62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

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06-14-2005, 07:50 AM
64Belair

62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

Hi there guys, i bought a 64 belair with a 6 banger that is smoking so a guy i know has a 62' 283 thats a complete runner for $300. (the guy went to some high horsepower crate motor.)

Can anyone suggest a nice big cam for this motor?
alot of guys are telling me the biggest i can go on the street for a daily is a 327-350hp cam..

What else can i do to crank some more power out of this motor without really tearing it down>?

Its definitly getting a new cam and lifters, maybe 1.5 rockers and new high performance valve springs and a gear drive?

thanks for all your help!
Jason
06-14-2005, 08:35 AM
NTFDAY

This is a 327/375 hp cam, but it is a solid lifter cam.
06-14-2005, 09:08 AM
64Belair

hmm, somthing like that but hydro would be nice, but would the stock power pack heads work with somthing like this?
06-14-2005, 09:17 AM
NTFDAY

The last time I ran that cam was in a stock '74 400. It would be quite a bit wilder in a 283. It would require a 2500 or so stall converter in front of an auto trans and headers.
06-14-2005, 09:18 AM
64Belair

i will definitly be running headers and around a 2500 stall.
06-14-2005, 09:22 AM
TravisB

More power............ get a bigger engine! there is only so much you can do with a 283!
06-14-2005, 09:28 AM
riverhorse59

Re: 62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

Quote:

Originally posted by 64Belair
Hi there guys, i bought a 64 belair with a 6 banger that is smoking so a guy i know has a 62' 283 thats a complete runner for $300. (the guy went to some high horsepower crate motor.)

Can anyone suggest a nice big cam for this motor?
alot of guys are telling me the biggest i can go on the street for a daily is a 327-350hp cam..

What else can i do to crank some more power out of this motor without really tearing it down>?

Its definitly getting a new cam and lifters, maybe 1.5 rockers and new high performance valve springs and a gear drive?

thanks for all your help!
Jason

:) :)

Why not shop around for a good 327.Way back when, I used a 327-350 cam in my 64 SS Impala ,4 speed,that was originally a 250 HP. motor . I was very pleased. A 327/375HP,( referred to as the 30--30 cam )would be a real dog in a close to stock 283. You would need everything else to go along with the 30/30.or you'de be pissing up a rope. With a close to stock 283 even with the power pack heads I would use no larger than a 268 Comp cam.Forget the gear drive. It's hard on your motor and just makes a bunch of noise. Spend your money on something more worthwhile,like headers,roller rockers,etc,etc,etc.:whacked: :whacked:
NTFDAY ,Im not trying to disagree with You,I think You were just throwing that out as an option,but Unless he is planning on spending a lot of money on a 283,which I dont think thats the case, Thats too much cam.:LOL:
06-14-2005, 09:57 AM
MI2600

You could try the old L79 hydraulic cam used in the 350hp 327s. It's still produced by various brands. .222 duration @ .050 and .447 lift at the valve.
06-14-2005, 12:24 PM
techinspector1

Start your project with a 400 small block. It's way easier to make power with a bigger motor and a streetable cam will make life much easier.
06-14-2005, 12:46 PM
64Belair

Alot of people are trying to steer me away from the 283, but $300 for a complete runner i cant go wrong to dump a cam and roller rockers.nice intake and headers and slam it in the car for the summer,.

the same amount of people have been telling me that a 283 can be a really snotty/snappy motor that will run very strong.

the car currently has a 250-6 that smokes like crazy so i cant go wrong with the little small block.
06-14-2005, 01:05 PM
techinspector1

Do you think that maybe "a lot of people" might know more than you do? :confused:

Have you thought about how you're gonna deal with the soft valve seats and unleaded gas?

How are you gonna hang your accessories on the motor with heads that are not drilled and tapped?
06-14-2005, 01:22 PM
27RAT

TRY THE L79 CAM , DUAL PLAIN INTAKE ,500CFM CARB AND SMALL TUBE HEADERS (1 5/8 ) .ADD A GOOD HEI DIST AND RIDE . IF YOU WANT MORE MOTOR START GATHERING THE PARTS FOR A 350 .
06-14-2005, 02:12 PM
64Belair

Hanging accessories wont be a problem, im just running power steering and altenator. i have tons of rams heads manifolds "in stock" here at my shop, but i will just run a header bracket.

