Let's Build a 265 Chevy V8!!!!!

Only the factory dual points were all centrifugal advance; the single point distributors had both centrifugal weights and a vacuum pod that necessitated a rectangular slot in the side of the housing. If you're not concerned about date codes, the '57-'61 style dual point distributors are neither rare nor expensive. They were so popular to purchase over the parts counter by hot rodders for their projects that, although 1961 was the last year Chevrolet used them in production, I've seen them with date codes as new as 1966.

 

Thanks Heathen. And that about sums up why I want one for this deal.

 

I have a basket full of cast iron cores just let me know what you need and which engine . Early 265s used a distributor with flat space ( for oil control) , i believe 55-56 .
A built cast unit is $100 without cap and $150 with cap and rotor. They have the look for sure........

 

Right, '55-'56 engines used the housing with the flat. For this reason, '56 dual points had different I.D. numbers---1110872 and 1110879, as opposed to 1110891 for the '57 and up engines.

 

I have a 283. I'll be in touch when the time comes, that seems very reasonable.

 

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'Double-ditto' on that. Even though
the stock 265's and 283's only used
a hub instead of a damper, adding
one from a later 327 or 350 would
*definitely* be a good addition and
cheap insurance of a smoother,
longer-lasting engine. One small
caution though - with the Hurst
front "cradle mount", you'll need
to use a standard 'small-diameter'
crank damper from a standard,
"lo-po" 305, 327 or 350, as the
bigger, better, 7 or 8 inch-diameter
dampers used on the "hi-po" 327's
and 350's are too big to clear the
Hurst mount.

Mart3406
================

 

It's no biggie - I drilled my 283 crank in the car and tapped it. Had to go with a 1/2 inch bolt to get good purchase on the threads.

 

One more thing: 265's and early 283's used a "rope" rear main seal. Modern replacement rope seals are made using different, more eco-friendly & non toxic material, and don't seal very well. Several companies make a 'drop in', no machine work required, modern style lip seal for these engines that are the better way to go.

 

Couple interesting pages from the 1965 Hot Rod Yearbook on early Chevy V8 head differences.

 

-------
I don't know where you'd find one,
because they haven't been made
for years either, but if you want to
instal dual points in a standard
early-style Chev distributor, "back
in the day" and right through into
at least the mid-70's , several
different aftermarket companies
- ie - notably, 'Cal Custom', 'Segal',
'Mallory' - and probably a bunch of
others too - also made very
inexpensive dual-point conversion
kits for these distributors. You might
luck out and find one of these
aftermarket conversion kits, NOS,
at a swap meet or on "that internet
auction site that starts with a E".
Personally, if it were mine though
- since no-one is going to see what's
under your distributor cap, for ease
of maintenance, I'd do away with
the points altogether and add a
either a Pertronix or an HEI
electronic conversion to your
early-style distributor housing and
be done with it. But if you really
want and insist on dual points,
some of those old aftermarket
conversion kits are still out there
and if you find one, probably for
cheaper than the original GM
stuff.

Mart3406
=============

 

Thanks for the tip on the period aftermarket conversions. As far as the petronics stuff, it'll be a cold day in hell before you see me using that stuff on a period build. If I was going to do that, I'd just build a 377 and grind the side mounts off the block, and add some epoxy triangles to the ends of the heads.
I grew up with points, so first off, I dont buy all the new age, voodoo bullshit about how unreliable they are, been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Even when I DO run an MSD, I still trigger it with points, way better system IMO. If the box goes weird on me, I switch a couple wires, and I am back to points and coil. Never happens, right? Bullshit. It has happened to me at the track, and if I was using a system without points I would have been done for the day, and paying for a tow-truck home. Instead I went two more rounds.

According to both Heathen and Bubba, getting a cast iron dual point is not a big issue (see posts 366 and 364) so thats the route I will be going.

 

Just read all 19 pages. I am putting a 57 283 (220 hp, powerpack) in my 32 Vicky and I may have missed it about the starter situation. What starter do I use with an adapter hooked to a 39 trans?
Also how about using a hydraulic cam with Rhodes lifters? What grind would give an 097 sound? I have a Crower stock lift circle track cam ( 327-350 spec) too much? I am not familiar with them, I bought it at an auction for $2.00(new in box) I still never caught what an 098 cam was?

