59 navy

It may be cheaper to buy a 283 solid lifter crate motor to replace my period correct hyd 283. My current motor is tired and was rebuilt once before. I could use my rebuilt Carters, water pump, etc on the replacement. Any suggestions on a source for quanity crate engines. (Car build Dec 1958, motor February 1959)

cardo0

Plenty of forum members happy w/theyre BluePrint Engines. And they are supporting vendors to. If u want GM new u have to buy a 350". Stay away from flea-bay.

BTW most large towns still have engine shops that maintain fleet vehicles and would love a good 'ol sbc. Look around u may find a good local shop for your motor for a lot less $$$ and give u warranty to.

Goo luck.

GTOguy

You need to stay with the gen 1 block with the 2 piece main seal. Preferably a pre-'68 block, as it has the same vent hole at the rear as your original. My '61 is running a 383 stroker based on a '67 302/327/350 block.....runs like a scalded cat and visually correct looking, with the original 2x4's, sealed valve covers, etc. Not aware of a crate 283...pretty much dried up. I would rebuild the original, if it were my car, or, second choice, install a gen 1 crate 350/383/400/406 with more power. There are new GM 383's available for around 5k.

GearheadJoe

GTOguy:

For your 383 that was based on a '67 block (probably a 3892657 casting?), did you line bore the block for 2.45" mains or turn down a 383 crank for 2.30" mains?

For my 383, I used a 3892657 block and line bored it for 2.45" mains, since GM used this same casting for the Camaro 350. However, I'm aware that some people make a 383 with a small journal crank, and I'm curious whether this holds up to mild abuse.

Either way, I think 59navy would do well to use a pre-1968 block so that he gets the rear crankcase vent. He can do 327, 350, or 383 and it will look externally like a 283.

GTOguy

Joe, my 383 was assembled 25 years ago by the previous owner. I have no idea about the internals, except for the pistons, which I noted during the replacement of the head gaskets. When I eventually tear it down for a refresh, I'll have a better idea. It has some blowby, but has 195 psi compression in every hole and runs super strong....tons of torque. And it looks totally original, too.

GearheadJoe

If it's easy to check, I'd be interested to know if the block is a 3892657. I have determined that this same casting was used for both the 1967 Corvette 327 (small journal mains) and the 1967 Camaro 350 (large journal mains). Apparently GM simply machined the mains larger when they were making a 350, so I assume the casting has enough meat to support large-journal mains.

The 1967 Camaro 350 blocks are rare and expensive, but the 327 version was used in other Camaros and passenger cars, so it's not hard to find one.

As I noted in my earlier post, I decided to line bore a small-journal 3892657 to the large-journal size to build my 383, but I know that some people have simply turned down the 383 crank journals to fit a small-journal block. I just wonder whether a small-journal 383 crank will hold up to some abuse.

I have a friend who is considering putting a 383 crank in a '63 block. I think that would definitely require turning down the crank journals rather than line boing the block for larger mains.