Let's Build a 265 Chevy V8!!!!!

If you go shopping for 57 heads you'll pay a whole bunch. 1960s impala 283 heads is the same head your looking for just made in a different year, the chamber is 60 or 62 in size. Use vortec late model valves 1.8s and 1.5s most shops have them laying around and can resurface them along with your valve job. Any 283 head after 57 has the pattern of the 57 fuelie (power Pack) + or - a couple of cc's on the chamber.

Most guys back then used the fuelie springs or late in the 60s the z28 spring. That was only good for 480 lift. Now you can use the ls6 spring (beehive) and retainers and 7 degree locks I mentioned and be good for a 550 lift roller cam if you choose or any hyd. or solid flat tappet up to 550.

I'll post a photo during the weekend so that you can see results.

 

I think he wants the early look of stagger bolt valve covers.

 

As mentioned earlier, it is a simple mod to make the staggered valve covers bolt to a later head, and the exterior of the later head is indistinguishable from the early.

Thought I'd revive this awesome discussion. I've noticed that several of these guys are interested in only using even internal parts that were available back in '55-'56. This is amazing, and far be it for me to discourage them, but for the rest of you, using a few newer pieces internally would surely make the build more affordable and easier in my opinion. Things like valves and springs for instance. Up to about '68 heads were available with 2bbl markings and the only visual difference being straight bolt holes, and these heads came on 327's even. Bound to offer better flow with no port work, and much more common than the early heads I would guess. As far as boring these blocks out, every machine shop worth it's iron shavings has a sonic checker these days. It'd be easy to check a block to find if it can take a big bore before committing to the machining expense.

Edit: The one drawback to using the later heads may be combustion chamber size, but pop-ups are so available for 283's, and 265's can usually go out that far,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Well, I ended up getting '57 (non pp) heads to start with. The engine went to a friend for the build a week or so ago and he said that he's getting started on it this week. We are going with a .125 bore (283), a new CNC stick cut to the original 097 cam specs, and some work on the heads to get them to flow and breath better. Like I said earlier, I am shooting for the 200hp range and I think we'll get it no problem. I'll keep you guys posted on the progress if the engine and the car as soon as the Holidays settle down.

Pretty pumped!!

 

On mine I starter smoothing the castings on my '60 283 with '57 heads a couple of weeks back, and after i get that done i'm gunna take it to my engine shop and have 'em cut them to run 305 1.84 valves, then it's more dremel work to the inside of the heads. I'm gunna give mine a hone to get rid of the surface rust and toss an .097 in it

It's gotta warm up so i can get rolling on the rest of the car

 

Is it better to smooth the castings before or after the machine shop? I am not going to do that but I thought after because it'll be clean. 1.84 valves is something that I might get into also but I am not sure just yet. I am waiting to hear from the machine shop and builder for recommendations.

Sounds like a cool motor Shaggy!!! You have quite a while before it starts warming up though!!!

 

I already had it tanked, but hell i dont know what i'm doing!

My shop is trying to talk me into just a port job.... but i want a bit more valve just for the cool factor

 

I would do any grinding on the heads before they went to the machine shop. They have to clean the castings anyway, so what's the point of getting back a clean set of heads that are ready to bolt on the block and making a cloud of cast iron dust by grinding on them? Bearings don't like that.

 

I'm just gonna run mine until she breaks. Thanks for all the good info fellers.

 

I guess I took grinding castings as the block casting to make a really slick paint job and not the internals. Good points though.

 

I can always have them cleaned again, what i was thinking was i want the valves cut bigger before i give them a mild port job and clean up around the valve area, then after that's done, lap and assemble them, but hell, i aint done this kinda engine stuff before

 

So, what really is the deal with the distributors in the 265, i have a 265 im building for a customer, i modified the block and ran newer style cam bearings and cam shaft, basically you can put a groove in the block from the original oil gally hole to the oil galley groove, if that makes sense, i acutally just drilled a new hole from the oil galley like newer sbc has, then the cam bearing i installed plugged the old hole, some one whos done the mod will understand what i did, but with out having a pic its hard to explain.

so after that i hear thru a few people there are distributor issues, well ive looked everything over and dont see why i would have to run the stock distributor, i know the stock distributor completes part of the oil galley passage and so does the new one, the only thing i could think of is that the new style distributors have a groove all the way around the distributor and the old ones dont, so i looked at the block to see if the opposite side where the distributor completes the oil galley passage was open, and its not so if you put a new or old distributor they both would complete the galley passage. if that makes sense, im going to go double check everything again also.

and if you do have to use the stock 265 distributor you have to make sure you have it in the correct clock spot, if you dont you wont complete the oil galley passage with it.

jeff

 

I've known guys that started grinding on the ports AFTER they had the valve seats ground.....more than one of them had to pay for more valve seat work after the grinder slipped and ruined the seat.

