The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop mystery small block

hey guys, just picked up a 58 or 59 apache 3200 and I can's seem to decode the engine numbers. the casting on the rear of the block is 3731548 I believe, that last number is really hard to see but I think it's an 8. on the pass side front its stamped T8I6F... the front ID stamping is what's confusing me. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

3731548= 1957 283

F= 1957 283 2 barrel carb, power glide trans, out of a car.

Ok, thanks. just wondering where could i look up those numbers at? the sites i checked didn't have the T8I6F listed.

My 1929-1959 Parts and Accessory Catalog (Parts Book) lists your casting number as;

1957-58 PASS., CORVETTE (F.I. w/H.L. Cam)

I think the 58 is a typo as this engine does not have side motor mounts, 1957 was the only 283 that doesn't have them...1958 was the first year for side mounts.

This casting number doesn't show up in my 1967 Parts Book. Chevrolet dropped this casting as soon as the 1958 engines bacame available...a motor without side motor mounts quickly bacame a "one year wonder".

T = Tonawanda Engine Plant
8 = Month
16 = day
F = 1957 283 w/ Powerglide

All found in my parts books.

Mike B

So your book lists that engine as a corvette 283?

Not exactly. It only is listing that particular casting number as being used in both Passenger and Corvette applications. The serial number is more telling as to what it is, since that gives the original application and what it was installed in.

1959 3100 here's a couple places that has information.

http://outintheshop.com/faq/casting/castings2.html

http://www.nastyz28.com/sbcmenu.php

I believe that engine could be valuable. 1957: First 283, first engine in history with cubes same as HP. If it does have "Fuelie" heads, all the better. Check the shape of raised portion on front of heads. (camel hump, etc.) Some restorer may really want that. A pretty cool engine back then. A 4 speed Muncie fits right up.

The early 283's got the reputation of being a real piece of crap. The 265's were outrunning them, both on the drag strip and out on the open road. They also had a really poor piston design so the Invar anti-expansion strut would break loose from the skirt casting and cause a loud knock. I've changed pistons in some early 283's and found half of them broken. It might be a historic engine, but it was soundly panned as a piece of junk when it was new.
Jerry

Well since that engine is now over 50 years old I would think it may have been rebuilt at one time or another. Would replacement pistons have the same design issues as the originals? I haven't even heard the engine run yet but was told it ran 2 years ago and it's not seized so I don't think it'll take much to get it going. It looks all stock and original to me, right down the the generator and canister oil filter and 2 bbl carb.

it might "look stock" but as you said, being 57 years old it's unlikely to be "original" .... if it's a runner and that's what you want, use it, it's a "survivor" - or open it up and check things out and rebuild or refresh it as needed

Bill

Most of the original engines didn't last long without getting the poor-design pistons replaced. Chances are it's been rebuilt at least once unless it was taken out of a low-mileage wreck. Any small block Chevy with much over 50K miles will have enough taper wear in the cylinders to need a rebore job. The good news about the pre-65 blocks is that they can be bored to .060" oversize without a problem. The max for later engines should be .030" due to the thinwall castings they use. The early 283's can even be bored .125" over if you're willing to go to a heavy-duty radiator. That's where the early "302" Z-28 Camaros came from. Later models used a 350 block with a big main bearing 3" stroke crankshaft.
Jerry

I'll take the crummy old piece of crap, invar inferior, piece of junk off your hands.

Jerry, I ran the 283 bored .125. Ran like a scalded dog with and Arkus-Duntov cam......till my brother ran it hot at the dragstrip, while I was in the hospital.

I need to check out a local rail dragster friend of mine. He has a 283 he says he'll let me have cheap. I need to see what cheap is!

For what its worth..... I've recently read a couple articles about GM 283 test engines and one I remember being in a '56.

I've built a few "fake" Z-28 302 engines by using an early-production 327 block with the small main bearing bores and a 283 crankshaft. The numbers didn't check out, but the performance was the same. The "098" Duntov cam (last 3 digits of the part number) was the hot one. Some guys called it the "30-30" cam because that was the valve adjustment specification, .030" intake and exhaust. I've run a lot of laps on a 1/4 mile dirt track with that setup- - - -come off the turn at 3500 RPM and wind it to 8K by the end of the straightaway. It sounds like a bumblebee on steroids!
Jerry