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Technical Does anyone care about chevy 265s?

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by lewk, Jul 12, 2019.

  1. Good job! It’s a shame to see any Chevrolet small block get scrapped.


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  2. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    If I were to V8 my 37 Chevy I would be tempted to build one to be different but there is a six available that is only 4 cubes less that would require no changes to install.
     
  3. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    Welcome to the "staggered bolt pattern valve cover club"! I have several sets of Vette valve covers, including a NINE fin set; most are SEVEN fin. Did you grab the 57 265? I am Butch/56sedandelivery..
     
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  4. PackardV8
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,170

    PackardV8
    Member

    Yeah, they only made 100,000,000 of them, so grab all you can.

    Actually, it costs considerably more to rebuild a 265" than it does a 350".

    jack vines
     
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  5. RiffRaffRoadster
    Joined: Dec 24, 2018
    Posts: 450

    RiffRaffRoadster
    Member

    Lewk - we're rebuilding an old '31 Model A on '32 frame/fenders that has the 283 SBC from a 1957 BelAir (I inherited it from my Dad). The thing sat for 40 years, but after re-assembly with new gaskets, it fired right up.
     
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  6. lewk
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,008

    lewk
    Member
    from Mt

    I wound up with 1 ‘55 265 and 2 ‘56 265s, 2 pair of 2 1/2” rams horns, a crusty staggered hole Vette valve cover, a ‘57 549 head, year of manufacture plates for one of my Impalas, a Ford green bible, a Chevy parts book, a 58 Chevy service manual, an original Big T kit, and an original AMT ‘32 coupe. I was wrong about one of the 265s being a ‘57. I thought I saw chartreuse but it was colorful engine paint. She wouldn’t part with the ‘57 283. She wants to sell it with the wrecked ‘57 4dr Bel Air that she thinks someone might want to build. I may bug her again in a month.

    I opened the ‘55 up tonight to see if it was scrap or not. It was the crustiest on the outside so I wasn’t sure what I’d find. Two cylinders had been wet. It’s still standard bore so it may clean up. Almost all the casting numbers are 12/54, it was a 2 barrel manual with the oil filter. It’s made it through triage, I’ll bring it inside and pull the pan. I’ll get pics up soon.


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  7. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    That really depends on how you go about it. I hear that "line" all the time; some guys repeat what they hear, some bought into the line a "machine shop" handed them; after all, like anyone else, they want to maximize profits and have their own "lines" they use.. Machine shop work IS machine shop work, hourly based for the most part, unless something really off base is involved; it does't matter if it's a 265 or a 400 SBC, unless you "unknowingly" insist torque plates being used (not absolutely needed), and they have to "find/borrow/buy one" for a 265's much smaller bore (heard that line from one machine shop years ago also), but even at that, a block plate is just meant to mimic a head being bolted down on top of a cylinder (think about that), so the bores themselves are really of not much consequence. Same torque plate for a 265 through a 400; can you bolt a 265 head onto a 400 block? IF you buy your parts on E-Bay, you can get cast pistons for slightly more than $100.00 (as well as any other SBC engine), bearings and rings will most likely be LESS than a 350, as they want to get rid of them, since not many folks are't still working with the "small stuff". It's why I have stocked up on parts, I got them CHEAP; I have a standard set of Jahn's, cast, flat top, 2 valve relief, racing pistons (try and find those!) with the "narrower racing style rings" (came with the pistons), 3 sets of .030 over 265 forged pistons (and the rings) that are flat top with four valve reliefs, several sets of aftermarket small journal rods (why use the lightweight 265/283/early 327 rods?) It makes NO sense considering costs to rebuild stock, weak rods as compared to aftermarket rods, and virtually everything else, like camshafts/lifters/ignitions/oil pumps/etc, is all the same. Dedicated gaskets for the intake manifold and head gaskets (I use steel shim meant for a 262/267/305/still a little harder to find (impossible to find the early 265 steel shim head gaskets), you just have to look harder; everything else is the same (with the exception of a 55 oil pan gasket set). Update the 55-56 blocks to full flow oiling by joining the rear cam bearing oil channels, and do away with the notched, pulse oiling camshafts, then use any camshaft you want to use (use the thin rear cam journal soft plug). I always have the 1.72 intake valves upgraded to 1.84 sized valves, but use all new valves through-out (SBC guides are all the same). Now, if you take your engine into a machine shop, and tell THEM to rebuild it, especially if you ask for a couple of upgrades, they'll really sock it to you on the prices, because they can, by telling you whatever they want, and the early 265/283 engines are't the only ones that "line" works with. And, chances are, they won't know the things that are unique regarding these engines; they are just too young of machinists for the most part, and were't around when these engines were "popular", and the older machinists have retired (and that would have known these things), or passed on. MY machinist and I work together, I supply MY parts, we discuss things, and it does't cost me anything more that any other engine I've taken to him. Some, like my BBC Bracket Car engine, I pretty much rely on his knowledge, 100%, because it's what he's most familiar with, and I've only owned three BBC engines in all my days, and I'm just not as familiar with them as the SBC engines. He does it ALL, from high dollar foreign European stuff, to farm implement engines, to fully blown race engines, has his own dyno (and he's only a ONE MAN SHOP), and crankshaft grinder (other local shops bring a lot of work to him they can't do, such as cranks). So, it really DOES'T HAVE TOO COST MORE to build a 265 than it does a 350, you just have to plan it, shop for parts, and have a machinist you can trust. If you're wealthy, you probably would't consider costs anyway, so it would't mean anything to you. That's not me however, and I doubt a lot of you are't any different than I in that regard. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  8. Shain
    Joined: Jun 2, 2016
    Posts: 63

