Hot Rods 283 help!

Thewre was a 4 bolt 350 locally for $1000.00 with all kinds of fancy add ons.
I would have bought it, but I'm doing a 4 bolt myself to save money.
So far, I've blown that $1000 by at least $500.
Get a 350, and sleep tonight.

 

so thats what the bottom of the heads look like im pretty sure those exhaust valves are burnt but its my first engine so thats just an assumption based on the color of them

 

Truck is too new for this forum.....just saying

 

I don't see any burnt valves. If they where mine and I wanted to use them I would clean them up and lap the valves. I run several engines on corn gas that do not have hard seats. I simply add a quart of diesel fuel to every tankfull of gas. Now I reciently put rings and bearings in a couple of 283,s. And I used 602 casting 305 heads and the stock factory 305 cam and lifters. too much lift and duration on a short stroke 283 and you dont have any low rpm drivability. Those 305 heads have smaller chambers and larger intake valves and are set up for unleaded gas. Now I have a 327 I built for my 55 chevy. And Ive pretty much got my choice of any type of stock cyl heads. However I installed a extensively reworked 57 power pack heads on it. Why? Because those heads where on the very first 55 chevy I ever owned. And they are stagger bolt pattern. and I wanted to use a set of cast aluminum finned valve covers that I bought new when I was a teen.

 

haha first time anyone has said my truck is too new i dont need help with the truck though just a little engine advice about the cam but i have to pay about 65 bucks to have the machine shop just look at my heads once i have a price quoted to me i can decide the rest if they want to much to redo the heads then ill buy new ones

does that diesel trick really work i just went though the entire fuel system and replaced everything so i dont want to try it and risk breaking anything

 

You can dissemble your heads clean up the valves on a wire wheel and lap them and it don't cost anything but your time. If the heads are crusty spray them with oven cleaner. Ive been adding diesel to my gas for decades and its never caused any problems.

 

I'm gonna jump in and recommend a 350 . If you just want to keep it rolling for a while , find one and then you can go through your 283. You will be saving a bundle, especially in the short term.

 

All true, but you aren't going to be "wing"ing (or even winding, for that matter) that motor to the moon with 3.0 gears and 31" tall tires.....

 

Still here , see .
I guess everyone ,including the mods, love 283's .
So, we got the heads off to have them re-done. You got money in them now, so might as well proceed.
You still want a cam recommendation? How many hundred different ones? LOL

 

I like the 305 idea If you want period look grab a angle grinder and smooth them out and fill the holes.

 

To me , you are pissing up a rope. If you want a small engine just go find a 305 truck or van motor and save your 283 for something else. Nobody wants a 305 so you should be able to one for less than a rebuild kit for your 283. The last one I bought was 46,000 miles and paid 275.00 complete with accessories. This is a traditional hot rod site and you will be booted off when they see what your 283 is in.

 

I wouldn't sink a dime into the 283 in that truck. You'll get not much bang for the bucks it will take to get it to move the way you think it might. I'm not a crate motor fan, but for you it may work out.

The gears have to go as well, you need something steeper, at least a 3.55. I run a built 355 SBC in my Ford and went from 3.56 gears to a 3.89 set, with a posi. That woke things up.

 

This seams to be the deal new engine in old car OK but talking about an old engine that might be but in a newer car not ok.

 

How would upping the compression come into play if it did happen to be overcammed? Say if you bump the 283 PP to 10:1 or 10.5:1 from the factory 9:1? Would it behave better in the low rpms?

...asking because this is what I'm planning, as well as a 2500 stall, stock gears. Don't mean to hi-jack thread.