Hot Rods Built 283... anyone remember those?

So I'm hoping this could net a few responses from the guys on here who've had one of these...
This motor was built in 1996 but never installed til I got it in '08
283 bored 60 over, fully balanced rotating assembly, 461 GM heads- machined for 2.02/1.6 and resurfaced the deck, not sure of the valvetrain specs but good race parts, double springs, roller rockers etc. cam lift around .5, valve lift ~.75, estimated 11:1 comp ratio. Edelbrock performer rpm intake, edelbrock 750 carb, about 1200 cfm of k&n air filter so it breathes well. Ignition is high perf points/condensor (not a joke), super stock 45000 volt coil, decent wires, full 1 5/8" long tube headers, about 4' of 3" pipe on each side. It's loud- I'm a hillbilly.
Not exactly fit for a towtruck but it revs... well like a damn crotch rocket.

I have tried all sorts of spark plugs and they all foul sooner or later. I've always used resistor plugs though, is it a bad idea to use a non resistor, platinum plug? The best results I've had so far were accel 576s shorty plug. They lasted about 10,000 miles. Performance is fine on all I've tried, longevity is the problem really. If anyone reads this who had a similar motor back in the day and remembers a certain plug that motor liked.... Please share. This little monster is a different animal from a 350 and it will barely idle at less than 850 rpm. So many times I've been asked if it was a big block because it rocks the truck at idle.

Anyway, sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to try and give detailed info. Thanks

 

I don't know what Ken has done to his 283 but it is radical sounding and it has a lot of miles on it,,he may be able to offer a good plug.

Send him a PM (kendeuce) , HRP

 

283's are great motors. This one started as a '62 315 hp fuelie long block crate motor. With the two 425 WCFB's it ran 110 at 12 flat AT Pomona. With larger exh. valves, .060 off the heads an Isky roller and a Rochester injector it ran 117 at 11.77. Broke a rod when I put the blower on, but that was my fault.

 

I wish I had a $1, for everyone I know, who fell for that Platnum bullshit in an older engine. Platinum plugs are a waste of money, in that application. Get a set of A/C Delco R45 and gap them at .035 You may want to rethink trying to get more than 10,000 miles on ANY spark plugs in a performance application. Actually ANY application other than a NEW car. I change mine at 3,000 miles. Sometimes 2,000. I like my engine at it's peak ALL the time. It's what I paid for.

My stroked 377 idles at 950-1,000. Idles not really that impressive to me and NOTHING rocks like a well built BB. But that's just opinion.

 

Gee whiz 10,000 miles on the plugs sounds like you're doing great!
My son had a built 283 and he used the Accel plugs also, I don't see a problem.
750 carb seems a awfully large even for that setup, 600 should work best on the street.
KK

 

Here's mine under construction. I've had the block, a NOS unit since '90. It came with pistons, rings and bearings. I installed a standard steel crank I had, an RV cam and power pack heads. Has all the power I need in the cabrio. Love these "little" engines. Tim

 

10,000 miles is probably 5,000 more than I ever let a set in.

 

I hear ya dean, I love my 283. Too many people talk smack about them, there's no replacement for displacement they say. Which is true to an extent, but too many people, around here at least, think a mild built 350 is in the same realm as this motor and it just isn't. I mean this is an 8 cyl motor that will easily, safely, spin 7500 rpm on 89 octane. And I have about $2000 in it. Can't beat that.

 

I guess the consensus is I'm an ass for wanting more life out of a plug.... Ok I guess I'll stick the accels back in there. I know points ignitions need more maintenance. I was curious about the resistor part too. I thought platinum may be a waste but I figured I'd get some opinions.... I have no gearhead friends. Which is sad but probably because if my personality.... I have this problem where I say stuff that offends people.... Whatever, people are so sensitive!!

 

That's a fine lookin unit ya got there timwhit, I remember when mine was in that stage, on the stand newly painted. I was 11. My brother was tireless in his R&D and buildup. Little did I know it was for me. Cool brother huh?

Well here in Georgia it's 10:30, six comes early if I'm up much later so I'll be back in the morning. But thanks to everyone for the thoughts and opinions, y'all have a good night

 

AC 44 or 45 is what I use in my 327, if you have room a re- curved HEI will make a big difference with a vacuum full time

 

Good night Johnboy.

 

No replacement for displacement ?

