[His64]

Hello! New here and want to get calibrated by some of you with 283 experience. I look forward to your feedback and thoughts for improvements!

Some car background:
Motor is original to a 64 SS with a Glide, (bought and am converting to a B&M T350 with 2400 stall). Stock 8.2 inch 10-bolt 3.08 posi has been changed to Richmond 4.56s and Eaton Posi. Will be running 26 tall rear tire. 16 gal cell, etc.

Engine build:
64 283 block .030 overbored
stock forged crank, std. std.
new Stage 1 rods w/ARP bolts
Clevite P series mains, rods, and cam bearings
ARP main cap bolts (2-bolt)
M55 HV w/ARP pump stud, deep p/u
7 qt deep sump with trap door, etc.
Summit flexplate and balancer, all ARP fasteners
KB-166 hypertec. dome tops, (net a calculated 10.01 SCR w/.020 deck, .028 GM head gasket, and 60.5 cc chambers. Nets a 8.35 SCR w/cam installed straight-up)
RHS ProTorker Vortec heads, milled .020 nets 60.5 chamber, stainless valves - undercut stems, muli-angle, etc. etc.
Comp XS268 solid FT cam, 981-16 springs, comp teflon seals, (w/spring tensioners removed), comp retainers, locks, comp solid lifters, 1.6 rollers w/locks
PP Crosswind "Air-Gap" intake with 1-inch 4-hole spacer
Holley 4160 Vac-Sec 600cfm carb, Holley 100gph mech fuel pump, all stainless -AN hoses, fittings, etc
Summit HEI, Moroso Ultra 40 sleeved wires, Autolite plugs (indexed), Edelbrock mech aluminum water pump, fabbed aluminum valve covers
Hooker 1 5/8 comp headers, w/2 1/2 Pypes crossover w/cutouts and 40 series Flows that dump.

My goal is to keep the car as true to form as possible and really smoke with the original 283. I get somewhat tired of seeing the typical 350 or 383...I realise there's a reason, but I like the notion of walking a bigger motor with my wee 283. Can you guys critique my build? Tell me what I might consider to go faster! Thanks!!!

 

[Tom Mobley]

HV oil pump definitely not needed in that situation. at all.

headers too big, need 1.5" or 1.375" long tubes

you might want to consider a Performer (not RPM) manifold.

key to your deal is air velocity, and a 283 isn't a very big air pump.

 

[greg_moreira]

more converter too. Also...dont buy something off the shelf. If you bought whats advertised as a 2400 converter......I wouldnt be surprised if its easily as tight as a stock converter behind a 283. The torque curve of the little motor is a lot different than the bigger motors(which is how these converters are judged). So if its called a 2400 converter....it will stall round about 2400 behind the garden variety 355.

It wont stall up quite as well behind the 283, and probably not appear to be much of an improvement. I think you need to call up some converter companies and have them set you up with something thats actually capable of stalling 3000 bare minimum behind the 283.

 

[His64]

Cool! Thanks for the feedback, Tom!

Performer, huh? interesting....does it have a lower runner volume to raise velocity?

BTW - heads are 170cc intake runner - good for velocity, right?

Is there any bad reason NOT to use the HV pump, or is it just overkill?

 

[His64]

more converter too. Also...dont buy something off the shelf. If you bought whats advertised as a 2400 converter......I wouldnt be surprised if its easily as tight as a stock converter behind a 283. The torque curve of the little motor is a lot different than the bigger motors(which is how these converters are judged). So if its called a 2400 converter....it will stall round about 2400 behind the garden variety 355.

It wont stall up quite as well behind the 283, and probably not appear to be much of an improvement. I think you need to call up some converter companies and have them set you up with something thats actually capable of stalling 3000 bare minimum behind the 283.

RATS! I labored over the converter and took the recommendations of an OEM. They suggested the 2400....You think I'll be disppointed, huh? OK - this is great info. Keep it coming!

 

[greg_moreira]

In a 283...thats gonna be a pretty wicked little solid cam. Same deal with the heads. 170cc vortec heads in most cases would be a good "velocity" head. On a little motor....they act more like a deeper breathing head. The 170cc head isnt overkill....but they are going to be more capable of higher rpm duty than you would associate with the larger small blocks using those heads. The manifold is the same deal. The performer intake doesnt have as much plenum volume or as much cross section in the runners. Its like a mild performing intake on the bigger motors. On the small motor....its also going to look larger.

All these things considered turns this into an engine thats probably going to want to spin 6500 at least to do its best work, and probably not really come on til about 4000rpm. You're definitely geared appropriately to emphasize the strongsuits....but yeah....a mild converter I think is going to be a crutch should you ever choose to race this car and really expect to be able to get up and out of the hole well.

 

[67chevelle406]

I would also go with more converter the 283 is not going to have a lot of low end so it needs to get into its powerband as fast as possible. I agree on the oilpump too a standard pump is fine. I doubt the 1-5/8 headers are going to hurt you. Good luck with the biuld and you came to the rite place these guys are very helpful.

 

[His64]

In a 283...thats gonna be a pretty wicked little solid cam. Same deal with the heads. 170cc vortec heads in most cases would be a good "velocity" head. On a little motor....they act more like a deeper breathing head. The 170cc head isnt overkill....but they are going to be more capable of higher rpm duty than you would associate with the larger small blocks using those heads. The manifold is the same deal. The performer intake doesnt have as much plenum volume or as much cross section in the runners. Its like a mild performing intake on the bigger motors. On the small motor....its also going to look larger.

All these things considered turns this into an engine thats probably going to want to spin 6500 at least to do its best work, and probably not really come on til about 4000rpm. You're definitely geared appropriately to emphasize the strongsuits....but yeah....a mild converter I think is going to be a crutch should you ever choose to race this car and really expect to be able to get up and out of the hole well.

