Hi all,
I'm working on a 1960 Apache 1/2 ton Pick up truck that has the original 283ci engine. I would like to rebuild my motor to be strong & efficient. I think Chevy did that with the Corvette in those years. Reliable, probably able to run on regular fuel of today and plenty of horses to pull without guzzling the gas. Can you please tell me how to convert my 283 to be the same as the Corvette 283 w/270 hp? And also correct me if I'm wrong? I'm trying to keep my truck period correct so I don't want to add things onto the exterior of the engine that weren't available or would be noticed.
Thank you,
Michael

 

You would need the better heads, cam and the dual quad setup.What you have is the base motor.

 

Well the 283 is a small bore motor.....so the heads that you have are really the best choice.....these heads respond very well to "street' porting which is a gasket match, a bowl blend, and a modern Serdi style three angle valve job along with stainless valves.
Scribing the bore into the head deck with Dykem then relieving the chamber to the scribe around the intake valve will help flow tremendously....the heads are where the power is found.
I like to shim the stock valve covers and run full roller lifters....they are worth the expense...Comp has a budget roller lifter now that is durable....Trend pushrods are a big plus here too.

You cannot see the cam....so if your budget allows....run a hydraulic roller...Comp's XR258HR would be perfect....

You will have to measure compression....but try to get above 9.5 to 1.

Intake wise....the dual quad is really the best choice....it will flow the best out of any of the period intakes of the time.....but know that ANY modern aftermarket intake will out flow it even with a single carb.
An Edelbrock performer looks pretty stock when painted engine color.
They make an EPS intake now that even has the oil filler tube hole in it.

A 600 cfm vacuum secondary carb is probably the best choice....although I am ver partial to Holleys 670 Truck Avenger with the billet primary boosters....these work great with a small V-8.

I recommend headers of course.

A MSD billet distributor can be painted at the base and have the old style cap installed for stealth effect....the MSD is easy to curve and you will pick up here.

An easy 300+ horsepower is available here....it will move the truck around smartly.

I recently built a small bore 305 for a 54 Chevy truck with all of these mods and it runs very strong
while knocking down 19 MPG!

Peace,
Jebby

 

So you have a truck but signed up to the Corvette Forum to figure this out????

 

The best bang for your buck is to jack up the heads/intake and slide a 327 short block under them if you want to keep it looking original.

If you don't mind a slight deviation from original appearance, find a 400 SB and stick it in your truck.

.

 

Seems like the perfect place for someone interested in performance upgrades for a 283. Who better than (early) Corvette guys would have the details on these engines? Does it really matter what vehicle it's installed in?

 

283's are fun - here is a link to my recent 283 project:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...-pictures.html

and I think that they sound ok too:

 

I re-read your question so to specifically answer what you asked you'll need to change the:

crankshft/rod bearings

Camshaft/lifters

pistons

heads

intake manifold/carburetors

distributor

air cleaner(s)

and a few other miscellaneous parts.

Since the manifold, carburetors, distributor weren't factory installed or period correct for a truck, not to mention the carb/manifold combination is expensive and not suited for truck use, see my previous post.

If you're gonna' use your truck for a truck, the 270 hp engine is not the way to go. More cubes are at a lot cheaper price.

 

Thank you guys very much for the great info and quick response! I knew this would be the place to check for the right ideas because truck guys either want to restore their trucks or they want to do a resto-mod with a hot rod engine.
I want to use my truck as a daily driver and add a little pep to it without filling it up every other day. Also to have the ability to occasionally tow a trailer or help a friend move. An efficient running motor that burns as much fuel as possible and breathes freely I believe will accomplish this. When I found out the Corvette of the same year as my truck has essentially the same starting blocks of my engine I wanted to see what mods could be made that are period correct and achieve my goals.
The more ideas and the more brands with the correct data of what to use is really great, so that I may weigh through it and figure out which combo of info is best suited for my project.
Jebby,
Thanks for the write up!
Blu72,
Thanks for the link. I'll definitely watch your build a few times!
Thank you again,
Michael