remember Uncle GM fuel injected them back in 1957 and got one horse per cu. in., and that was with mechanical fuel injection. And they were daily drivers.
Now with the fuel injection possibilities out there now what can you do to achieve the one-to-one or more HP per cu. in.?
I'm getting 17 plus MPG out of my 350 FI engine (with overdrive) and look back and wonder why I didn't do it sooner

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by special-K

I have this pipe dream of a Stepside shortbed with blueprinted/balanced 283 fuel injected & overdrive for the ideal interstate road trip classic. Not looking for speed,looking for go go go go go...with great effeciency

That's what I was going to say. 283 with Tuned Port fuel injection would be really cool. TPI was designed around a 305 so they have plenty of flow for a 283. Lots of low end torque. Couple that with a 700R4 with a deep first gear and you have a great combo.

Bear in mind todays V8 truck engines are 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 Liters so in cubic inches that's 292, 323, and 366. You can get a good bit of power from a small package with fuel injection. You don't have to have a dual carb 454 to make good power.

[67 fleet side]

The fuel injection is a avenue I never really looked into, mind you I've always dreamt of a hilborn fuel injection sitting on top. Would that be too much or would it be like a carb in the sense that I could put smaller nozzles in? Would that work with a shot of N.O.S?
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[So.Cal.Super]

I'm going to ask the same thing my engine builder asked me.

do you plan on restoring it to original? (not sure if it still is)

What do you want to do with it?

when I hear gears, stall, shot of NoS I'm guessing original is not your thing.

so lets hit the make a wish list

original?
daily driver?
horsepower?
fuel economy?
NoS?
fuel injection?

Budget???????

The last one is always my big one. Remember how much you have to spend on the little stuff to bring it all together.

a 350 4 bolt 350hp with balanced internals built to handle a 150 shot of NoS and still daily driven getting 10-12mpg would IMO seems more cost effective then building up the 283.

When it comes down to it. Do what is going to make you happy and you can afford.

[67 fleet side]

Hears my wish list for the truck (engine wise);
Minimum 350hp
I was thinking of a six pack (for looks) and then someone mentioned injection so I would love a hilborn
Non daily driver (don't have the weather do it west coast B.C)
Don't care about economy to much
I'm in no rush to get it running so budget isn't too concerning
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[mmiddle]

I agree, 300hp is about max on a 283. They are great little engines with modest power potential. Now... if you really want some fun, put that 283 crank in a 327 block and make a very high revving 302. Very fun motors above 5K, very dumpy below 3500.

IMHO, just build a 350 and call it a 283 or what ever you want. Very few people can actually tell the difference with it in the truck.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by mmiddle

I agree, 300hp is about max on a 283. They are great little engines with modest power potential. Now... if you really want some fun, put that 283 crank in a 327 block and make a very high revving 302. Very fun motors above 5K, very dumpy below 3500.

IMHO, just build a 350 and call it a 283 or what ever you want. Very few people can actually tell the difference with it in the truck.

No doubt. 302's are fun wound out, but with 2.02/1.60 valves and enough cam to make them rev high enough to actually run, they don't have enough low to mid range torque to pull the skin off of a grape. -lol

[nobolt]

there are easier ways to get that 350HP. and cheaper.
trade/sell your original 283 to someone looking to restore it.
then build a 350 or bolt in a 6.0

...unless you want to tinker and tweak the 283 to prove it can be done.

[special-K]

Now that you've let us know you are after for some pretty beefy HP from a small block,I'd say 350 all the way. You can always lie and tell people it's a 283 if you want

[Boog]

The consensus will be more cubic inches most always. I like the old 283s too. For a cheap daily driver or cruiser it's great. But it's easier to get your power fix from more cubic inches, 350, 377, 383 or 400.

[turp mcspray]

350 hp from a 283 is about 1.24 hp per cubic inch. 1.24 x 350c.i. = 434 hp. Which is getting to the edge of being "rowdy" on the street 350. And the 283 will make peak power at a much higher rpm. Which means torque in the useable, street driven rpm range is going to be dismal, at best. That 373hp 283 is probably making that power at 7500 rpm!

[TBONE1964]

WWGJD

What would Grumpy Jenkins do? He would embrace the challenge and show all the non believers how to make horsepower. The first thing he would tell you ( if he could RIP) is cylinder heads. You can make a lawn mower fly if you put the right heads on it. Air in - Air out.

I would do it just for the challenge of it.

[Eddie H.]

Back in the 60's my cousin built a 283 that was making around 450 plus HP @ around 8000 rpm. He put it in his 65 impala SS which looked bone stock, ( except for the cheater slicks) It still had the original 283 badges on the side. It wasn't very streetable, but was a blast to drive Saturday night, especially after blowing the doors off of a few big block mopars and fords, then raising the hood to show a little stock looking 283.
But that was the good old days when you could run 12.5:1 compression with pump gas at 35 cents a gallon for 102 octane.

[mmiddle]

Originally Posted by Eddie H.

Back in the 60's my cousin built a 283 that was making around 450 plus HP @ around 8000 rpm. He put it in his 65 impala SS which looked bone stock, ( except for the cheater slicks) It still had the original 283 badges on the side. It wasn't very streetable, but was a blast to drive Saturday night, especially after blowing the doors off of a few big block mopars and fords, then raising the hood to show a little stock looking 283.
But that was the good old days when you could run 12.5:1 compression with pump gas at 35 cents a gallon for 102 octane.

And the money QUOTE is :12.5:1 compression with pump gas at 35 cents a gallon for 102 octane

Good heads, good intake, lump cam, lots-o-squeeze.

[special-K]

Grumpy Jenkins built drag cars

[slow-1]

Build a 426 small block and dress it like your stock 283.

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by special-K

Grumpy Jenkins built drag cars

Yes he did and no one on earth could make more power out of a small cubic inch chevy than Grumpy Jenkins. May he rest in piece.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by special-K

Grumpy Jenkins built drag cars

Exactly! Making a small cubic inch engine fast is no problem. Making it fast in a streetable combination that is practical is a much harder thing to do.

Here's a 276 cu in small block that is awesome. Put it in a 3800 lb truck with streetable gears and it an automatic transmission and it would be a turd.

12000 rpm nova - YouTube

[burnin oil]

I quit reading the thread but I can tell you this. If your truck has low gears like 4.10 or 4.57 then you will really like a moderate built 283. the short stroke loves RPM. Power output would be similiar to a Ford 302 due to the 3" stroke. Off idle would be a little weak but spinning 3-4k on the interstate would be nothing. That said my K20 has 4.10s and I run a 400Sb without OD. I can pass anything but a gas station at 9MPG. I need to do some more tuning bad!

As far as Octane requirements go for higher compression you can always add E85. Octane rating is around 105. Just takes more alcohol than regular gas to get the same BTUs.