"Do you think that maybe "a lot of people" might know more than you do?"

I never claimed to be an expert here on small block chevys and im not looking for 500hp either, just a nostalgic look, cool exhaust note and a little get up and go.

The "alot of people" who having been telling me that a 283 can run are the guys who raced them back in the 60's or have built them for hot rods, 57 chevys, etc..

the other have are younger "drag racer mentality" types.

"Have you thought about how you're gonna deal with the soft valve seats and unleaded gas?"

yes i have! The heads have already been gone thru on the 283 im planning on buying.

Check out some of the cars from the shop i work at on the pictures page of www.radirwheels.com

27RAT, sounds like a plan, i have a bunch of old mid 60's aluminum intakes i can try out too, so i will see what will work out best, thanks for your help!
06-14-2005, 07:20 PM
NTFDAY

Re: Re: 62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

Quote:

Originally posted by riverhorse59
:) :)
NTFDAY ,Im not trying to disagree with You,I think You were just throwing that out as an option,but Unless he is planning on spending a lot of money on a 283,which I dont think thats the case, Thats too much cam.:LOL:

That cam was originally in a 265 punched to 301 with a set of heads that matched double humps. The dist was an early dual point Vette with a Mallory dual coil and an early Vette 2-4 setup. It was hooked to a 39 box via a Sheiffer 10 lb alum flywheel into a 40 pickup rearend with 441 gears. That was my '36 5 window, mid '60's, and it was a screamer for it's time. And yes, it had one hell of a rough idle.
06-14-2005, 08:44 PM
riverhorse59

Re: Re: Re: 62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NTFDAY
[B]That cam was originally in a 265 punched to 301 with a set of heads that matched double humps. And yes, it had one hell of a rough idle.:confused: :confused:

I should leave this alone but I cant! Were You casting your own blocks back then? A 265 could just barely be bored to a 283,and a 283 could just barely be bored to a 301. A 265 bored to 301 would have been bored .250. Dont think so!!

What is a set of heads that matched double humps?

And Yes, a 30-30 had one hell of a rough idle.

64 Bel Air, No one here is telling you that a 283 can't be made to run. They will . I have had a couple that ran very good,but I had everything working well together. You just dont want to put a big solid lifter camshaft in a 283 with small heads,small valves,and valve springs that dont have 50 pounds of seat pressure,and think you are accompolishing anything, You're not.

The point several of us here were trying to make is, For 300 to 500 bucks you could find a used 327, 350 or 400 smallblock to work with. Thats a lot more cubic inches to pull a 3500 pound 64
Bel Air. Parts cost no more for those motors than the 283. As a matter of fact,most rebuild parts are cheaper for the 350 than any other motor.

Build what You want and we will try to assist you in any way we can. Good Luck and have fun with your project. :LOL: :LOL:
06-14-2005, 08:54 PM
69c10

I'm building a 283 as a budget motor for my truck until my monster big block is done. The 283 is a very versitile engine, and while I'm no expert on them, I know quite a few people who have worked these mouse motors from one extreme to the other. Right now I will be putting on a Edlebrock Performer RPM AIRGAP Dual Plane Intake, 500CFM Edlebrock carb, comp cams Magnum Hydraulic flat-tappet cam with 224 duration at .050 and .470 lift for both intake and exhaust. A friend of mine built the exact same setup, and was making 360hp and about 350 ft/lbs of torque one the stock crank rods and pistons, and he also has done nothing to the heads and hasnt noticed any problems with running unleaded gas, and he pulled the motor apart at 35000 miles. This is just my 2 cents on this situation.