Yes it's called Rpms, or boost, or compression ( actually expansion) in any form or combination necessary.

10k out of plugs on a vintage High performance engine is actually doing pretty damn good.

There uses to be an early 60s nova running around here that would shake the ground. It'd tickle your damn feet
All the guy would say about it was that it was a warmed up 283. ?

 

AC 44 or 45 on the plugs I used to change mine often nothing wrong with a 283 I used to like them first gen chevy II's with a warmed up 283 ( punched out .125 to a 301) nothing like 8500 rpm's with a 488 gear makes me grin thinking about them

 

I love my mild 283, it purrs like a kitten. So smooth at low rpm. But it screams when the tripower pushes the juice. AC R45's work fine for me. Under appreciated motor, for sure.

 

I love my 283 gang; has great character, has enough mumbo for the street, good on the old benzene, sounds nice and is ultra reliable.

What's not to like ?

 

The little 283/327 engines have always been a choose of mine, infact i am building one for my 1938 Willys Gasser, it is 60 over, balanced, all the trick machine work,. 480/500 lift roller cam, 461 double hump heads, 2.02/1.60 valves, tunnel ram, 450 Holley's, fender well headers and 3 inch exhaust. Now here comes the trick, Autolite Plugs, i use to run AC but after seeing all of the early drag cars with the Autolite decals, i did some research and began running Autolite and will never screw another AC Plug in any of my Chevy engines.

 

Throw an MSD box on there and remove one set of points..... plugs will last a lot longer and it won't have a tendency to burn out the points. I know it isn't old school (CD Ignitions were available in the mid 60's though) and will make them start easier, idle better and drive better.

 

Greybeard that's EXACTLY what Ive done on my 283 abive. Hidden box, black coil, Mallory DP dit with removed secondary point with the primary point firing the box.

Works killer, but you still need to dial in your carb with a vac gauge etc....

 

283/302/327 are all bitchin motor combos. Rpms is where it's at with the sbc. Properly gaped plugs will help and tuning the carb to get the highest possible vac at idle will save those plugs also. I rotate two sets, gaped as close to identical as I can make em and I just clean the old and slap in the new. Once a year. Hei works well also.

 

The 350 in my OT 81 chev Pk lost a rod bearing. So I grabbed up a grungy old 283 cleaned off the crud and honed the cyls and installed new rings, cam rod & main bearings oil pump And timing set. Installed a set of 602-305 heads a stock 305 cam and 283 2 bbl carb &intake. installed the stock HEI. . Much better mill than the gas hog 350. Your 283 bored .060 now displaces 292 CU. Electronic ignition will be a big help to your engine. A points ignition just has a difficult job firing resistor plugs with the sorry gas we have today. Every 283 that I blew up lost a piston because of the valves colliding with the pistons at high RPM. Never had rod bearing trouble with the small journal 283 or 327. Every 350 ive had go south was rod or main bearing problems.

 

2.02's don't fit in 283's well, I've heard you can knotch the cylinders but it isn't gunna flow well on the cylinder side of the valve. Also 11to1 with 461's is gunna require some serious dome to the piston.... Just an FYI

 

Cross that AC plug into an Autolite number. Yes, Autolite not Motorcraft, and try to find the oldest set you can. Every other plug brand I tried in a 14:1 BBC fouled 1 or 2 after 3 passes, and I tried Accell, AC, Champion, even NGK. Nothing worked as well as the Autolites. It was recommended by the heavy nitrous users back in the day and damn if they weren't right. I would pull a plug now and then just to check and they always looked perfect. I spent considerable track time dialing it all in and even after it was at it's best nothing else worked. Would you believe I still have those old plugs? I do...

 

I agree with theHighlander.
Autolites are the only way to go.
I had single 4 barrel solid 283's and 283 fuelies and only Autolites stood up.

 

autolite what? for sbc

 

What no love for the stroked 283?

 

love me some 283's

 

I have a 283 sitting under the work bench awaiting it's return to life,this was the engine I intended to use in my Deuce pickup but when my cousin passed away and left me a 327 it got tapped for the rebuild. HRP

 

Sounds like you're getting your moneys worth from them plugs. 10k sounds good for an old motor, these don't and weren't built to run the miles new cars do.
I think your carb is way too big for your engine though.
I think switching to HEI may also help
Just my thoughts and opinions

 

I worked on them back in the day, also had a few myself. Had a 58 fuely