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$4000 put into a 283, what would you do?

4K views 33 replies 24 participants last post by  Chief fat nutz 
#1 ·
What would you do if you had $4000 to put into a 67 283???? Twin turbo?? Pro charger?? I can get a good deal on a procharger. What kind of numbers could you make and it would be going in a 72 2wd blazer that is for show and fun, not the drag strip.
Thanks to all.
 
#5 ·
What shape is the 283 in? If it needed rebuilt I would sell it.
I can see using it in a hot light street car. But in a big ole' 72 4wd you want tourque.
I'd do a nice rebuild on a 400smblk with a 268 cam and a 2000 stall if you run an auto.
400 is something different and it will make power without having to rev the snot out of it.
A 396 would also be different and would be more ideal for a big heavy truck. Think tourque.
Even a 427 truck motor would be a good one for a 4 wheel drive and if you show it to ain't nothing like looking at the mile wide vc on a BB.
 
#6 ·
get the aforementioned 350 block and a 383 stroker bottom end kit for it. get some modern heads and what not, too.
put the 283 valve covers and accessories on it, and tell everyone that you have camel backs and a 3/4 race cam in your 283.
 
#9 ·
What Derrik said. Build a 350, put 283 valve covers on it. If you really want it to look right, find a 327 block with the road draft tube hole in the back, run a PCV there, use a manifold with an oil fill tube in the front with a breather cap on it.

truth is you can't do any decent twin turbo deal and an engine for $4K.

this stuff is a lot like boats, the bigger a boat is the less it gets used. The more radical induction stuff on an engine the less it gets driven. If it has a blower, twin turbos, NOS, F.I. all mounted on a tunnel ram you can bet it gets pushed in and out of the trailer it lives in. No fun.
 
#12 ·
I would go with the GM 350 Ram Jet crate motor.

Enough power and fuel economy to boot!

That is what is replacing the 454 in my Beaumont!

and a super T10 and 3.0 rear gear.
 
G
#14 ·
If you are serious here and I ask b/c I love the little motors!!

I'd build an 8.5 to 1 CR forged flat-top pistoned 292 and bolt on a 177 Supercharger.

Use big valve heads w/ a decent bowl-blend along w/ .015" Fel-pro shim headgaskets or .020" stock type or Mr. Gasket's and a low lift solid lifter cam that's in the .450" lift range that would be like a 218/224 on 114/108 centers!

It should pull nicely, imho!! And also be eye candy!!

Note!! NOTHING fancy at all to me!!

Add headers and probably a 750 carb is needed and you are done!

pdq67

PS., probably make like 420hp at 6500 rpm and 400 t at 4,000 rpm!! Just a mild BLOWN 292 is all, imho!!

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#15 ·
If you are serious here and I ask b/c I love the little motors!!

I'd build an 8.5 to 1 CR forged flat-top pistoned 292 and bolt on a 177 Supercharger.

Use big valve heads w/ a decent bowl-blend along w/ .015" Fel-pro shim headgaskets or .020" stock type or Mr. Gasket's and a low lift solid lifter cam that's in the .450" lift range that would be like a 218/224 on 114/108 centers!

It should pull nicely, imho!! And also be eye candy!!

Note!! NOTHING fancy at all to me!!

Add headers and probably a 750 carb is needed and you are done!

pdq67

PS., probably make like 420hp at 6500 rpm and 400 t at 4,000 rpm!! Just a mild BLOWN 292 is all, imho!!
I agree with Paul, even though I'm NOT a fan at all of the little motors in anything other than a work beater.

If you want to use the 283 and want to build something "different" that is cool-looking and able to pull that truck around nicely, I believe Paul hit on the way to go. IMO.:) :thumbsup:


Randy
 
#16 · (Edited)
I like my 283 but you are indeed mismatching yours on hp/wt basis.

350...383...400 all viable, depends on what you want. I'd bet the 400 with a milder cam and smallish carb would give best economy and all around utility.

my2cents


By the way Paul, ain't no forged pistons available for the 283 anymore. TRW and others dropped the bore and comp height in forged
 
#18 ·
i had a 0.60 over 283 with a rv cam, peformer intake, 600 holley vac sec carb in a 71 k5 blazer with a th 350 373 rears. it was a pig on any kind of hill. as in any short stroke motor you had to wind it up. it would chirp second gear hard if ya tried, but not really a good motor for a 4x4.
 
#20 ·
I'd save another 2k & buy a crate 454
 
#21 ·
The blazer is a 2wd, it had a 402 that I pulled and sold. I was going to build a iron block ls1 to go in it but I bought a 67 swd 2wd that is my daily driver that has the 283 in it and I am going to put the genIII in for the economy. I see what most of you are saying about the 283 not having enough low end to get the blazer going. Thanks for the replies and keep them coming.
 
