Thread: 283 Advice... Please

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Greetings all.

I was wondering if anyone here has built a 283. I've never built an engine, and since i have the block and a set of "slightly high performance" heads (from what i've been told), i need to know if this engine can be built relatively cost efficiently and still kick out more power than the stock 305 i currently have in my Camaro. I'm looking to build it up to 300-325 ponies. Is this a reasonable expectation from this little engine? Any advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and i look forward to hearing back from people.

Okay heres my setup 283 bored .060 over to get 292 ci. Im running the stock forged crank, and a set of proline h beam rods. World products s/r torquer 305s and crane cams 1.5 long slot roller rockers. edelbrock super victor intake with a Mighty demon 650 carb. Now for the hard part the cam i went back and forth for a long time before choosing cranes solid lifter #113841. Remember in a 283 a mild cam acts like a race cam. This combo has desktop dynoed at anywhere from 410hp @ 7000 to 450 @7000 depending on the software. Also my car is a 32 ford three window so i didnt need much torque to get the car rolling. Hope this helps.

White Knight, if the somewhat high performance heads you have are same vintage as the 283, you will have problems putting it into a newer car because they will not have bracket mounting holes in the front of them.

I agree with Richard, 283s were great in their day, but unless you have a nostalgic reason for using one the more modern large displacement motors are the way to go. 350s are a dime a dozen and the cost to build one of them is the same as a 283.

Pat

Thank you guys for all your responses. It seems that a 350 or 383 would be the way to go for a streetable car. You've made my decision much easier and i thank you.

Jeff

why run a 350 or a 383 those are like buttholes everyones got one. stick with your 283. ive got a 283 bored .125 to 301 with dz-302 12:5:1 pistons a 1st design offroad dz-302 cam a 283 cranka nd 283 rods. makes around 530-535 somehweres in there its not that hard to make a 283 haul ass and be streetable. my last 283 ran 8 years without a problem and it was bored .125 and had 11:1 and was drag raced every single weekend for those 8 years until it spun a bearing that was all that went wrong. so stick with the 283 man............scooter

Stay with the 283, it will wrap up a lot quicker than the 350 because of the shorter stroke crank, and your desired hp range is easy to achive. The power is in the heads, so port & polish them pretty.
As for the "shorter" stroke crank- there are those in here that are stuck on stupid that can only think if it's written down for them. They will sit there & tell you everything that they have read out of a mag. somewhere & swear by it, mainly that a short stroke crank won't produce higher torque in a small block, yet they will tell you that a 427 is better to build than a 454 because you can get more torque where the differance is only the shorter crank.....hello??? It's the bigger is better mentality, and you can't help them- they are lost to their "set" ways.
Gasser has the right combo there, only go with a 40 over bore to keep from having heating problems, I went 60 with mine & it will heat in line at the drive thru.........
Good Luck

Stop and look at what this guy is asking.

First, he has a late model Camaro with a 305 in it.
Second, He happens to have a 283 block and a set of heads he is "told" are high performance. No mention of any other parts. Is it just a block, or is it a short block?
Third, He has never built an engine before.
Fourth, He wants 300-325 Ponies.

Let's analyze. If he puts a 40 year old motor into his less than 10 year old car, what will it do to the value? Will all of his modern accesories (A/C, P/S etc) bolt up to the 283 and his heads? If he is going to build a motor, the cost to build a 283 and a 350 are essentially the same cost for gaskets, bearings, rings, manifold, carb, ignition etc. To get the power he wants using the 283 plans you folks mentioned 11-1 compression, ported heads, forged crank, etc. To be able too really use that power he will need a lower gear because it will build it in the upper RPM range.

I think 283s are great motors, I built one for a Vega in 1973, it worked great! I used it because that was what I could get when I was in Germany with the USAF. But today, 350s are laying around like 283s were 30 years ago. If the guy was building a light street rod, or trying to stay period correct with a 50s or 60s car I think the 283 would be a good choice. But he is trying to get better performance out of a late model Camaro. With a 350 he will be able to use stock heads, 9-1 compression with a decent cam, carb, manifold, ignition and headers and get his horsepower in an RPM range he can use easily on the street. He should be able to build it himself with basic knowledge, following a book or with advice from friends. The motor will be easy to live with day to day on the street. And guess what, when he pops the hood, how many people are gonna know if it's a 350 or a 283 anyway? It's still a small block Chevy!

If that is "Sheeps" thinking, I guess I'm a sheep. Just seems practical to me.

Pat

cfs03716

First off, I'm not trying to start a fight or cause trouble, I never called anyone names or tried to insult anyone. It is possible to have a discussion or argument without getting personal.

