Projects Am I on the right track with my 283?

Hi, I have a 66 C10. 283, Powerglide and a 3.73 rear end. The engine is tired. Very tired. I did a leakdown test recently and showed an average cylinder pressure of 53% along with air hissing from the exhaust, carburetor, oil fill tube, valve stems and on one cylinder the radiator also bubbled. And believe it or not the thing starts right up and gets 13 mpg even though some of the cam lobes are only opening the valves about .13 which just amazes me but the oil consumption is getting ridiculous and I need to do something.

So a recent Craigslist score sent me home with a 283 short block from a 67 Camaro that still measures standard in some parts of the bore along with some freshly rebuilt 416 305 heads. I'm sure I can get away with a .020 over bore but I want to move up to a better cam, intake and carb setup and this is what I have in mind. I'd like to use a period intake and was thinking of something like a 300/327 intake with an RV or torque style camshaft with a 390 cfm Holley. I'm not looking to build a race truck but more of a fun daily driver. Am I on the right track? I know the Powerglide is hurting me but I'll use it until it fails and then upgrade to something like a 2004r. I guess I'm mostly looking for some cam and intake ideas. What say you?

 

If you want more power I don't know why you picked a 283, when you could have gotten a 350 or at least a 305.

If the cylinders are not worn or scored and the pistons are good you could just hone and re ring it. RV cam, 4 barrel carb and headers will give you a little more punch without killing low speed torque. In your case a stock Chev intake will do as well as an aftermarket one and keep the carb on the small side.

 

I think you'll like a 262 cam in there.
The 305 heads will bump your compression
A "RV" cam builds low end RPM cylinder pressure to increases power. The trade off is it gives everything up at the top end.
On the 283, that intake will perform best at mid to high rpm, it will start right when the RV cam gives up. Velocity is the key with an intake, big runners and small cubes kill velocity until the Small cube Rpm starts demanding more air.

Your 305 heads will build low end rpm cylinder pressure and you don't have to give up shit there rpm power where your 373 gears like to run. Might want a higher stall converter in the PG. A 305 HO manifold and small tube headers would work nice at keeping velocity high.

 

You made a good choice IMO..
I am running a '65 283 bored .60 over with 305 heads in my '63 Biscayne.
I used a Melling cam almost exactly like the old 327 (350 hp) L79.
Also running full 2 1/2" Corvette Ram Horns with 2 1/2" exhaust, electronic ignition, 500 cfm Edelbrock with an Edelbrock Performer intake with a 3.76 rear end and a four speed manual.
A very snappy little engine, and very fun to drive..will wind up to 5000 rpm's in an instant.....
Not knocking 350's but everybody has one, and in that truck you wouldn't gain anything by a 350 over your 283 for normal street driving. (yes more torque in a 350 but that light truck of yours will just burn the tires from it)
Keep us in the loop on your progress..

 

Comp XS 262S solid tappet stick is a nice compromise in the small motor and solid lifters will allow you to Rev it to the moon. I've got this stick in the 283 going into my A coupe..... Also, Quick Fuel just released a 450cfm carb in their street budget friendly Slayer line. I've got one on my Y-Block (272) and love it. Pull the QTF stickers off and it looks like a shiny Holley.

 

Make sure you know what you've got before you start buying parts. No 283's were used in Camaros.

 

390 cfm carb to small even on 283. they were used for dual quad set ups. 300 hp 327 cam and a 600 vacuum secondary holley would be nice. use long tube headers

 

I have a 283 in my car and it has a 300hp 327 intake with 1405 edelbrock and an rv cam, with power pack heads. It runs great, starts great. Trans is a 350 turbo. I ran a glide in a car once with a 327 and when I swapped it for a 350 turbo, I was amazed at the difference. The block was new old stock!

 

I checked the block numbers and it is a 67ish 283. I don't know for sure what it came out of and I have no real way of finding out I'm just going by what the seller told me. I have measured some of the bores and they do measure standard in some places and about .005 over in others so I think it just makes sense to do a minimal bore rather than honing and rings. The Northern Auto Parts 283 rebuild kit that I found online comes with an option for a Melling RV cam. It's a 204/214 .420-.433 and from what I've understand it's an old school grind and some say there are better options out there today. I'll check on the 262 cam and see how they compare.

