Would Appreciate Everyone's Opinion

Recently bought a 1967 GMC Handibus with the factory 283. The engine is complete but sat in a field in Texas for 14 years. I am considering purchasing a GM crate engine (350) to replace the 283. The new engine has a 36,000 mile waranty & would provide about 90 hp over the stock 283. However, it would be nice to have the 283 rebuilt to keep the van origional. What would you do?

It really your choice, want factory keep the 283 (great motor) it's the daddy of the small blocks. Want to go faster go with the crate, it will drop right in. You won't lose with either of them. Win Win

OK, there are 26 views & only one response...

G-Man wrote:It really your choice, want factory keep the 283 (great motor) it's the daddy of the small blocks. Want to go faster go with the crate, it will drop right in. You won't lose with either of them. Win Win

What decision did you make with the engine in your van?

I would stay with the 283. Build it up and you could get the hp the crate has. The 283 is a great little motor.

I am very pleased with my 283,actually pretty good on fuel and scoots right along with the hammer down. Bill

In my 69 kept it stock, in the 64 going with the crate

[i]In my 1967 sportsvan(origional 283 & powerglide) I got a 350 chev- built it using a scat 383 all forged kit & went that way. i also kept the 283 for future use- they are hard to beat!! There are some other ways you can go & keep that 283 (can be stroked out to around 353) yet- these days & time just do a 350 crate as u wish. Id seriously look into doing what ive done also as I do enjoy the engine building process. the kit was 800. + bore & home-200, and i did go with the old style FI Heads 2.02 's and such as im using all the old style pulleys and such.Eventually with aircon also. I know ill have aprox.=1800-2200. bucks in this with the automatic OD. Tranny too. yet i do like doing all myself too. Crate motors or just a nice rebuilt engine is a good choice -yet seemed costly to me for what i got?? That is an good option for those that want to cut building time= yet we are all seemengingly not in that big a rush?/ IE=Paint & all. comes down to just what we want to have & do??=Happy Vannin

I would rebuild the 283....great motor....and you won't have an extra motor laying around when done...

i agree with whopman. what would it cost to rebuild her,???

Even though I have a ford, I am running a 350. Only because it was the only running engine I had. I have several 289's at my disposal and would have been an easier install, but all need rebuilding, and the power of that chevy engine and it's reliability is also what I was looking for. If you could rebuild that 283, I no you would not be disatisfied. A friend of mine did one up and it had no problem chewing up a lot a muscle cars, back in the day. In a 73 Chev half ton.

Well how about this:

If it is a large journal 283 crankshaft. (which it probobly is being from a truck) Do like GM discovered while using up surpluss parts back in 68.
Put that large journal 283 crank shaft and the 283 conecting rods into a 350 block using the 350 pistons. Get the bottom end ballanced and you will have yourself a 302 screamer like was put into the 68 camaro Z28. all else you will need is a set of good breathing cylinder heads. The 283 and the 302 were high reving engines because of the short 3" stroke of the crank, when conbined with the 4" pistom of the 350 it makes the 302 punch with high reving capability.

the 307 was the oposite, the smaller 283 pistons combined with the longer 350 crank shaft stroke.

M1D

I know a guy a couple of blocks from me that has a 302 in his 68 Chevy G10. That is a great little motor but expensive.

G-Man wrote:It really your choice, want factory keep the 283 (great motor) it's the daddy of the small blocks. Want to go faster go with the crate, it will drop right in. You won't lose with either of them. Win Win

Ditto!

the 283 was always a good motor, short stroke so it revs up quick and fun to drive, but the 350 clearly outpowers it if everything else is the same (cam, heads etc.) they are the same block so all your 283 parts bolt on. you could evan buy a short block and get your original heads done with bigger valves and it would all look stock.

How long do you have to wait on the rebuild, how god are the local machine shops, what else are you planning on
doing to the van, and how stock are you keeping it?
All of this will affect the answer. A crate can be swapped in quickly and often cheaper than a rebuild.

I wouldn't bother with a 350 if you are keeping the deep gears and skinny bias-ply tires (bone stock).

If you are updating the tires and building it to drive on the highway, I'd go with the 350. It has more torque to pull a taller gear, so it's less annoying over long distances at speed.

Remember that today's gas is not the same stuff they were pumping back then. A modern quick burn 350 can handle the swill better. This is not to say a 283 is going to be a slouch, just that there have been improvements in engine tech and the fuel is different too.

If your rebuilding the 283 the heads will need harded seats for the valves also. Today gas doesn't have the lead to maintain the soft valve seats

Heads will need valve seats and guides, a surface, drilled and tapped for screw-in studs and a valve job.
Crank will probably need turning and polish, plus it may need to be drilled and tapped for a crank bolt.
Rods resized, shot-peened and new bolts.
You should balance a high-revving application.
New bearings, core plugs, oil pump, water pump, and fuel pump. New cam, lifters, timing set, valve springs, keepers and seals. Add pistons, pins, rings, gaskets and oil passage plugs. Probably smart to replace the fuel pump pushrod, pushrods and rocker arms too. Add those screw-in studs.
Rebuild the dist. and harmonic balancer (for an OE look)then all the work on the block.
Don't forget the tins (front cover, oil pan, valve covers) need to be cleaned and straightened.

For either direction, any brackets for the engine mounts, spark plug wires, starter, front accessories, and exhaust heat shields need to be ready too.

Have decided to install a 350 crate motor for more torque & power but rebuild & retain the 283 just in case. Thanks all for your opinions and feedback. I am having way too much fun since I bought this van!

Post your progress and pics

I dont know if anyone in the group has pointed this out?? The early v-8's didnt have the acessory bolt holes in the heads- as our is like that - later engines=68 up i believe started this . The acessories that bolt there now are really available & most a/c , ps, and alt brackets & kits are avail also- many diff types - making it somewhat easire to ass all the stuff on the motor.Ive kept my engine with the early hears as I wanted to stay somewhat origional yet aklso have all the necess brackets to add the a/c & ps = later if i wish-Happy vannin [i]

Bad need, looked up the numbers on the engine. The 283 is long gone & replaced with a 1971 350. So the decision to buy crate engine is less painful. Thanks to everyone who responded.