    Shain
    Member
    from Omaha

    The 55 engine looks to be bone stock. As Squablow mentioned... has the 55-57 stick bell housing...and the add on oil canister as noted., stock 55-56 exhaust manifolds, etc etc. Some od these parts hese are harder and harder to find.

    Still have the stock power pack 265 in my 55 Del Ray...but had a 2 bbl on it when I got it.

    Used to Jr stock race a 56 4 bbl 265 back in the day.....memories, memories.... had a shed full of 265 stuff back then. Had a set of Jahns .040 12:1 pistons new in box.
     
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  9. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    I've got two 55's and I'm putting one in my AA. Good score, I've got a set of early power pack heads waiting to get cleaned up for round 2 on the one I'm running. I bet you'd more than cover gas just selling the remote oil filter on ePay.
     
  10. I think that in the traditioinal hot rod world there would be lots of interest in the little motor that could.

    I gave a 1.50 (yes that is not a typo) for the last 265 that I bought. But I had to get it off the guys driveway in an hour. Fortunately I had a could of big friends who were off and just drinking beer.
     
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  11. A teen we called big Jim drove a Turquiose 57 four dr htp Sport sedan. Powered by a 265. It had new rings installed and still burned oil. He came to the junkyard and found a set of used 283 pistons. and had his 265 bored to a 283. reused all his parts except for gaskets and piston rings. Ran that car all thru high school. Pulled the engine and traded the body in on a upostery job on a yellow & black 56 two door post from Joe's trim Shop. That engine lasted a couple decades.
     
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  12. Time to build a period correct late 50's or early 60's hot rod...

    MikeC
     
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  13. It might be interesting to check the engine codes on the pad for the 265 engines.
    1955.jpg 1956.jpg
     
  14. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,941

    squirrel
    Member

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  15. PackardV8
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,170

    PackardV8
    Member

    FWIW, Butch, you're replying to a guy who's a partner in a machine shop and knows exactly what it costs to rebuild a 265" and what it costs to rebuild a 350".

    Yes, agree, machine time is pretty much the same on any US OHV8.

    Good on 'yer that you have been shopping around and stockpiling parts for years, but that's not going to change what most hammers who don't have your stash have to pay when getting an engine rebuilt. The 350" SBC is absolutely the least expensive parts kit in the book and the 265" isn't any longer even offered in most rebuilder catalogs. When a machine shop has to go to several sources and/or obsolete engine catalogs for parts, their time costs money and the parts cost more money. Your opinion and results vary because you have resources not available to everyone.

    Bottom line, we still do the occasional 262"/265"/283"/305"/307"/327", but only after explaining why it will cost more than a 350".

    jack vines
     
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  16. lewk
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,008

    lewk
    Member
    from Mt

    The ‘55 has a GC suffix code. The ‘56 Power Pack is a GE and the other ‘56 has been milled. I’ll take some pics after work.