- Cory
06-14-2005, 09:01 PM
NTFDAY

Re: Re: Re: Re: 62' 283 Biggest cam???? how can i get more power?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by riverhorse59
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by NTFDAY
[B]That cam was originally in a 265 punched to 301 with a set of heads that matched double humps. And yes, it had one hell of a rough idle.:confused: :confused:

I should leave this alone but I cant! Were You casting your own blocks back then? A 265 could just barely be bored to a 283,and a 283 could just barely be bored to a 301. A 265 bored to 301 would have been bored .250. Dont think so!!

What is a set of heads that matched double humps?

I didn't build the engine. It had a 327 crank in as I was told and the guy that built it had done quite a bit of work on the heads and I've still got the cam.
06-14-2005, 10:29 PM
gassersrule_196

one of the biggest mistakes i see people do is OVER-cam 283's
06-15-2005, 03:30 PM
dr_bowtie

Go ahead build it....but

Parts are gonna cost more....but what the heck....You Will need more converter to get this going but you can and save a little mileage....

when I did my first 283 I used a Cam Dynamics 495 lift 280 duration cam... I also used 492 heads and flat tops and a re-worked Q-jet....I use a 3500 stall conv.

I also helped a buddy build a 350 with a Comp Cams 292 cam (501 lift 292 duration) and stock 882 heads and flat tops

My car was a 4door 57 chevy with 3.73 rear gear and his car was a 68 pontiac lemans with a 3.73 rear gear....we both used the same converter 3500...

Most times I could pull him by a car length...I was a 1/10 faster in the 1/4....

Being a heavier car and a smaller motor....hum musta been magic...
06-15-2005, 04:00 PM
lt1s10

Being a heavier car and a smaller motor....hum musta been magic...

if thats was true it would have been magic. :HMMM:
06-15-2005, 05:16 PM
R Pope

Go with the 283, 350 horse 327 juice lifter cam, and aluminum manifold. With the Power Pack heads and decent springs, that thing will rev like crazy and stay together.
06-16-2005, 10:09 AM
riverhorse59

Quote:

Originally posted by dr_bowtie
when I did my first 283 I used a Cam Dynamics 495 lift 280 duration cam... I also used 492 heads and flat tops and a re-worked Q-jet....I use a 3500 stall conv.
I also helped a buddy build a 350 with a Comp Cams 292 cam (501 lift 292 duration) and stock 882 heads and flat tops
Most times I could pull him by a car length...I was a 1/10 faster in the 1/4....
Being a heavier car and a smaller motor....hum musta been magic... [/B]

:whacked: :whacked: No magic here! It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.
dr bowtie. You had the better heads and more compression to go with your big camshaft. 3991492 (492) 2.02/1.60 valves ,proberly no more than 68cc's. used from 69 to 72. Compare those to 882( the biggest junk head chevy ever made)Thin castings,most had 1.94/1.50 valves and 76 cc's .Your friend would have picked up by using a smaller cam with that combination .

64 Bel Air, 69C-10, R Pope , 27RAT and M1-2600 are all on the right track for what You want to accompolish with your 283 on a budget.

A 327-350 cam is 222/222Dur @ 50, 447/447 lift , 114 lobe center

Check this out, Competition Products 1-800-233-0199 sells an Elgin Cam Kit( Elgin makes cams for many companies including ford and chev) $129.95 includes cam, lifters, Z28 / LT1 valve springs,valve locks, umbrella seals and assy lube . A great price for all of that. Check these out.
Part # E903= 223/223, 447/447, 114 Street/strip .4bbl,headers
almost identical to the 327-350 cam
Part# E923= 204/214, 420/443, 112
almost identical to the Edelbrock performer cam
Part# E922= 214/224, 443/465, 112
They have several others to choose from that you may want to look at. With these I listed ,headers,duals ,4bbl. some gear would help, but you shouldn't need much of a converter.You may have a good gear ratio since the car came with a 6 cylinder.
When You purchase the cam kit, make sure you purchase a decent double roller timing set to go with it. A cheepie timing set, just does not cut it. Remember, You are working with a 283, Bigger cam does not always mean better cam.
I would love to have tried a little less valve and a little less cam in dr.bowtie's 57. Im betting his 283 would have been even faster.
Have a Good Day !
:) :)