So do you think that a performance intake would make much difference or would any old cast iron 4 barrel intake do the job? I know I can make more power with a bigger engine but I want to stay with a 283. I really wanted to overhaul the original one and keep the truck as original as possible but I'm 99% sure I have a crack in there somewhere. Plus I bought these rebuilt 416 heads and a very rebuildable 283 short block for $260 so I'm off to a good start. I appreciate the feedback and comments. Lots of good knowledge here.

More later. I have to go make the donuts.

 

Chevy says they put the 283 in 67 Camaros....2bbl or 4 bbl, engine suffix MD, MJ, MO, MP depending on carb and transmission.

You probably have a rusted away head gasket in the original engine....

 

on the engine...if it has less than .010" taper, then you can get by for a while with a hone and ring job. A while might be 10k-40k miles, depending.

We generally bore a Chevy engine .030, and they usually need most of that to clean up. Sometimes they need .040

If you have plans of returning the original engine to the truck, then don't spend any money on the temporary replacement.

 

Chevy Chase

 

When you put late heads on a 283, it no longer looks like a 283. Kinda defeats the purpose of running a 283.

 

I think you actually have the "wrong" 305 heads, instead of the 416 casting number heads with 58 cc chambers, you should go with the 601 castings with 53 cc chambers. Stock 283 heads are usually somewhere around 60 cc chambers, unless they're Power Packs off a 56 with 55.6 cc chambers, although some 283 heads go as high as 70 cc chambers in trucks (low compression for cheap gas in fleet use). A 1.84 intake valve, SURFACING and DECKING the block, and a general head rebuild will be fine. It's hard to build any kind of compression in these small bore, short stroke engines, and it's hard to find decent flat top pistons, let alone popup pistons at a FAIR price. Finding steel shim gaskets is almost impossible, although someone is supposed to be making them for the racers again. It sounds like you have already made up your mind that you absolutely have to have a 283, so the standard "350 would be easier/cheaper" line is't going to change your mind. As far as a camshaft, you should limit the duration at .050 to around 115 degrees. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

If you don't have a manifold and carburetor, try to find an old Edelbrock sp2p. run a 4 jet, or a holley economaster. Not high performance, but economy,low end stuff. keep the cam conservative, that set up doesn't like much cam. I had a 66 c10/powerglide truck many years ago. when you get to swapping out the trans, it will be a totally different truck.

 

Sometimes having as much power for lower $$ isn't what a guys is after and I'd think this is one of those times.
Personally if keeping it "looking original" was important I'd bag the later heads and find a set of 283 power packs and do the needed upgrades.

You could cheat a bit and find a 327 crank and build yourself a 307 + the bore aka stroked 283. We put one together for my son's 70 1/2 ton Chev in the mid 80's and with 3.7 gears and a granny 4 speed it gave a lot of hot street cars fits in crosswalk to cross walk on the avenue goes. That engine was a 307 short block that had come out of my brother's Jeep (was supposed to be a 327)

 

Jim....MO and MP are 1967 Z28 302 engine codes...definitely not 283. Don't know about the other codes offhand. Also no 283 engines in any Camaros ever. 1967 Camaro V8 was 327.. 2 and 4 barrel...SS 350...SS 396...and Z/28 302...if it is a 1967 283 it's either out of a Chevelle or full size Chevy like Impala...

 

MD and MJ were 283 codes but the Camaros with those engines were built and sold only in Switzerland.

MO and MP are codes for a 302

Camaro specific code info at http://www.camaros.org/drivetrain.shtml#PadStamps is far more accurate than the same info that shows up on other sites where code info across all Chevy lines is included.

In reality, the Camaro didn't need a 283 because the 2 bbl 327 they used in base models was so anemic you needed to watch a reference point to see if the car was even moving

 

One of my neighbours bought a brand new '67 with a six and a PG. Boy, if you thought the base 2bbl 327 was anemic...
Funny thing was, a year later, another guy just down the street had a new grey '68 Z/28 with factory 4.10s. Quite the contrast.
Kinda makes me chuckle when I see all those guys with typical HAMB 3.08 geared street rods on Jim Sibleys thread, laughing and making snide comments about all those "losers" who "think" Camaros are hot rods...Oh really?

 

ok, I guess it's a misprint in Chevy's book, they didn't know the 283 was really a 302.