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  17. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    One of my favorite SBC motors. Had one, a 4bbl PP head version, in my '32 pickmeup. Really enjoyed it. :)
     
  18. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    Pachard, I was more than a little worried my post would lead to WW-III, but that has't happened, and was't what I wanted to do. But, you're the only one who responded so far, and was't disrespectful like I thought I'd be getting. ANYONE can go to E-Bay/Amazon, and do some wise shopping for parts, especially ones that are't commonly used now. Some of these vendors buy old, outdated stock from other businesses that can't move them. I just hope some of those vendors don't decide the old parts are "antique", and worth more money as such. I'm trying to avoid naming anyone here, so it may get confusing. I heard at one machine shop, when I took my parts in (and all I wanted was the block bored/decked and pistons hung on the rods, that my guy had already weight matched/balanced-then his rod heater quit on him and he had scheduled a vacation), "would you take a steak to your favorite restaurant, and ask them to cook it for you"? Not sure what kind of customer service that is, but it's money they do make on labor (???) That was when my guy was on vacation like I said, and I guess they expected me to buy my pistons/rings/bearings/whatever from them. They did bore the block for me, and decked it, but the decking was/is so "rough", only a composition head gasket would have any hope of sealing; my guy laughed at it, even commented on why the other guy does it the way he does (and they're friends), said he would redo the deck job, but would have to pull the soft plugs, galley plugs, and cam bearings, and then re-wash the block before replacing them with new after the re-deck. He'd also have to be really careful with the deck height having to deck it a second time. I have't done that yet; it's not that I'm actually cheap or anything, but buying parts/labor twice really is't what I want to do, and I might just go with the composition head gaskets on this engine. My machinist also works with the other shop doing work for him (he advertises crankshaft turning on his building's signs, but sends his cranks to my guy) , and sometimes the other way around, if he needs a block/heads the other guy has, and he has a lot of those as that shop is quite a bit bigger, just not as well equipped. I'd bet YOU could go to E-Bay, and find parts cheaper than your jobber prices; the turn around time is usually the issue in getting them however. It's easier to go with your jobber, they deliver, charge your account, and the job gets done faster; time is money. Now, like most buyers, I don't like that E-Bay is now charging a fee, and is also collecting taxes, and that's adding to consumer costs. Plus, in the last year or so, I've had a LOT more issues with vendors, and with PayPal, so that's something I look at now. It may even get to the point that E-Bay is't that much cheaper, then time will be the deciding factor. There is't always "cheap" pistons on E-Bay, so you have to watch for when they do come up. I don't buy "engine kits"; my projects tend to be more tailor made; I can see a 265 "kit" costing more than one for a 350. I'm sure they don't sell as many of them. I've heard/read of guys recommending Kantor's and EGGE for older/outdated/rarer/etc parts, but their prices seem really high, so I've never bought anything from either. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
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  19. Nova Thug
    Joined: Jun 9, 2012
    Posts: 185

    Nova Thug
    Member
    from SG Vizzle

    A few years ago I was looking for a 327 and contacted a guy on CL who had posted an ad for a 327 and a 283. When I got there we started going through his collection Chevy sbc’s and none of them numbered out as a 327. A 55, 265 was in the collection as well as a couple 283s and 350s. Even though he didn’t have the engine I was looking for I bought him out.. He was a motivated seller and I felt the what he had had a value to others that want proper vintage pieces for their time machines.. I’ve never listed any of these engines that I picked up for sale. The 265 was the first one to go.. A guy came by to pick up a Ford banjo rear end for a model A roadster he and his son were building and as we were waiting for his brother to show up with a truck we chatted about the car he was building. They were trying to build a 50’s era Hotrod and they had a locked up 64, 283 they were using to build with but when I asked him if that was the engine they were going to use he stated that they really wanted a 265.. Needless to say that engine went home with him that day.. You never know when or where a part of piece might fall into your grasp.. The market value of a piece is probably not tremendous but the guy who has a vision of the car he wants to build and has his heart set on certain parts that are crucial to the execution of his build vision are prime motivators for all of us.. The guy that wants this kind of engine is not looking at the GM crate engines to make his vision a reality..
    That 265 was not in my possession for very long a couple of months at best but it made this guy and his son day when our pathes crossed as it was the exact piece that was missing from their puzzle..
     
