Labor Day Putting down your wrenches or time for
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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 175 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 175 | What is the difference between a trademaster 283 and a taskmaster 283? | | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 326 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 326 | One is painted green and the other is painted gray.  Seriously, I thought the Trademaster was a 265 V8 and the Taskmaster was a 283 V8. SimS | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | One is painted green and the other is painted gray. Seriously, I thought the Trademaster was a 265 V8 and the Taskmaster was a 283 V8.
SimS the 265/283 was pre-58, later the difference was green in big trucks, gray in light trucks, slightly different specs gave green about 5hp more I believe, check yer shop manual Bill | | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,890 Socket Breaker | | Socket Breaker Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,890 |
hmnn... it *may* have something to do with the cam/carb configuration but I do not know for sure.
I will have to pass this on to the experts!
-W
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 | In '56-57;
The Trademaster 265 and/or 283 V8's were considered "Light duty".
The Taskmaster 265 and/or 283 V8's were considered "Heavy duty".
In '58-59;
All 283's were Taskmasters, and 265's were no longer available.
in line 6's were Thriftmasters.
big block 348's were Workmasters.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 874 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 874 | I have a '55 Taskmaster 265 I pulled from a 6000 series truck.
It has a 2 barrell and it is yellow. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 | I can't remember where I read it so I can't verify it, but, I believe it said that the colors of the engines varied from green grey to orange and red. Back in the 50's when orders were short for green or grey engines, the order was filled with a orange engine supposedly destined for a passenger car. Also the color of the orange engines varied somewhat to a more red tint.
Like I said, I can't varify it without researching it through the books again, but it seemed logical to me that it could happen that way.
I also had a yellow engine but it was rebuilt. Some engine builders put their own colors on their rebuilt engines. I have seen lime green, yellow, black and blue instead of oem colors.
I read on another forum that
If you ordered the base V8 and a manual transmission, you got the 265, regardless of model.
If you ordered base V8 and automatic, you got a 2bbl 283, again regardless of model.
The first small blocks in 55-6 were red, and trucks yellow, and from 57-on orange.
Last edited by Builder; 04/07/2010 9:22 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,890 Socket Breaker | | Socket Breaker Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,890 | | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | I read on another forum that
If you ordered the base V8 and a manual transmission, you got the 265, regardless of model.
If you ordered base V8 and automatic, you got a 2bbl 283, again regardless of model.
The first small blocks in 55-6 were red, and trucks yellow, and from 57-on orange. '55-'56 was 265, regardless of trans, '57 base V8 was the 265, painted a a yellow/green in Passenger w/ 3 speed/ 3 speed OD only, 283s (orange/red) could be had with any trans, depending on induction option. Light trucks used the 265, essentially the same as the passenger 265, exept it was gray instead of yellow, 283 was used only in Heavy Trucks in '57, across the board in '58. There was also aLoadmaster 322, which was painted red, available from '56-'59, which was essentially a Buick 322 Nailhead.
Bill Burmeister
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