ryan22

I bought a casting number & date code "correct" 283 for our 61. It's a longblock that became available due to the owner of a 61 deciding to go the restomod route.

I know buying an engine is a gamble. Got this for a good price so decided to roll the dice. Please give some suggestions as to what you would do with it before installing it. Was told this engine was rebuilt in 2011- no details were available about rebuild, parts used, etc. Took oil pan & valve covers off- looks really clean there and under intake.

Engine had a dual quad setup on it. Carbs were correct for a 57 2x4 setup so don't know if it was originally a dual quad motor. Pad is blank, block's been decked, so don't know its original HP.

It has heads, fuel pump, balancer, water pump on it. Really just needs an intake installed.

I'm thinking of removing the camshaft to see what's in it & decide what I can do to the engine to improve its performance. What would you do with this before install ? Pull heads and have look at cylinders ?

Thanks in advance.

63split63

If you trust the word of the seller I would put it in the car , change the oil, oil filter and fuel filter . If it sounds good run it up to temp and do a compression test .
If you take it apart you will probably end up with a rebuilt engine at great expense .

Bill

DansYellow66

Do you know if it has been run at all and broken in? How I start it up for the first time might depend on that. To be safe I would take it up to about 1800 rpm and hold it there for about 20 minutes upon starting. I would also remove the distributor and pre-lube it by spinning the oil pump first - right before starting. Also, verify TDC for #1 piston and make sure the distributor is in the right posiiton.

jimh_1962

First thing to do it take it to a good machine shop and get the block and heads magna fluxed to see how things are. Its a gamble if you do not do that. A good shop should recommend what you should do next.

If it was me, I would break it down... I guess you could find out who rebuilt the engine and start from there. I am sure they would have some records of the work done.

No reason to take a chance. My brother-in-law did that once and almost destroyed a 428 ford super cobra jet block. The previous engine builder was the nephew of a sprint car engine builder. He started having problems with the engine and decided to take it to another engine builder. The guy told him it was really a shame since all of the internal parts needed replaced. The previous engine builder left sand blast material in the intake which went through to the pan.

Not sure what your budget is... Its not expensive to take apart a long block. Check to see what the specs are on the clearances and such. All you will be out at minimum is the cost of the gaskets if you can do the work. You might as well take the block and heads in to a machine shop at the same time. Well worth it if you plan on using the engine. Not sure about the lifters and the rest of the parts.

Easy Rhino

That's a tough call if you don't know how it was put together. Best case, you take the precautions as for a known rebuild and it starts right up and runs great for years.

Worst case, it was improperly thrown together with incorrect pieces, and it self-destructs shortly after starting, if it starts at all.

If the block is valuable, or you have a lot of money in it (or its replacement), I would be inclined to at least pull the heads and the pan and inspect and take some measurements. It will likely cost you some gaskets, but may save money and a heartache.

But I tend to be risk-adverse.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

AZDoug

I would take molds of the casting number and date code on the block and make epoxy casts from those molds and transfer them onto a 350 block that has been stroked to a 383. And also take some 2.020 heads and pocket port them and make the double hump go away into a power pack symbol.

AND get very knowledgeable restamper to duplicate some broach marks and transfer whatever engine code, and the VIN derivative onto the stamp pad of the 383 motor.

You could then go play with the NCRS boys, and still have a car that would be able to get out of its own way.

Doug

ChattanoogaJSB

If it looks clean, check a few rod and main cap torques with the pan off, put it in, break it in as advised just to be sure, and see how it runs. I wouldn't overthink it if you didn't pay much. If it runs good but needs more grunt (and let's be serious when doesn't it?) then you'll have a baseline.

MikeM

...............after all. How much trouble is it really to set an engine in the frame and fire it up and run it?

I wouldn't have even opened the engine up at all. Just cranked it up and see what I had.

Very easy to spend a ton of money just "trying to be safe" and get no benefit from it. None!

Of course, it you must "do it for the children", that's for another chapter.

VetteRed1965

This is the safest

DansYellow66

I forgot to mention use a good break in oil to start it - like Joe Gibbs or equivalent.

ryan22

I was told by the seller that he heard the engine run and that it had no issues. Seller is the owner of an auto shop who came into possession of the engine. I trust that he was honest about it. If it's not as advertised he can count on seeing me again.

I'll let ya know how it turns out. Snow's melting here in MI so I'm starting to make plans.

Wish I knew something about the rebuild. How much difference would it make if it has a stock cam vs one used in a solid lifter 270 hp engine ? Just wondering if the difference would make it worth pulling the cam to identify it and possibly swap in a better one ?

Thanks for everyone's input, much appreciated.

Roger Walling

If you tear it down, the "While your at it's" will end up costing you more than if you rebuilt it in the first place.

Life is a gamble, do you check your bed linen every night before you go to bed to make sure nobody left a broken bottle in it? You have to have trust in life, start it up and drive it like you stole it.

MikeM

Jackfit

Hi, if you can , put it on a dyno , that will break it in and tell you what kind of power and performance you have

Cheap dollars spent

Jack

1COOL60

Since you have the entire range from tear it completely down to drop it in and drive it, here is my 2 cents worth.

Since you already have the pan off I would suggest pulling a main cap or two and see how things look. Also, pull a rod cap or two. If things look okay I say it is good to go.

Since the intake is the only thing gone, you should be able to determine if it has hydraulic or mechanical lifters. If it is a 097 cam I would think that would be a good cam to use, if you are okay with mechanical lifters.

Just out of curiosity, what heads does it have? Are they power pack, or double hump; what are the casting numbers?

Good luck, and let us know how things work out.
160

ryan22

1Cool60- the heads have casting number 3774692. Do I have to pull a lifter to determine if they're solid or hydraulic ?

AZDoug- your suggestion "take molds of the casting number and date code on the block and make epoxy casts from those & transfer them onto a 350 block that has been stroked to 383. And also take some 2.020 heads and pocket port them and make the double hump go away into a power pack symbol.

AND get a very knowledgeable restamper to duplicate some broach marks and transfer the engine code & VIN derivative onto the stamp pad of the 383 motor."

-Definitely the most creative & entertaining reply, good stuff.

Thanks All.

emccomas

You are overthinking this...yes I really said that.

I am often and correctly accused of overthinking things. Hey, I'm a rocket scientist, it's what we do.

Put the engine in the car, pull the distributor to spin up oil pressure, reinstall distributor and start it.

Hearing it run (or not) will answer every question you have asked.