 

yep, ive fixed a few guys "slips" it happens!

I also went out and reinspected the block and both stock and newer style distributor, theres no reason that i can see that i cant use a new distributor, unless im missing something, and im not new around this motor stuff.

JEFF

 

Alrighty my as my engine is being built I have a few tasks of my own to complete so in true JJ fashion I have questions before I start.

How would I go about restoring the original Harmonic balancer? Is there a seal that I need to get? What all is involved?

When restoring the original water pump do I need to take it to someone with a press so they can push out the impeller or is there a trick to do so?

Lastly, the boomerang shaped spacers that go under the bolts that hold the valve covers down, when did they first appear? Where they on all Chevy engines? I think this engine came with them but I might have misplaced them....damn.

 

As far as the balancer goes, define "restore". Does it have a hub, an outer ring, and a rubber ring in between? If so, is the rubber ring deteriorated? There are places that redo balancers if that's the case. As far as the sealing surface being grooved, any parts store can sell you a stainless steel repair sleeve that presses onto the snout and gives the timing cover seal a new place to ride. My '57 283, which looked about as original as it gets, had the boomerangs underneath the phillips head screws that held the valve covers down.

 

Not vettes, but that is obvious, i'll try to check the francisco book as to what they had in there

 

You can send the original riveted harmonic balancer out to be rebuilt. The original balancer is different from the later ones that have pulley attached with 3 bolts.

The original 265 had round head 1/4-20 slotted screws and the litttle wing shaped washers with rubber under them. You used to get new rubber for the washers in the Overhaul gasket sets they sold in the old days. and demand original back

Water pump needs press work to remove shaft and impeller. Send it in to get rebuilt and demand original back

 

Yup as of '57 they had 'em

 

harmonic balancer repair sleeve fel pro part number 16202, if the rubber is ok, just clean it and glass bead it, is the pully part of the balancer, the one i just did was.

why rebuild your water pump, get a cardone part number 58-129, its identical, trust me i just did it on the 265 i just finished rebuilding. they are like $30

and also the 265 i just finished has the little valve cover bolt spreaders (boomerang things)on it, and it was a 56 265.

this customer went with camel back heads and a edelbrock 2x4 intake and vetter covers

jeff

 

My pulley is still attached so I'll look into that part number Titus thanks!! Does the water pump carry the same casting numbers and such? I see rebuilt water pumps on the auction site for $85.00 or so and they are rebuilt form the original cast pump. I just was trying to keep the original parts as much as possible.

If I use Vette Valve covers I won't need the cover bolt spreaders?

That engine looks great!

 

Cast alum, the spreaders are to spread the bolt pressure on the tin flanges

 

Gotcha!

 

Im not sure on the casting numbers, they are remanufactured, but who knows what you get, but it was the same casting, shapes etc, i know you want to keep it correct but does it matter really? can you even see the casting number on the water pump when its on the motor? its not a 55-57 chev

heres a pic of another engine i did, this is a 327 with camel back heads, but we put the factory 2x4 intake and script valve covers on it and the correct 57 chev oil pan and timing cover.

 

I know I am being a picky asshole and you definitely won't see it since there is hardly any space in a '35 fords engine bay. I just figured since my own was in really nice condition that I could rebuild it and keep the one that came with it in '56.

Man those pics are really getting me anxious to see my own come back from the machinist!

 

my 56 265 had an oil filter on the block

 

I have a question about heads on a 265. I am trying to work out a deal for a 265 motor. If I pick it up I want to swap the heads, I have a set of 520 Power pak heads with the 1.72/1.50 valves with 60cc chambers. I can pick up a set of 3947040 heads with 64cc chambers but I think they have the 1.94 valves. If the 265 is running stock pistons would the 1.94's even work? I think it was mentioned that the pistons would top out. any ideas?


Fryguy

 

My book does not show that casting number, recheck that to be sure. But in answer to your question, 1.94's clear the bores barely, 2.02's clear a 283 bore, BUT; the problem comes in that they will be shrouded by the cylinder walls which hinders flow. As far as hitting the pistons, that is obviously a function of cam specs, lift mostly but extreme duration would also come into play. Clay is your friend, use it.

 

About the short water pump, there were some that had a hole in the top for some sort of bypass hose, I think the were used later but would still fit the early's. They just don't look right. My guess is you might have to look in a few boxes before you find the pump you want to run. Don't let your core go. you might regret it.

 

I wasnt trying to be a dick, just seeing where you were coming from

the 58-129 is the one without the extra hole on top, i worked at parts stores for 10 years, so i was able to get a good hold on the "correct" or bettering looking parts! the 58-137? i think is the one with the hole on top plus it has the dual water pump pully pattern

oh and the good looking fuel pump is an airtex 4657, its the bolt together type.


jeff