Point taken. I'll consider an intake with perhaps a little less runner volume for higher charge velocity. I intend to spin to 6800 max. I don't highway drive much and do intend to see the track from time to time.

Sounds like a bad choice on the converter, though. I'll start looking for a 3 - 3.4k advertised stall?

Keep the feedback coming, All!!!

 

[aukai]

I would speak to a converter expert and not look for advertised stall ratings. That's what I'm feeling your saying. Like what was mentioned above, your application falls outside of the normal parameters. Your combo will be killer with the right converter. The smaller motor needs the special attention just like the big hp applications.

 

[Winston Wolf]

I would still use the Airgap intake and headers. Are you going to put this engine on a dyno before it goes back in the car? If so, I would see what the power curve actually is before you settle on a converter stall speed. I think it will make power higher than your planned 6500 rpms.... I would also personally have a conveter custom built also. The off the shelf ones with that high of a stall are really mushy to drive.

 

[Highway Star]

Those mufflers aren't ideal. You'd be better off with a through style muffler, dynomax ultraflos or race bullets, magnaflows, or even pypes race pros.

I agree that your proposed intake may be too much for this mill. I'll add that your intake needs to be compatible with the raised runner design of the vortec castings.

The summit HEI is likely a procomp (read: China) piece. There are mixed reviews on them, and sometimes they just fail. You may want to re-think that.

 

[Rich-L79]

Also, buy a brand name intake, not one of the cheap imports. Many of the imports do not even have ports that match well to the cylinder heads, they can also have noticeably different runner volumes from cylinder to cylinder. A decent Edelbrock intake isn't that much more expensive than the poorly made imports. You could even find a good used one for a good price which will look like new with a little soda blasting.

 

[greg_moreira]

Point taken. I'll consider an intake with perhaps a little less runner volume for higher charge velocity. I intend to spin to 6800 max. I don't highway drive much and do intend to see the track from time to time.

Sounds like a bad choice on the converter, though. I'll start looking for a 3 - 3.4k advertised stall?

Keep the feedback coming, All!!!

Yeah as mentioned, Id call up guys like Coan, Edge, and ATI(in no particular order and get thier opinion). I mentioned earlier "bare minimum 3000 stall", which is basically just an educated guess. Its not the optimum size converter, but its probably enough to call it a good compromise. But again....as mentioned this is a build that needs "special attention".

whether its 3000 or 4000......knowing what you want/need is one thing, but getting a converter that will actually provide that stall speed behind your particular motor is the tricky part. Thats why you want a pro involved who makes these converters and knows which one of their products will get you on the right track.

 

[richietables]

Love it that you're running the 283!

Maybe a little higher stall with the 'glide...

I run that Summit HEI and it's been fine for me so far. The price is right.

 

[cv67]

He swirched out to a T350 I think
Weiand (whats the new one, stealth?) dual plane would work good, too. Outperforms the performer good plenum volume for what it is. Guess they are cast overseas now, light castings but from eyeballing looked like it would work very well.

 

[His64]

I would still use the Airgap intake and headers. Are you going to put this engine on a dyno before it goes back in the car? If so, I would see what the power curve actually is before you settle on a converter stall speed. I think it will make power higher than your planned 6500 rpms.... I would also personally have a conveter custom built also. The off the shelf ones with that high of a stall are really mushy to drive.

I'm new in the Raleigh area and am not aware of any local dyno services - so that is unlikely. Maybe a chassis dyno down the road....?

Funny how I'm getting beat up on the 2400 stall TC I bought...

 

[His64]

Those mufflers aren't ideal. You'd be better off with a through style muffler, dynomax ultraflos or race bullets, magnaflows, or even pypes race pros.

I agree that your proposed intake may be too much for this mill. I'll add that your intake needs to be compatible with the raised runner design of the vortec castings.

The summit HEI is likely a procomp (read: China) piece. There are mixed reviews on them, and sometimes they just fail. You may want to re-think that.

Wow! A counter-flowmaster comment! I like this forum! Why do you think the straight through would benefit my build?

 

[His64]

Also, buy a brand name intake, not one of the cheap imports. Many of the imports do not even have ports that match well to the cylinder heads, they can also have noticeably different runner volumes from cylinder to cylinder. A decent Edelbrock intake isn't that much more expensive than the poorly made imports. You could even find a good used one for a good price which will look like new with a little soda blasting.

Done. I am convinced. I have thought of possible inconsistencies in runner volume and how this small inch motor maybe hyper-sensitive to imbalances like this. Eddy Performer though??? Gosh that goes against my performance marketing brainwashed mind that tells me RPM at a minimum. Have to keep telling myself, "it's a 283". Very different build project, but - what a blast! Oh and btw - it seems rare to find a Vortec intake on ebay, while the less than Eddy's are plentiful!

 

[His64]

Love it that you're running the 283!

Maybe a little higher stall with the 'glide...

I run that Summit HEI and it's been fine for me so far. The price is right.

Glide is no more. Crated up and in the basement....A new B&M T350 now lives in its place. I wanted 3 gears and something lower than a 1.82 first!

Another vote for higher stall TC - nice. I can really tell where I messed up!

 

[His64]

He swirched out to a T350 I think
Weiand (whats the new one, stealth?) dual plane would work good, too. Outperforms the performer good plenum volume for what it is. Guess they are cast overseas now, light castings but from eyeballing looked like it would work very well.

Yep - Glide is gone! T350 now with a less than popular 2400 stall converter.

Weiand Stealth - Yes! I have thought about this intake myself since the recommendations have begun pouring in. Little less expensive than the Eddy Vortec and approximately the same advertised effective range.