Technical A.I.R. on a 283!

Project 235 L6 has been side lined. I wasn't looking to do a Small Block transplant into Carina's 56 210 with oiling issues ( https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/chevy-235-oil-pressure.1194543/ ) but I just tripped upon this 283 for sale here on the HAMB and thought "I can get that for less money than a trans adapter for an stove bolt 6 to mate a later auto trans to".

It's a 67 283, block #389644, suffix #V0303DJ, head #3884520 but no vehicle i'd. numbers added. The DJ of suffix states 66-67 283 195 H.P. Power Glide A.I.R. 2B. Upon further research on another site DJ showed CH EC for Chevelle El Camino. All this confirm's what seller said, "67 283 from a Chevelle". Now for the question that sites do not mention well if anything for SBC's but go into depth of BBC's. Why did they but smog equipment (Air Injection Reactor) on such a small displacement engine? Did all of them have them in 67 or was it an option or a California thing?

Here it is as purchased put is now torn down to just a long block currently. So far inside looks good for being stored (dried oil film only no sludge). Next step is leak down test to see how valves and rings are as compared to a hand rotation and finger test at sellers property which looked very promising.



And vehicle it's for.

 

Both are cool.

 

My 67 El Camino has a 283 is built in Fremont and had air injection on it when I got it

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I would save those smog parts. There is a demand for those
cubic inches didnt matter.
its just a 'supercharger' for your exhaust.

 

Not saying they did't come this way, but I've never seen a 283 that did't have rams horn exhaust manifolds. Those rear dump manifolds might have come on a different/larger engine originally. Note that the AIR is plugged. My high school 56 Chevrolet was a 210 Del Ray that had been repainted solid red from red and white. Her car reminds me of mine, although mine had chrome reverse wheels with the stock hub caps. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Ram Horns for Impala's yes, A Body Chevelle's no. All the plugging was for storage purposes only per seller. By the way, this engine will run Dorman replacement 2 1/2" Ram Horns in the 56. Going to buy two driver side and cut away alternator boss off of one of them. This way modification will be at rear of engine on passenger side and less noticeable than cutting away a passenger side manifold.

 

That is one of my favorite setups for a daily driver.

 

Very cool. My favorite V8 .

 

The federal Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act was enacted in 1965 and was set to start vehicle emission standards on 1968 models. California adopted their own standards in March of 1966 that started with 1967 models. I used to restore muscle cars back to factory original and like Anthony says, smog systems (especially with the original pump) are worth good money. Back in the day, they were normally the first thing that was shit canned when the car was purchased.

 

'67 was a weird year for smog stuff, even in Calif I think '67 was a kind of one year wonder.
A.I.R. was to inject fresh air into the exhaust for secondary combustion to burn off any unburnt hydrocarbons in the exhaust. It's also why A.I.R. equipped, pre-catalyst, vehicles tended to eat exhaust systems.

 

My '65 Chevelle ( new ) had no rams horn. The casting was routed below the spark plugs. The exit was at the rear. No air pump equipment, Pennsylvania.

 

Chevelles and Camaros had logs. The air injection was California only and '67 was the last year for the early crankcase vent system....'68 had a pcv in the valve cover (in California). I've sold the smog pump, brackets, pulleys and manifolds to restorers, but you don't have to smog pre '74 here anymore so.......

You could find a used set of 2" rams for cheaper then the 2.5" Dormans I think.

 

but check out the mounting holes on the front of the manifold...ever seen that before on the rear dump? Pretty cool. Too bad it's missing the AIR pump, you could really have fun showing off your vintage smog equipment when we have car shows again!

 

Early Nova's had log manifolds also...... Not sure about Chevelle's......... Those pics are throwing me off a tad. I have to research. The A.I.R system brings good money to restore'rs........ We had to have them on and operating to pass the smog check back then.

 

I forgot about Novas, So basically the full size cars had ram horns (and trucks).

 

The rail is intact (capped off where the check valve would go) and has the spark plug shields. Try selling them, but keep the 90 deg fitting on the back as those are hard to find or repo $$$.

 

got a question for the smart people.
does a 283 benefit from the 2.5 rams horns?
anyway,I picked up a set from Ecklers on sale for like $120 a set.
already smooth

 

yes

 

Looks like it would have had logs as it has the spark plug tins.

 

I'm thinking not so much in stock form with a 2bbl, but build it a little......

 

If the numbers are legible on the exhaust manifolds, you can check this ID reference and see what engine they match up with.
http://outintheshop.com/faq/casting/exhaust_man.html

 

Looks like a good little driver motor.

 

I’ve got 2 1/2” ram horns on my ‘56. I did what you said and cut off the bracket. I made cut outs behind the front wheels like the old days. I used Danchuk side mounts that move the engine forward a little. With a CPP power steering box everything fits like it came that way.



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I love 283's. Best engine ever built. Bar none. Nothing to add, I just like to make sure y'all don't forget.

 

I dropped a 283 into my 55, not long before I sold the car. Sure slowed it down! after all those years with a blown big block

Best engine ever.

 

I have often pondered a 283 build using the most modern components available. I may just have to build one. See how reliable I could make it, with product improvement and improvements in lubrication.

 

Notice the oil fill tube with the non-vented cap. The screw-in PCV (into the oil-fill tube) is part of the closed-PCV system (RPO K24) that still allow the use of no-hole valve covers. The other part of the system come off the back of the engine block and connects to the air-cleaner. The advantage to this system is the engine compartment stays cleaner because oil vapors are not released to the atmosphere (engine bay).
This is the way to go.

BTW, Yes, that 283 is correct for a Chevelle/El Camino. Those are the correct exhaust manifolds. No ram-horns on A-body cars.

Actually, all 1966 and 1967 cars (some exceptions) sold in California were required to have AIR (RPO K19) smog pump.
In fact, one of the first cars I helped restore was a 1966 Malibu with 283 that still had it's original smog-pump.

 

I built a 292 for my 27 T roadster, used 1.94 heads, flat top pistons, balanced with a 270S Comp solid lifter cam and three 94s on an Edelbrock manifold. It sounded good and ran great. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Loved that solid lifter sound.


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Yeah as others stated, 67 was California only. The air pump was also a one year only deal. 68 cars all had the system but they used a different pump and pulley. I do have have a 67 AIR pump and brackets that came off a 67 Camaro that my grandfather and I flipped years ago. Dont have any use for it as its such an oddball pump.