newbie ?/283 performance

Hey all,
I just purcheased a 1960 Apache 1/2 tonlongbed truck that's complete & completely stock. I'll go thru the vehicle from bottom to top. I would like to build a high performance engine with the original 283 tblock. Is there any info out there? I read the CHtP small block build up book but  they start with a 350. Lots of great info!
Thanks,
Michael  

2ndOwnerApache welcome aboard.

You sure can Step up the Horse Power. The only thing is finding the right parts.

The 283 in my buddies Vette only has 275 HP..Ha,Ha. It will put you in the gas tank.

All kidding aside. When you pull the engine apart take the Numbers from the heads,block, intake etc. There is a way to get you what you want. If it's a manual trans Crane and Lunati make nice Factory replacement cams for the 283.

Does yours have solid lifters?

Send along what information you can, and lets look around? I love hose old 283s. They have a steel crank if Noone removed the factory one.

         HAPPY HEW YEAR.

Bob  

A 275 horse 283 has a sound that is Sweet to hear and if we had better gas 3-325 horse is there but at a higher rpm than the truck may like, Oh Well. but def. get an O/D trans and 4.11 rear gears, And Paint it lite yellow pearl with a white Roof and send me Pictures.  

Thanks for the welcome and info! I have not pulled anything apart in the motor. I'm not sure what it does or doesn't have. But i am the 2nd owner and hopefully the previous owner didn't do anything whacky. I was told that it is all original. I am just trying to keep the truck alive while i do the research and acquire the parts to do restoration.
Thanks again,
Michael  

I remember the old 57 Chevy, 270/283 from the WAY back machine. 2x4s, Duntov cam, 10.5-1 compression. High 14s, low 15s with headers and some cheater slicks. Amazing for that time. I had that same engine in a 58 Chevy.
Back in 1957 it was the quickest 1/4 mile car to come out of Detroit outside of the Vette which had the same engine.
Here is a very old race report from a friend of mine back in 58. He said a Pontiac and an Olds lined up to race at a street light. They take off and from behind comes this black 57 catches both of them and goes around them.
Turned out to be one of those 270 283s which we all heard about later. An all black 150 model bare bones, he bought it to race and that he did.  
[[SUPPORT AMERICAN CARS, STOMP A RICE CAR TODAY.]]

Dave:
When my buddie  calls me to do some work for him. Has a Personal Vette Museum at his House. That Vette is really a sweat ride. The solid cams in the older ones ticking away is music to me.  In fact he found a company that is coating the skirts on pistons for him. They told him they can do cams also (Without increasing thickness). Not a Hardening process.
  The cars are in a controlled inviorment. He has one or two of each Vette from 1953 to 2009.
          "HAPPY-NEW-YEAR"
Bob

PS: The cars are his Hobby. He races boats.  

2ndOwnerApache:
Thanks for the welcome and info! I have not pulled anything apart in the motor. I'm not sure what it does or doesn't have. But i am the 2nd owner and hopefully the previous owner didn't do anything whacky. I was told that it is all original. I am just trying to keep the truck alive while i do the research and acquire the parts to do restoration.
Thanks again,
Michael

You and all of us older Gear Heads. Lets hope they are all the original parts/pieces for the most part. I really like those old 283s.
 
  A friend from back in the day ran 301s in his little B/Dragster. That was fun to drive. Mechanical Hillborn, he was older then me, and taught me what I know about the old Hillborns.  

Bob  

Dave632:
I remember the old 57 Chevy, 270/283 from the WAY back machine. 2x4s, Duntov cam, 10.5-1 compression. High 14s, low 15s with headers and some cheater slicks. Amazing for that time. I had that same engine in a 58 Chevy.
Back in 1957 it was the quickest 1/4 mile car to come out of Detroit outside of the Vette which had the same engine.
Here is a very old race report from a friend of mine back in 58. He said a Pontiac and an Olds lined up to race at a street light. They take off and from behind comes this black 57 catches both of them and goes around them.
Turned out to be one of those 270 283s which we all heard about later. An all black 150 model bare bones, he bought it to race and that he did.

Dave:
I'd like to take a step back in time for those days again. The 283s with the twin fours. They would sit and idle, and when you stepped on them you'd better be holding on. There were so many with solid lifters you didn't know what someone had, until they opened the hood. (If they opened the hood).
  They were the good ole' days.

Bob  

.. Almost every part from every small block Chevy is interchangable except for parts which make bigger engines, so a 283 build isn't much different from a 350 or 400 build...

.. You didn't say how you want to use this truck, but I assume just a good performing daily/occassional driver... there are basically two ways to go:

.. Cheap simple way is put the 283 away in storage to maintain originality value and swap in a good used 327, 350, or SBC 400... they pretty much just bolt back in... even still have choice of front or side motor mounts... add flat top pistons, a mild cam (204/214 - 219/229 duration range), and a 4 bbl. carb. to them if they don't have one already to give some spirited performance...

.. More involved is bore the 283 to 4" for 4" flat top pistons to make what we used to call a '301' and Chevy later called a 302" when they started selling them in cars in 1967. (Ford also calls theirs a 302"/5.0L). Put in a mild cam suitable for your desired truck usage. Add 4-bbl. carb. and headers/freeflowing exhaust/mufflers... add better heads if in the budget...  

I'm going to try to build a very efficient medium powered motor. I'd like to use all of the air fuel mix to get the most hp and mpg. So it will pull when I need it and won't suck gas when I keep my foot out of it.