#22 ·
A Gen III motor would make for a great DD.
 
#24 ·
Tim,

Try Egge and see if they make forged pistons for the little jewel??

http://www.egge.com/

And I never did get a link to Badger that worked or to Zollner or Simplex either???????????

Just for CHEAP cast pistons like I bought from good old W/JCW for like $39.95 that I installed in my old junk301 years ago!!

pdq67

Paul
I am turning mine into a 312 with a set of 307 forged TRW pistons I got on ebay for $150, and a 327 SJ crank. Eagle 5.7 SJ rods and 30300003 TrickFlow 1.94 heads and a rpm air gap intake ,4777 holley. About past half gathered so far, keep getting sidetracked. And yes my block is the good one with thr round bottoms. And now you should know who I am Paul, I'm from the other TC, I am 77wolf10.85. I was gonna keep my big mouth shut over here but I couldn't remember making a conscious decision to do that and when I saw this 283 thread I had to say something. Even if it was to condemn the little sweetheart for what this guy needs:sad:. I can't let a 283 conversation go past.

I only needed 1 (one dammit) L-2275 .030. And TRW dropped the line, and speed pro didn't buy the prints. I don't want no stinking cast junk:D. I stuck a set of KB flat top hypers in it just to make it run again even though I knew it would be ill w/o compression. 10 years down was long enough. I had to hear it again.

I didn't like it and it's apart again but I'm thinking about slapping it back together and stuffing a little $69 summit cam into it to try to fail the cam, for fun. No EOS, no moly, no STP, just oil.
It won't fail, I'll idle it all day on the garage floor and then I'll take it apart. Then build it as a 312 and stuff it back in my 66 P/U and get my binks syphon gun and a 5 gallon bucket of flat black primer and go ape$hit brzerk:D and get me a skull on the hood with red eyeballz and go play:D. Lord I got a vivid imagination huh? But I am gonna paint that thing with my Binks gun, I'm serious. I think it'll look ok. Hafta look better than it does now:D
 
#25 ·
283s are fun in a light car, you can buzz them to the moon. But you have to remember, it's still only a 283. That 3" stroke will build you almost no torque. Go for cubic inches to get that beast moving. Dress it up old school of you like to impress people. I'd be looking at a 496 kit for it myself.

Devin
 
#27 ·
I hate to say this but the 283 is a screamer and not a torque monster

if you are looking for seat up the pants relaiblity this is a proven combo

Jegs 383 shortblock $1799
iron eagle heads 215cc version $1000
rpm air gap intake
230 230 525 525 cam
400+hp
400+ft lbs

beat it to death all day long and plenty of power

if you dont know machein work alone will be over $500
i just gave away a 283 and a 327
 
#28 ·
I'm with Paul. .060 over with flat tops, Vortec heads as all the blower manufacturures have manifolds. For a cam, go old school with wide lobe separation. Plenty of choices and cheap enough. I'd probably go with the LT1 cam myself with it's 116 separation.
With 8 lbs of boost, the 292 will be making more power than the n/a 400 can.
 
G
#29 ·
Lamar,

I like the way you are thinking, but my 292" is a .060" overbore 283, not a Gimmy 292", 6-banger!

And I got my lunch handed to me late one Sat night leaving town in my '57, 283 as a '51 Custom Convert packed my lunch w/ a hopped up 261 Gimmie, 6-banger!!

To this day, I remember the sound of it's split exhaust manifold and dual Smitties!! Up and down through the gears!! Ain't NO sound any sweeter to me!!

He, He!! AS IT PULLED AWAY!!!!

pdq67

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#30 ·
Lamar,

I like the way you are thinking, but my 292" is a .060" overbore 283, not a Gimmy 292", 6-banger!

And I got my lunch handed to me late one Sat night leaving town in my '57, 283 as a '51 Custom Convert packed my lunch w/ a hopped up 261 Gimmie, 6-banger!!

To this day, I remember the sound of it's split exhaust manifold and dual Smitties!! Up and down through the gears!! Ain't NO sound any sweeter to me!!

He, He!! AS IT PULLED AWAY!!!!

pdq67
lol You still have a cool build. You can rev those short stroke motors. I am a bit younger but Dad tells stories of a Chevy II that had a built up Inline 6 running some great times. You just don't see 283s or the Inline 6s modded much anymore.
 
#31 ·
it all sounds like a lot of FUN......... but why not run a 4" bore to unshroud the valves run a 3"stroke & solid cam ....... old style scopion manifold 750 DP 4.88 gears & 4 speed ......
there's not very many things that sing a sweeter song then a 302 around 8 grand rowing through the gears :D
 
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