This ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M114_armored_fighting_vehicle Other internet info says it had a cast aluminum 283 Chevy
I drove a lot of thoes things (M114) when I took armour training at Ft. Knox KY in the late 60's. They did indeed have 283's in them, but I never noticed them being aluminum--maybe I just forgot.
Skip to the 4 minute mark- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N34RvD0Ll8 and this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU_06ziqMR0
derivatives of that GM aluminum 215 V8 were also used in the Morgan Plus 8 roadster and that 215 is a very popular engine in a specific class of hydroplane racing.
D&D Fabrication is still in business. Here's their contact info as well as some history on the motor. http://www.aluminumv8.com/tech/tech.htm I'm putting a warmed over version in my "A" coupe with a T5 and jag rear end. While it's not going to win many quarter mile runs, a 215 with the original Q4 four barrel will put out 200 HP in stock form. That's more than a most stock 283's or even an LM1 350 and a ton more than most hopped up flatheads plus it's 250 lbs lighter. Granted it's not for everyone but I'm gonna give it a shot.
I'm doing the same thing. 'cept, 215, Muncie 4 speed, '57 chevy rear axle, Buick finned drums. Thniking the Offy 2 x 2 intake. Still collecting parts.
I just picked up a spare block and heads for my 215 Olds. They have turned out to be spendy little buggers. Bellhousings are expensive.
Sometime in the late 60's Hot Rod did a feature on a 215 into a Corvair. They used a reverse rotation cam. There is a Spitfire somewhere around west MI with one of those in it, I have seen it several times.
A guy I graduated with had one (215) in a Baja type Beetle. Used to drive it to school. Cool ride, but don't think he ever got on it for fear of shredding the trans-axle.
Had a friend had a vega with a 215 in it and was a sweet deal. On the M-114's we had in the Army in 72, ours were iron 307 chevy's. Lippy
Had an Olds 215 in my last ride - '29 A CCPU - with a t-5 behind it. Like someone else said, it wouldn't win any races, but it was peppy and got on down the road with the twice pipes V8 sound we all love. And weighing only about 320 lbs, it made the truck steer like it had pwr steering. BTW, started with the orginal Rochester carb, leak city. Replaced with a Holley 390, which worked very well. Several have mentioned D&D. They are a wealth of information, and have lots of parts, new and used.
Here you can see an aluminum 283 in action. Mid engine Corvair. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPgI3FV-jqo go to the 3:00 mark for detail on the engine. What I'd give for that car... for at least a weekend of fun.
Hi Guys, Over here in the UK there are many guises of the Rover engine, as stated earlier in the thread there are also a multitude of cc available including 3.5, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.9, 5.0, if you have lots of money 5.2 is possible, and if money is no object Wildcat Engineering will sort you out with a 6.0 version. 3.5 versions through to 4.6 versions are quite popular over here in pop's and rods's. I got one myself in my Model Y running on quad dellorto's. Cheers. Russ.
Yes, the VW transaxle is close to the edge with even a stock 215 or the related 198 V-6 and 225 V-6. Where practical/possible the Corvair transaxle is a better option for the engine.
mmmm, small block chevy valve covers adapted to your Buick/Rover heads. You guys know more about hotrodding the 215/3.5,3.9,4.0, ect. engine than just about anybody over here, I think! Plug wires ??
In the 90s I did the exhaust on a turbo charged one in a 58 Devon. I think the frame was an MG. I have seen one in a Corvair also. The Devon was cool but not a very good build....except the exhaust.
Does anyone have a picture of the aluminum block 283 out of a m114? Some other internet sites and references say cast iron block. It sounds cool though.
I seem to remember that Olds offered a turbo-charged version of this aluminum engine in their F-85. And if my memory hasn't totally failed me it was rated at around 215 horsepower which wasn't bad in a small car in the early 60's.
....... depends on what you compare it to. While it definitely wasn't the fastest thing you could buy, it was a lot faster than the non-turbo versions of the same car, and a lot of other cars on the road.
I seem to remenber something about a guy who put the 215 in a homebuilt airplane - the tailwind. In a book about it they said you could cut the crank from a buick 300 and use sleeves from a pinto 4 cylinder to bore and stroke it to over 300 cubes
Yes, you can cut down a 300 crank and use it in the 215 to gain some displacement. Not sure about the Pinto sleeves, but do know that there were some used in experimental aircraft, some direct drive and some with prop speed reduction systems. Here's one installed upside down, with funky rocker covers used as oil sumps. https://sites.google.com/site/tailwindn999br/olds-v8-engine
And around 2000? a guy in the Bellingham WA area cut and machined 2-215's together coming up with an aluminum Buick V12! Watched/listened to it run at a boat club event; fabulous noise, virtually no flywheel so RPM's were instantaneous. Started and run from a laptop computer. I believe it was injected at that time......sure would luv to know where it is now! Anybody in the GNW?
I've always wondered if one of these motors would be good in a Jeep. Should not be hard to find a 90s LR in a junkyard or on CL.
Here's a chart with all the GM applications for the 215 aluminum v8.. Interesting that the '63 four barrel Buick version ran out @200 HP and the best the Olds turbo version could do was 215. Not sure what mine will do. I have a few tricks in mine like 300 heads, 300 crank, Kenny Bell cam and headers. Not a ground pounder but it's also almost half the weight of a SBC.
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