66 C10 with 283 motor and drivetrain questions

[SulphuriousSam]

Hi all I'm fairly new to the forum so if this a frequent question please forgive me

I recently acquired a 66 Chevy C10 with what I believe to be the original 283 and three on the tree. Can anyone help me with what would have been the factory transmission and rear end on this one? I haven't had the opportunity to dig around and find the serial number on the engine yet but it has a Rochester 2 bbl carb and not the four bbl. I thought I read somewhere that the 327 had a 4 barrel carb hence my 283 assumption.

If it is factory and 283 what would my best bet be for freshening it up and perhaps adding a little pep to her step? I already plan on new rings (smokes really bad right now but she sat idle for 8 yes). Any ideas and help would be much appreciated. This is my first restoration and I've always been more of a driver than a mechanic. I guess I shoulda paid more attention to the Old Man as a kid I guess
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[SulphuriousSam]

Originally Posted by SulphuriousSam

Hi all I'm fairly new to the forum so if this a frequent question please forgive me

I recently acquired a 66 Chevy C10 with what I believe to be the original 283 and three on the tree. Can anyone help me with what would have been the factory transmission and rear end on this one? I haven't had the opportunity to dig around and find the serial number on the engine yet but it has a Rochester 2 bbl carb and not the four bbl. I thought I read somewhere that the 327 had a 4 barrel carb hence my 283 assumption.

If it is factory and 283 what would my best bet be for freshening it up and perhaps adding a little pep to her step? I already plan on new rings (smokes really bad right now but she sat idle for 8 yrs). Any ideas and help would be much appreciated. This is my first restoration and I've always been more of a driver than a mechanic. I guess I shoulda paid more attention to the Old Man as a kid I guess
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I posted this over in the Engine/Drivetrain area but got no real hits or response so I thought I'd move it here in the hope that some knowledgeable folks might help me Plus it's just way more busy over here!
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[Captainfab]

I don't know about the trans, but the rear end will be a 12 bolt with likely 3.73 gears. The best way to know the gear ratio for certain is to pull the cover, and find the numbers stamped on the ring gear. Look for a pair of numbers such as 11 41, 41/11= 3.73. It would probably be a good idea to change the gear oil in the differential since it is usually the most neglected part of the drivetrain. It will only cost you a cover gasket and a couple quarts of 80W89 gear oil.

It sounds like youe engine needs a complete rebuild. At that time you could upgrade to a better cam, an aluminum intake and 4bbl carb, as well as a HEI distributor. There is certainly more you could do, but it depends on what your budget is, and just how much of an increase in power you want. If the budget is pretty tight, you would be better off installing a good running 350.

[SulphuriousSam]

Thanks for the info!

As to the motor rebuild I'm not sure yet. I have a good friend (with a nice shop) helping me and he wants to do the rings but thought it may not need a complete rebuild as it runs and idles well and has good oil pressure etc...
We had pretty much decided to go for a 350 if this one needs a rebuild due to costs vs return. Although I think it would be cool to have the numbers matching engine in my truck.
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[pmkrew]

If your going to re-ring it may as well pop in a new cam/ lifter set with a small 4-bbl and aluminum intake. Great little engines those 283's are.
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[68gmsee]

10/4 on running it with fresh gas.

These were popular engines back in the 50's and early 60's and used in hotrods and for drag racing. If it's the orginal engine and you want to keep it that way, they can be made to run. Guess it all depends on your preference.

As some of your friends mentioned, rings can get gummed up and stick not allowing a good seal, but in my experience with these vintage engines, you probably will need to do a rebuild.

[SulphuriousSam]

Originally Posted by pmkrew

If your going to re-ring it may as well pop in a new cam/ lifter set with a small 4-bbl and aluminum intake. Great little engines those 283's are.
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Thanks for the input! I want to put a 4 barrel on it. It was always the first thing guys would brag about when i was a teenager, so of course I have wanted a V8 with a Holley four barrel.

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

10/4 on running it with fresh gas.

These were popular engines back in the 50's and early 60's and used in hotrods and for drag racing. If it's the orginal engine and you want to keep it that way, they can be made to run. Guess it all depends on your preference.

As some of your friends mentioned, rings can get gummed up and stick not allowing a good seal, but in my experience with these vintage engines, you probably will need to do a rebuild.

You've pretty much got me convinced to do the rebuild now anyway! Gonna pull the engine out anyway so might as well!

So...new pistons, bearings, possible new intake and small 4 barrel. Like less than 500 cfm? Or smaller than that? Don't really want a quadra-jet but didn't the Rochester come stock on the 327? I mainly didn't want to have to send the dang thing to a machine shop. If i want a new cam will that be necessary?

[68gmsee]

Can't help you on what was standard equipment on these trucks but the tranny is probably a saginaw but could be a muncie so google the differences and compare it. It may even be a non sychronized version which was common on trucks.

As for the smoking, before you change the rings try using new or fresh gas not the fuel that was in the tank or a mixutre of it.

I took the intake hose to the fuel pump off, bought a few feet of fuel hose that fit and placed in a gallon of fresh gas. Placed under the truck and ran it that way. I found out that it was the old varnished, gummed up gas that was making it smoke.

[SulphuriousSam]

68gmsee - Thanks for the tips. I found a site that has a diagram that explains the differences on the various tranny's and how to tell what you have so now i'll just have to run over and get under the truck to figure it out!

