Hot Rods Are you a 283 engine guy or a 327 guy?

I always thought it was because the 307 came late to the game, with no performance variants, just a 2 barrel.

 

Had both, my Chevelle came with a 283 2 barrel.Ran great after a backyard ring job & fresh heads. Notice the chrome dipstick, breather and air cleaner. A previous owner had swapped one head to a stagger bolt one. So I simply painted my mismatched stock valve covers. This is after I saved up for M/T's! The 327 that replaced it was a 350 horse clone, .030 11.25 to 1 compression, .447 lift Chevrolet cam and some stiffer valve springs, 650 Holley DP on a Torker intake, headers. Regular excursions to 7 grand. So that would be my favorite.. It was easy to upgrade the fender flags to 327 status as well by adding the numerals.

 

Beautiful valve covers, too. The 350 horse version in a '66 SS Nova set quite the reputation for this engine. Entry level Chevelle SS models equipped with a 325 horse 396 could lose to the lighter Novas.

 

"283, that's my ounce of perfection."- Stray Cats, Built for Speed.

 

Enough said!.....

 

My high school ride, a OT 69 nova had a 327. We re-did some things and bolted on a used 671 blower and two 660's. When I had it running good it was a monster. Raced a big block 57 chevy one night for 100$. Walked away from him by the time I hit second gear. After the race, and getting his $, he insisted it was a big block. I tilted the front end and when he saw the 327, he said, Shit, you gotta be kidding me! This was around 1980.

 

Man, that is a tough choice. The two (old school) chevy engines that changed how folks rodded their cars in the 60s. I love both for what they are, but a 300hp 327 is my all time favorite.

 

Wasn't the 307,a 283 bore with the 350 stroke ? A buddy had 1 in a 65 Chevelle with a 3030 cam and 4 spd it beat a 400 67 goat real bad and it sounded nice too.

 

No, the 307 has a 283 bore and 327 stroke. The 305 has the 350 stroke.

 

No a 307 is a large journal version of a stroked 283 a 327 crank .
Bored to .060 there only about 10 CI short of a true 327. your talking about maybe 10 HP on a 1.94 valve engine if everything else was the same from a 327 .

They were never popular because at the time a 350 was more desirable .
Even in the early 80's a 350 block was not super cheap to get . They were in demand still.
A 307 was much cheaper and back then pistions were avaliable.

I punched a lot of them out in shop class .060 and used TRW pistons for cheap.

 

Well damned if I can find any 283 guys to buy mine - have a short block on here for $100 with no offers and about to list a '57 too....

 

If ever near Missouri with it id take it lol

 

283....

 

265 a friend had rebuilt never used. So bought it from him. Going in my 32. I think this will be the 5th engine sense 1955.

 

I've had a 1961 283 (60 over) in my 55 Chevy for 47 years.....it's been a great little motor.

 

How does the TR-1 intake work?

 

I had a 65 impala with a 220 HP 283 and a 3 speed with 331 gears. It was ok but really needed a 327 IMHO.
That said, I'd love to find a light car for my 283. I've got a set of Oliver rods, TRW forged 302 pistons and the 283 crank is forged. YEE-HAW! Shift the Muncie 4 speed at 83 hundred rpm!

 

Man, you gotta find a Chevy II for that little banshee!

 

My 34 truck had a 75 monza 265 /4.3 v8 170 HP with 4 barrel the 2 barrel was 140hp

 

Neither, I'm a nailhead Buick engine guy.

 

YES!

 

Who let the Buick guys in?

 

327.

 

A chevy II, eh? I was thinking a 'glass 23 roadster body, narrowed to a one person modified. I already have a cherry model A frame I can cut down. Can you imagine? about 900 LBS with 370-400 HP 301, and a T-5 trans.

 

327 and I’m a Ford guy.

 

I got a 307 in my Ford..... But it's an off topic 32 valver.....

 

anybody looking in the ct area, I have a few 283 and 327 engines available.

 

Depends, and not the adult diaper version. If you want a hot rod, a healthy 327, nowadays 331 or 336. More power, more torque (mores syndrome ).
But sometimes you want to just jump in a car, hit the key and go. No plans, just drive. Need gas? Hit the nearest station with 87 octane.
My son has a 55 Bel Air Quadra Port. 283+.040, L-79 cam, Edelbrock C/4B with a 600 Holley. Saginaw 4 speed and 3.55's. This car will bark the tires going into 3rd, idle around a corner in the same 3rd gear and drive away without hesitation, and give you 17 m.p.g. in return. The additional plus to a 283, is that you can cool them with a heater core.
A 327 will always be quicker, but I assure you, you will get more miles, more smiles with a 283.

 

"Quadra Port" lol.....

 

I like the mystique and lore of both and have one of each in my rides. For mild and reliable power the 283 is great, but the odd bore size of 3.875 makes performance parts such as pistons and rings difficult (get out the credit card). And lots of guys say a little tweak is all it takes to get 2.02 valved heads on a 283 but Ive never had much luck getting big valves, big cam, and high compression to live in harmony in that small package. If i was gonna work that hard and spend that much money to make 300+ HP id just as soon build a flathead.