Just wondering if i can get some opinions, flak or attitude on this one. Its time to put a new sbc in my '46 Plymouth coupe. I can get my mitts on a fresh .040 over 283 or a unmolested 327 that needs a complete rebuild. I'm not looking for a ton of power just a good cruiser with a little grunt and Im keeping the turbo350 and the 3.08 rear end. I just want to keep it simple and not spend a bundle.thanks
I like them both. I refreshed a 283 for a friend a couple of years ago to put in his '60 El Camino. +.040, RV cam single 4 BBl. It pulls the Elko around just fine, if that helps your decision. A word of caution, the engine that I went through for him was a "fresh" engine. He even drove it home but it had a tic. I pulled the pan to give the lower end a quick look and found rings laying in the pan. When I pulled it down it had a piston bad as well as a scored cylinder. The offending cylinder had the rod on backward, and that crank journal had a flat spot. Not all rebuilders are created equal. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679583
Depends on the price. Its not cheap to rebuild either one anymore with the cost of machine work that is needed on a tired engine most of the time.
Rebuilding is simple. The 327 Pistons will be the most expensive part of the rebuild. They always cost more because of low numbers of manufacturing. Naturally the 327 will pull harder that a 283 in equall stock form. Get some rebuild costs and compair with the price of 283 thats done. With all that said, do the 327.
Can you buy and rebuild the 327 for the asking price of the 283? The big difference between the two is the power you end up with . The 283 is going to have to work harder to keep up with some of your road mates with bigger engines on road trips where the 327 would more easily run with the pack. If you are replacing a 350 go with the 327 as you will be disappointed with the power of 283 no matter what it's fans say.
I get the money thing, but either would be a great motor. Bored and stroked you could do a 302 or 331. The 331 versions I have seen are so cool sounding. A local drag legend has a FED car with a 331 running alcohol. For the street you could go a bit more mild but still have respectable bang for the buck$....
Depends on what you want out of an engine. 283 low bottom end torque but a good high revs built mild gives good fuel mileage. 327 good all round engine decent bottom end power and good high power. I would say the 327 but nothing wrong with a 283 either. Your engine your decision.
My 47 Coupe with the 62 283 .30 over and power pack heads pulled pretty good till high RPMs then kind of fell on its face, but that may have been a tunning issue! It had a bad exhause valve so I pulled it and will run a 350 bored .060 over till I have the time and money to build the 283 the way I want it! Either way you will be happy! I just have an attachment to the 283 I have! I'm also not sure what gear rear I have.
If the dollars are the same for the fresh 283, vs. the 327 and rebuild cost, then I'd go the 327. If it will cost a lot more to go the 327, then I'd go with the 283 that's ready to roll.
340, AFB, BUICK Maybe? That lil torque monster engine will pull those 3:08's no-prob! I'd do the 327 myself.
I'd have to have a solid guarantee that the 283 was "fresh" before I'd believe it. I've seen too many engines that were advertised that way, but in reality were about as fresh as a dirty diaper. I like to rebuild my own engines; that way, there's no question about what it is.
327 Rebuild it and KNOW what you have ... A whole lot of rebuilt motors were " patched " or just cleaned up, painted and passed off as rebuilt. Plus the 327 will put that big old heavy MOPAR better than the little 283. And the 327 will handle the 3.08 gear much better . .
Flip of the coin in my opinion! Both engines are totally awesome old school, and if you want power for race or impress folks you obviously would not be asking this question. I started out with a 327, but upon teardown, threw it away...and wound up with a 283 bored .60 with 305 heads L79 cam and so on.....Exactly what I wanted... Let us know what you do, and good luck !! Cheers....
331 would be great, or find one of thos odd 6cy hemis they put into willys jeeps.. cj's i think. NO i'm not talking about a flaty 4. they made a hemi 6 with hemi head and hemi pistons. it'd make people scratch their heads.
x 3 be proud and put a mopar in. Any one can put a chebby in - it aint called a belly button engine for nothing
I have a 331 Chrysler and a 6x2 EC6 intake that I'm gonna list later today if ya want to try squeeze that in there.
Ha I was Mr 283 when I was a young man. Seemed like I was forever putting a 327 and later a 350 in someone's car and keeping the 283 that I pulled out. I love 'em.
Waiting? Well I'll be right there. I have owned or built some pretty stout 283s over the years, that is not say that I haven't owned or built some pretty stout 327s as well. The same fella that I built the 283 for his El Camino has another 283 that I built for his '55 Stude. Around the turn of the century he drove the stude to Cruisin' The Coast from here, got on one of the tracks opened the dumps and clicked off a 12. I think that a fella that has a little luck building an engine could biuld one helluva driver from a 283.
327 is tough to beat ... if the bore is clean (not likely) use a 283 crank and rods for one killer SBC
Well, I guess as long as you are happy with 283 2bbl grunt, this would work well for you. Sorry, I am not really a street rod guy, so I am kind of out of touch with most HAMBers performance expectations...
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