 

would one of these work for you?

http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-e...-turbohydra-matic-transmisison-1955-1957.html

How about a Thumper cam?

http://www.compcams.com/Thumpr/index.html

 

If you want it to sound like a 283 with an 097 Duntov, the best way to do that is to put an 097 Duntov in it, dont you think? They are still available.

 

Yep. If that's what you want, then
just get a '30-30 Duntov - 097"
cam - either an original Chevy unit
or one of the aftermarket re-pops.
Another good one too, if - (sacrilege
of sacrileges!!) - you want juice
lifters instead, would be the old
Chevy 350hp/327 cam, GM part
number 3863151 - again, either
the original Chevy piece or one of
the numerous aftermarket re-pops
of it.

Mart3406
=============

 

The 30/30 and 097 are not the same cam. I would never recommend someone put a 30/30 in a 283. The last three numbers of the 30 across p/n are 346 the 097 has about 20 degrees less duration @ .050.

 

My bad! You're right about the
"30-30" and "097" not being the
same cam. The "30-30" Duntov
cam was the 375hp/327 'fuelie'
cam - and also later used in the
302 Z/28 as well. Back in the early
'70's I used a '30-30' cam in a
283 in my daily-driver '64 Chevelle
and with the stock-compression
283, unless and until you had the
revs up above 3500 rpm or so, it
was quite a bit too much cam.

 

Yuppers.

 

An 098 cam IS an 097 cam. As was the case on many General Motors parts, the casting number on the part was one digit off from the actual part number that showed up in the catalog.

 

Yeah, many years ago, my brother insisted on putting a 30-30 in his 283. I think that I could have beaten him from 0-30 on my ten speed bike.

 

Yeah..but once you got the revs
up... I had an old factory tach
out of mid-60's Buick that only
read to 6000 rpm in my '64
Chevelle and at the drags, once
the car got rolling, I'd run the tach
off the end of the scale and then
count to three and shift! Getting
the car off the line though was
quite an exercise involving a lot
clutch slipping and/or wheelspin
to get and keep the revs up until
the car got rolling! The ET's were
nothing to write home about, but
for a 9 to 1 compression 283 in a
3400 lb car it'd really mph though!

Mart3406
=========

 

how much are the dual wcfb dogbone intakes usually going for now? Major goldchainer $$?

 

I wish I found this thread when I had my 57 265 done a few years ago. After living with this motor a few years I've become a big fan. Nice small package for Hotrod applications and makes all the proper sounds. I would do another.

I tried to keep as period 57 as I could...
57 power pack heads
57 valve Corvette covers (low script)
56-57 Nicson 2x2 intake
Nicson flame arrestors
early Rochesters
Kept the canister oil filter etc..

 

The bare intakes aren't so bad (as in the $200 range most of the time). The correct carbs are a different story, especially the front carb with no choke.

 

Looks like '62 or maybe '63 corvette 6 qt pan from your pic and description.

 

You should be able to use the common Offy adapter that has the three starter bolt holes, this will work with a 55-57 block that is not drilled for the starter. The TurboGlide began in 57, and it used a bolt on starter, so you may have the holes in the block already? but the 3 bolt starter (used on trucks with manual trans thru 72) is the old fashioned way to go.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Chevy-Engine-to-Early-Ford-Transmission-Adapter-Kit,1157.html

if you can't find a nice old one

 

Man I loved looking at your engine a couple years ago at the Autorama. The Nicson 2x2 intake is just down right righteous.

Yup, I'm running that exact combo with a vintage Offy adapter, the original '56 Block, '56 Chevy starter and a 167 tooth flywheel and mated to a '39 Ford Trans.

 

$200 is easily managable. I wouldn't be adverse to reworking/re-calibrating non-original WCFB's. I have been rounding up Rochester 2gc's for the trips, but the dogbone intake and WCFB's is what I would REALLY want, I just figured it was going to be BIG money.

 

A recent acquisition...


Sent from my Droid using TJJ sucka!

 

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