The guy asked: "i need to know if this engine can be built relatively cost efficiently and still kick out more power than the stock 305 i currently have in my Camaro." The 283 advocates offered an opinion "Yes" and Tech and I suggested "No, there are better alternatives". There is no reason to get upset and start calling me an ass. We simply disagree, and that's fine with me. Lifes too short to let little things raise our blood pressure.

How about we both live by our respective signatures lines and let it go.

Pat

Originally posted by white_knight
Thank you guys for all your responses. It seems that a 350 or 383 would be the way to go for a streetable car. You've made my decision much easier and i thank you.

Jeff

Would appear White Knight decided to go with more cubes and the bigger torque numbers for whatever he is building it for. Even though his original post implied it was going in his Camaro. Seems all the put downs and name calling are,(as usual) for nothing. CSF, chill out and try to state your case, back it with facts, and BACK OFF!!!! For awhile there, thought you had decided to act like an adult, guess you get the iggy button again. My grandson really snickers at your language, hope that pleases you. In closing, I would bet Stu and Tech have forgotten more about engines than you will ever learn. It's so much more difficult to learn when you think you allready know it all.

there is a guy with a 283 in an 55 chevy mean 283 he eats 350s all day also 454 allday long but 283 has about 4 grand into the motor

Lol, most of these fairy tales start with once upon a time!!!!


CSF, you just don't get it, do you??? You start all the crap, then get on everyone else's case who dares to have a differing opinion.... Perhaps you should apply the standards you expect others to adhere to to yourself. As far explaining things to my grandson, it was simple. I just told him that people of limited vocabulary and intelligence resort to vulgarity to try to make a point. You made about 2 decent posts exhibiting reasonable intelligence, and now you are back to your normal agitating self. Worst part is, you probably still think it's funny. Most everyone here shows common courtesy and respect to the others in the club, though often times in disagreement with their opinions. Do you ever get the idea you just don't fit in here????

Oh well, why waste my time?? I'll just put you back on the iggy button, and eventualy add you to the long list of other self-righteous know-it-alls you used to be here. Bye Bye

Talking to you is like banging one's head against the wall. It only feels good when you quit!!!!!

Originally posted by csf03716
ahhh aint life grand!!!!...but be careful you might be the next victim of the old farts brigade....

Yes and we all know how often people are victimized and accosted by "the old farts brigade" here on CHR. In fact looking through this whole thread, it was amazing to me how much torture the younger guys have to endure here....Sad really...I don't know how anybody can handle the kind of ridicule and verbal abuse that is dished out. They must be some really amazing people.

I mean, come on, the old timers here actually think there may be a more practical way to get 300-350 ponies out of an engine than using a 283 as a start....can you believe the gaul???....Sheesh...a 350 or a 383....what nonsense.....

After all, if Car Craft and Hot Rod would interview some younger guys, them magazine writers could get the real deal. Get it right for a change.....

Oh and then, one of them didn't directly quote the first posting but made the mental jump and "assumed" that white_knight might actually be trying to stick this 283 in his/her camaro and another made the assumption that he or she might actually be trying to run the car on the street. It's torture that's almost mid-evil when you think about it.....

And then, can you believe this? Those "whinin old farts" don't even whine or revert to name calling when...wait how was that again?? Oh yeah here it is:

"but if it bothers you maybe the truth hurts...or i just hit a nerve.....i can hear ya dentures grindin away as i type, better get some extra strentgh poly grip"

With dialog like that which is so friendly and respectful, I don't see how those "whinin old farts" don't just love all the yungins and kiss the ground they walk on. After all the young guns have been through so much, and have had to endure so much ridicule....

Someday the world will be perfect, I just hope I aint a "whinin old fart" too when it happens.....

Oh and nobody be alarmed....I already know that I am:

"so thick headed and foolish its pathetic..."

Oh and one final thought, by the time I need 'em, my dentures will be dish washer safe...heheh

Cheers,
Firechicken

i say the guy should build his 283 lol...........scooter

old farts brigade lmao

I just needed some advice, that's all... I didn't know that this topic would cause so much tension.

Let me clear up a few things for you.

1. The engine that I build (it will be the 283... Thanks Scooter) is going to be swapped with the original 305 that's in my 1985 Camaro Z28.

2. It seems that there are so many contrary opinions about this engine that i just need to build the darn thing and see for myself.

3. If it doesn't work well, i'll do another engine... a 350 or 383. If it works well, i'll leave it alone.

4. The reason that the 283 project came up for me is that i have the block, the heads, a crankshaft, an intake manifold and a few other parts for it that are in great shape. The fact that i'm on a fairly tight budget makes this appealing to me.

5. What I was trying to get at in my original post was this...

When i build this engine, are there some of you who could help steer me in the right direction as far as the "right" parts to use, places to get parts, some experienced people who might be able to offer advice when it comes to figuring things out etc.

I didn't mean to start a fight.

Have a great day everyone and I hope to hear from some of you soon.

Jeff