As to the gas and smoke, the PO had removed/replaced the tank but hadn't installed it. We ran the gas from a 5 gallon can in the shop. The 2 barrel carb was already installed but appeared to be new and never used as it was super clean with no varnish and gumming from old gas.

We only ran it for a little while and it's been suggested by gear head friends that once i've run it for a bit maybe the rings will refresh and the smoking will go away. We'll see but either way the motor needs some freshening. I wanted see about putting a new intake and 4 barrel on it...after that i'm not sure what else to do to it.

[kieth]

You might try marvel mystery oil in the oil and fuel, then run it for a while and see what happens, it might help the valves and rings........also I am in Tulsa, I have a 3 speed out of a 66 gmc, it is full syncro and working fine (6 cylinder ) do not know if they are different from the 6 to the v8.......Kieth 918-446-2245 call me if u need other help.

ps if u need rear end parts their are sources here in tulsa for that...

[soxplayer]

If you keep the 283, get a vacuum secondary card and try not to go too big, unless you put on a quadrajet, or it will run poorly when you "punch it". Also, a 283 is a lot more livable with short gears so unless you really have the 3.73:1 you might not like a 350 when you get to the gas pump. A proper 283 with 4:10 gears can get 17-18 on the highway whereas a 350 might never break 13-14 with low gears.

[SulphuriousSam]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

A rochester or quadrajet was pretty much standard equipment but I'm sure a lot of hotrodders added the holleys and afb carters in there.

As for machine shop -that's a must if you're going to rebore it. If it's been redone (wouldn't surpise me) and the cylinders look good then a honing might be all you need on the block.

If you suspect the engine has 60K or more than a new cam is imperative. They didn't last long in those engines due to the metals used. A cam rarely lasted to 100k without significant wear.

Yeah the odometer says 38K or so but it hasn't even been tagged since I shipped out for Desert Storm! So it's been barely driven since 90. The guy that owned it let his kids use it for backroading but it's been parked for at least 8 years now.

I think the odometer has flipped at least once maybe even twice...

Originally Posted by kieth

You might try marvel mystery oil in the oil and fuel, then run it for a while and see what happens, it might help the valves and rings........also I am in Tulsa, I have a 3 speed out of a 66 gmc, it is full syncro and working fine (6 cylinder ) do not know if they are different from the 6 to the v8.......Kieth 918-446-2245 call me if u need other help.

ps if u need rear end parts their are sources here in tulsa for that...

Thanks Keith! I'll be sure and call if I get stumped! I haven't had a chance to see how the tranny works yet but i'll contact you if it turns out bad. We put Lucas oil in it but i haven't had the opportunity to run it much since the first time we got her running.

Originally Posted by soxplayer

If you keep the 283, get a vacuum secondary card and try not to go too big, unless you put on a quadrajet, or it will run poorly when you "punch it". Also, a 283 is a lot more livable with short gears so unless you really have the 3.73:1 you might not like a 350 when you get to the gas pump. A proper 283 with 4:10 gears can get 17-18 on the highway whereas a 350 might never break 13-14 with low gears.

I have been hoping to just run the 283 if at all possible. I don't want to go the 350 route unless rebuilding the 283 just exceeds the cost of a crate motor. If I have to put one in, it will also get a new TH350 or T10 transmission and probably a new rearend (a Posi since it's not one now)....I want to restore and slightly mod this truck into a nice cruiser, but if I go the 350 route I'll end up being tempted into doing a prostreet LOL

[SulphuriousSam]

Here's a look at the motor in question, no I didn't soak the motor, she just got splashed a bit as I washed off the fenders and grill...



and another....



and the truck itself...

[SulphuriousSam]

Does anybody know what the specs were on the OEM cams that came in the truck 283 from '66? Can't seem to find that info anywhere...
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[soxplayer]

A "Stock Lift Rule" cam for a 283 has .390/.410 lift so I think this will match the original lift. As far as duration, you should not the the torque peak on the truck 283 is 245 lb-ft at 2000 RPM with a horsepower peak of 145 at 4200 RPM. Both of these are net readings. I think a good cam company rep could tell you the duration of the cam from the 2000 rpm reading of the torque peak assuming stock heads and manifolding. Another possibility is to locate and old Motor's Manual in a library. I think they listed cam specs. My guess is that it is less than 205/215 intake/exhaust duration @.05 as this is about the smallest performance cam anyone sells anymore. It is likely that the real duration is as short as the late model TBI cams which were 178/194 @ .050.

[soxplayer]

I found a manual for the 59 truck 283 that makes the same power and is quite possible identical to your engine. According to the manual

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...to/59ted14.htm

the intake duration is 252 advertised and 220.5 if you subtract out the opening and closing ramps.

The exhaust is also 252 advertised but 227 if you leave out the ramps.

The lift is a paltry .3336 in and I double checked this against the "spring pressure" setting so this is gross lift at the valve including the rocker arm ratio.

I expect a Comp Cams high energy 240 would actually provide better performance as the shorter duration would be offset by the higher .39 in lift.

There are other choices, but remember two things: A 283 is smaller than a 350 and has a shorter stroke so it likes less duration. So a cam that has a "slight idle" on a 350 could get rather rough on a 283.

Thir is probably more information than you wanted

[SulphuriousSam]

Hey Sox thanks for the info! never can have too much of that! Yeah I want a little bit of a lope in my idle but not so much it causes problems. That was one main reason I wanted the OE specs on the old one. Much obliged sir
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[wildearp]

If you are going to pull it apart for a rebuild, it would be a good idea to have induction hardened seats installed in the heads, along with thick wall valve guides.