The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 283 vs 265

I have some conflicting information on the 1957 trucks. Does anyone know for sure if any came out with a 283? Car & Parts Catalog of Chevy Truck ID Numbers only shows the 265.

in 57 the light trucks [up to 1T, what you'll find in the C&P catalog] would have come with the '265 Trademaster V8' - the medium trucks would have had the '283 Taskmaster V8', [biggest trucks = Loadmaster 322] .... but any truck could have been ordered with the 283 and by late 57 the 265 was dropped

Bill

Thanks for your reply squeeze. I don't disagree with anything you have said here, do you know of any refernece material that documents that the 283 could be ordered? The data plates on both of my '57s indicate a 265.

you'll find the engines listed in the 57 owners booklet and in the 57 shop manual .... as I said, the 265 was the usual for light trucks when a "V8" was ordered, if you have plates that indicate 265 equipped, then that's most likely what they were

aside from the fact that the 283 was an option for the cars and sedan delivery and the only V8 used the last part of the year, I haven't seen any paper reference yea or nay as to its availability, but we olztimers here will atest that any available item could be had on a new truck back then regardless of what it was listed for, just had to tell the dealer it's that or nothing, and pay the price listed in the master parts catalogs - might even be in the salesmans data book

Bill

Here is a 1957 Chevrolet Truck Owners/Operators Manual showing the 283 being available (probably standard) in 5000 & 6000 series trucks.

If someone has a 1957 Truck Data Book, they could tell you in what models the 283 was optional.

Thanks Bill and Tim. I think I will start checking the data plates on every '57 I come across, (with owners permission, of course)

Ernie