does anyone have some information on this motor? is it a chevrolet built engine or not? what is the parts interchange if it is chevy design? and will it be compatible with chevrolet transmissions? thanks davey shumard
If that's the very late 283 cid engine that came in Studes just before the end. Yes it is a Chevy and what ever fits a Chevy will fit it.
65 and 66 Studebakers used Chevrolet-design engines built by McKinnon Industries Division of General Motors, St. Catherines, Ontario. I don't know of any design differences with a "real" Chevy 283.
Purchased straight from Chevrolet. They were generally installed with a Borg-Warner tranny but it has the standard SBC tranny mount. If you strip the valve covers and accessories off and set it next to a 283 SBC you will see no difference. Bob
The only difference is the plain valve covers vs Chevrolet script covers. Because GM also used those engines in Pontiacs in Canada, the valve covers had no writing. It is the same 195HP, 2-bbl engine used in Novas and Chevelles (maybe full size as well).
Hey, Davey; IIRC, the chev mills used by Studebaker were the McKinnon brand. I *think* for boats/HD-use/etc. Obviously they used street cams/etc, but the point is that, typical Stude, they were extra-heavy-duty construction. Had very thick cyl walls, unlike most chevs by that time. & possibly high-nickle content cast iron. Otherwise, there was nothing spl/odd about anything regarding dimensional specs. Cats that know, search these blocks out for those reasons. I believe that they also had forged crank n rods, although that may have been std in chevs at that time yet. Save this mill, it should have some value. Hope you use it. Somewhere I have some info on these things, but can't find it. Don't know about the heads, flow-wise. Doubt they're the "vaunted" Power-Pac or dbl-hump. Suspect they'd have thicker port-wall & deck-surface. But Rich is correct. Any chev stuff from that series will fit. Just be mindful of the bore size, etc. Same for trannies. HTH. Marcus...
thanks a lot for the help guys! one other thing i have heard is that they were an internally balanced crank shaft, and that they had one extra ring on the pistons....i heard this was because of the marine/HD use..any truth to these tidbits of info? davey
NONE! It's a plain jane Chevy 283. The Studebaker guys like to think this was a special engine, blah, blah, blah. There is no difference. In fact, it's also thought that some of those 283's came out of the Flint engine plant. Look at the casting numbers on the block, and it's the same number as the standard 283/327 block used from '63-'66 (or '67). GM had an engine plant in Canada because of Canadian tax issues. Canadian Pontiacs used Chevy engines for this reason. It is nothing but a simple 283. There is nothing special about the block, crank, pistons, etc. Same as the American engines. The Studebaker guys like to brag about how strong their engines are. And with Studebaker 259 and 289 engines, they are right. The 283 was just a store bought engine. No one has been able to prove those engines are different than what was put in a '65 or '66 Pontiac. No one in the Stude club has been able to prove any different.
thanks for the info! i appreciate all the help guys, you just gotta love the advantages of being a HAMBer! the history of autos as we know them - all at the click of a mouse! davey
ALL small block Chevy's are internally balanced, except the 400 cu inch which are externally balanced. A 383 SBC using a 400 crank and 350 block is most times external balanced, but was not a factory made engine.
Most "real" Studebaker guys realize...they are just standard ol Chevy engines, only out of Canada, not the US, nothing more, nothing less. At least the Stude guys I know, know and understand. Mike
Now my Studebaker has a nonstandard 383 inch SBC 4 bolt main block, with World Products 2.02 heads Comp cams 272H, roller rockers, Eledbrock Intake, Mallory Uni-Lite, Billet flywheel blow shield, 4 speed, 9 inch 31 spline, Power disk front and lots of other stuff like all new upholstery. And all you need to do is give me money and drive a original Calif. Black Plate car home. Must go. Make offer, but keep it within reason.
Yep, just a plain old 283, Studebaker was in serious financial trouble and going down fast. No way they spent extra dough for a "special" 283. The B-W automatic used behind the Chevybakers in '65-'66 was the same F-O-M they had used for years with a Chevy bellhousing bolt pattern. Got one out in the garage "just because". BTW, all '55-'86 small and medium journal small blocks were internally balanced. The 1970-up 400 small blocks and all 1987-up 1 Pc. rear main SBC's are externally balanced.
Were the stude chevs painted differently? Did they have a decal saying studebaker thunderbolt 283? Ok I just googled it and found a set of decals for the valve covers.
Black with yellow valve covers in '65. Vc decal only stated "Studebaker Thunderbolt" All black in '66 with "Studebaker Thunderbolt 283" decals