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  20. 1934coupe
    Joined: Feb 22, 2007
    Posts: 5,051

    1934coupe
    Member

    I love them, they have class, something a 350 or LS motor does not. I have one I am building for a display with all the correct parts and colors. I would use theme or a 283 in any of my builds if I was building anymore, but like the 265 I'm too old and the kids today don't understand history.

    Pat
     
  21. bowie
    Joined: Jul 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,098

    bowie
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Fred Hartman , sure could make one sing... long live the” Rapid Rodent “55.
     
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  22. lewk
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,008

    lewk
    Member
    from Mt

    Pics:

    The ‘55

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The ‘56 PP

    [​IMG]

    The colorful 56

    [​IMG]

    Smells like mold.

    [​IMG]


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  23. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    The 55, 265 is a standard bore block as noted by the "flat top with NO valve relief pistons"; the source of a LOT of warranty work when valves and pistons collided. Oversized pistons had 4 valve reliefs, as did warranty pistons. What the "thing" that's bell-shaped, and installed in a freeze plug hole, with two electrical terminals, I have NO idea. Some sort of block heater? Almost looks like a standard electrical plug on an extension cord. I've seen some Corvette valve covers that were on an engine in a 55-56 Chevrolet, where the battery is directly above the passenger side valve cover and gets corroded from battery acid. That's the worst Corvette valve cover I've seen. Looks like the one 265 was in a circus in a previous life; they even painted the freeze plugs yellow. The 265 with the Power Pack heads has a freeze plug slightly pushed out; better check that one carefully for cracks, and it has a 57 and later distributor, with the missing, windowed cap to adjust the points through. What is the "ring" attached to the dampener? It's not a pulley. Not seen that before. Get them all covered up, especially now that the heads are off one of them; are the cylinders at all pitted? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  24. Stick the crusty one with the heads off in a electrolysis tank. It will eat the rust and the pistons. then the pistons can be removed a lot easier. It needs bored any how. So you buy a 283 engine kit and bore it to 3 &7/8 inch. Would not cost any substantial amount more to build than a 350. I long term store bare blocks by covering them with chassis grease to prevent rusting. and even on engines not taken apart a thick coat of chassis grease will prevent rust and mud wasp mice ect.
     
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  25. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,941

    squirrel
    Member

    Yes, it's a block heater, those two electrical terminals will plug right into a 110v extension cord.
     
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  26. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    What he said. I like em. I have 2.
     
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  27. Bullit68
    Joined: Sep 16, 2009
    Posts: 171

    Bullit68
    Member
    from Verona, PA

    I recently picked up two sbc blocks and cranks. They needed to be removed from a garage attic, but they were free for the taking. Both were four bolt mains. One was a ‘73 truck 350, the other was a 3932386 1969 block. Only TWO applications for that block. Now, it was getting exciting! Could it be a DZ??? Well, it was a 300 hp 350, stick shift only. Still a good find, sold them both to a friend for $250 the day I loaded them in my truck. Everyone was happy...
     
  28. lewk
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,008

    lewk
    Member
    from Mt

    I pulled the heads off the other two engines tonight. The power pack motor is standard bore and has had a lot of water in it. Even the lifter valley was rusty. I’m kinda bummed about that. The technicolor block is really interesting. It’s a 3720991 block with a ‘62 casting code and no pad stamping. It also has valve reliefs in the pistons. It’s standard bore and had ‘55 heads and intake on it. There’s no sludge in it and no wear ridge at the top of the cylinders. I’m not sure that it was ever finished and run. It’s been wet. It might be a virgin replacement short block that went to seed. I’ll take pics soon.


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  29. 62 casting code on a block without side mount provision? Possibly someone ground them off to make a 283 look like a stock 265? Mount it in a engine stand and turn it so the deck is horizontal and soak thos cyls with a 50/50 mix of auto trans fluid and acetone. and repete for the other bank. then turn it over and soak from the bottom of the cyls. take your time and eventually you can get it apart without damage.
     
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  30. lewk
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,008

    lewk
    Member
    from Mt

    Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.

    The Technicolor engine:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I’m betting it’s a replacement block.

    And the Power Pack motor.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I’ll drag them in and start soaking them soon.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    Nova Thug likes this.

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