I didn't happen to inspect every Camaro that came off the line, to see if it had a 283.

 

4200 RPM 3.08 up to an hour straight at times to Milwaukee was fun. ~Eyes roll~:d. Still one on the road vs 2 in the stall 'patiently waiting'......

 

Never saw a 67 Camaro with a factory installed 283. Had a friend in high school that had a 67 Camaro 327 2barrel 210 hp I think. I helped him install a junkyard cast iron 4 barrel intake with the small Rochester 4 jet carb. 1 5/8" headers & dual exhaust with real Corvair turbo mufflers from the Chevy dealer. It came from the factory with a 3 speed floor shifter and 3:55 rear gears. It really woke up the performance of the little small block!

 

Jim...not busting your balls...just want the right info out there. That book you showed is a trip...is it a GM parts book or a Motors manual?

 

Same here. When the OP said he had a 283 from a Camaro, I knew immediately that wasn't the case. No big deal except for the fact that he's talking about boring (and buying pistons). There are several instances of 2 letter codes beginning with D where the same code identifies a 283 and then identifies a 307 a year or two later. With both having a 3.875 bore I figured it was useful to mention the need to make sure what he actually has before buying parts.

If the OP would post the complete engine ID we'd likely determine its a Corvette motor. After all, out of the hundred million SBC's made over the years, at least 50 million of 'em were Vette motors once they were out of a car and up for sale

 

Thanks for the advice so far. You guys have given me some things to consider before I make my decision. I've made a few notes and will do some internet prowling and see what I can find. FWIW the engine number is 3896944. My book says "283-Trucks and Passenger cars 65-67". I reckon I need to find a reputable machine shop in my area too.

Edit: For those who mentioned the shortcomings of my transmission I fully understand what you're saying. People are always saying "It has a Powerglide? That's really cool!" And I tell them that it is not. All I have is L one and a half and Drive. An overdrive tranny is in the plans but that's a ways off yet.

 

Jim
You could get a 283 in a Camaro, I don't recall seeing one on the showroom floor but I have seen them on the street with the original motor. If I recall the rocker covers said High Torque and they were a single 4. I am assuming that it was an order it and wait deal. The fact that it is or isn't a Camaro short block becomes a sort of a moot point when the cam is getting changed and it is getting punched. What is important is the year as it will lend itself to large journal or small journal. I am assuming it is a small journal crank if it is a large journal crank and is a 3.875 bore then it is actually later then '67 and is a 307.

Last 283 I built used a Lunati cam. Part number 06103. I have used L-79 cams in the as well as crane Fireball and duntov 30/30 cams. But I like the Lunati real well as well as any cam I have used in one.
It seems to make good low end torque and still operates well at mid range. That particular engine was using a 500 CFM edelbroke and an edelbroke performer, granted neither counts as vintage but it is what the owner likes.

I have discovered that the little chevy works really well with an L-79 intake and a smaller holley over the years. or if you could find an era correct offenhauser they have smallish runners and work really well with the smaller engines in near stock form.

 

a 283 came in a camaro? new one on me!

 

One additional comment..
If you really want it to look like the older heads, put bolts in the accessory holes and cut them off flush and grind them...you will be amazed at how normal they look...

 

A uniformed official of the Federal Government, AKA "the Mail lady", delivered a new Jeg's catalog and they are selling a new 260HP GM crate 350 with free freight for $1459.99. I have built many engines and know what it costs and that is a bargain. It would fit the truck nicely and be a great foundation for adding upgrades later.
I don't care what intake or carb combination you choose the 283 will never make noticeable torque with a two speed automatic and 6000# truck.

 

The truck really only weighs about 4400# and I've seen the crate motors and done the math and I understand that it would probably be a cheaper and faster route but then I wouldn't be able to have the pride of doing it all myself and that is important to me. It's worth the extra dollars and hassle. Maybe that doesn't make sense to everyone but I have an internal need to do this. There was some body work that I had the local shop do that was out of my skill level (lower door pillars) but everything else has been done and will be done by myself as much as possible. If that makes it slow than so be it.

On another note I just came in from outside where I took a putty knife and scraped the grime off the front of the cylinder heads that are on the truck and removed a valve cover to check the numbers and they are 520 PowerPack heads. They have the square with the little spikey triangle sticking up in the middle. But they are in pretty poor shape right now.