The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Rebuild 283v8 or?

Just wondering what people thought about rebuilding my 283 or putting in anew mr goodwrench.

what you intend for the future is what counts, and what kind of money you have - it might be cheaper to go crate engine, but the 283 would be my choice, they're a great engine and not being made anymore

Bill

283 is a good motor, decent fuel economy if built right, keeps your truck original, probably has a forged crank and will last for years and years. A 283 or 327 with an overdrive transmission will get phenominal gas mileage with a spreadbore carburetor. If you're going to be towing or hauling heavy loads then go with a Goodwrench. Alot of your decision depends on how you're going to use your truck.

283, no brainer, for the reasons mentioned already.

...283

The problem with asking this kind of question is people answer with their hearts since it's not their hard earned bucks that are being spent.

The 350 crate motor will be less money and will produce more HP.

Unless your doing a numbers matching restoration there really is no logical reason to rebuild the 283.

Agreed.....as I stated, it all depends on how you want to use the truck and what your purpose is. The heart of America isn't Chevrolet. It's the owners who drive and fix them.

Roll with the 283 and be the exception...roll in a 350 and blend into the crowd!

Best of both worlds, dress the 350 in factory tins & castings and have the performance of the 350 and the old-school-cool of a vintage 283!

I went with a crate 350... 290hp. For under $1500 for the long block, I couldn't go otherwise. It costs more than that to rebuild a 283.
Dressed it with chrome 327 valve covers, a vintage Edelbrock C3B intake, and an oil fill tube. It looks like a vintage engine.

I've got 50,000 miles on it, and with 3.42 gears and an OD manual trans, I get decent mileage too.

If you really want a 283, then paint the 350 orange, put script valve covers on it, and the stock intake and carb. You'll be the only one who knows.
-Brad

except for the bolt holes in the end of the heads and long w/pump( which can be replaced by the short setup.
but then not everyone wants a 350
I ran with a 122 hp eng in my 4 x 4 for almost 20 years no problem. put a 283 back in. haven't got it back on the road yet. I did pick up a 5.7 for my 1ton but that 250 runs just fine. I guess it is just how you feel that day
ron

I'd rebuild the 283, there aren't that many of them left.

There is an episode of Trucks in which they rebuilt a 283 to put into a '65 C10 they were redoing. Was pretty cool. I think you can still download or watch on their website.

They made a long bed into a short bed and made it a daily driver.

you don't have a link to it do you?
ron

Does the 283 even need rebuilt? Just wondering if it's smoking or has low compression. I've had several 283s and 327s over the years which have had hardly any cylinder wear. The old 283 heads don't flow very well. I put some 2.02/1.60 "fuelie" heads on my last 283 and it was like having a different motor under the hood.

Sorry I don't have a link. It was in a series of Trucks TV show called Daily Driver C10 and they sent the 283 over to Horsepower TV show and had them rebuid and dyno it. That is the episode I'm talking about. I think they got well over stock horsepower and they didn't really do alot to it, so it could stay as a daily driver.

I had it saved on DVR and now you can't get it on their website.

If I find it I will post something.

I think that for the average enthusiast wanting a good, reliable, turnkey everytime daily driver I have to agree with HRJohn. A nice GM 350 crate motor with electronic ignition, stock manifolds, dual exhaust and a Quadrajet in this day and age would be the way to go.

Remember that the post '67 smallblocks won't vent with the stock'67 and earlier covers.

You could run all this equipment on a 283 also and have the same benefits. You won't go wrong either way. A 283 is as dependable as any 350.

If you go with the 283, and want to get a little more air through there, are there 1.92 or 2.02 heads that have the non bolt hole ends that would look ocrrect?

The old "Camel Hump" heads don't have bolt holes. Casting numbers 461, 462, 186, 187 & 291(last three digits). There's also casting 041 which has the same combustion chamber, intake runner cc etc as the 461's but was a 327 truck head. They have a single triangle which angles upwards from the intake side to the exhaust. Alot of folks aren't aware of these and you can find a set alot cheaper than the old Corvette camelhump or "fuelie" heads.

I have to ask again....Why does the 283 need rebuilt? Poor compression, low oil pressure, burning oil? Personal preference?

Run what you got, or go 350. Keep it simple.

I had to pull the engine to change the freeze plugs. I'm not sure how many miles are on it. shows 89,000 and it sat for over 7 yrs. figured why it was out I would rebuild it or get a crate motor. It smoked alot when it was running and was very easy to turn over by hand. Seams like low compression, but I wish I would have compression checked it.

Thanks everyone
Brett

Sitting for 7 years probably dried out the valve stem seals. If you have the engine apart, see if there's a ridge at the top of the cylinder. If not, I would just hone it, re-ring it and get a decent set of cylinder heads that flow better than the stockers. In my past experience, a 283 or 327 with that kind of mileage doesn't have much, if any cylinder wear.

Keep the 283. That is what is in my truck and I really like it.Put a lopey cam in it to turn heads

Every body you know has a 350. I love 283s and 327s.

Does anyone know why they quit making the 283? I had one in my old 64 chevelle.Had 186K on it when the odometer stopped working.Engine still ran like new.