What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

[Caveman]

Yes I'm poor.

I'm looking for some heads to start with.... Pretty much everything out of a catalog is too expensive.

It's a street 283, so I don't need huge heads with massive flow.

I'd go with Vortecs, but the valve covers and other intake junk I already have won't fit, so I need something with older style valve cover bolts.

Plans are to tear down, clean 'em up, bowl port, cut for 1.94's or 2.02s and just touch up the runners. Maybe smooth the valveguide area if its a big restriction.

Shooting for 9.1 CR, so small chambers are a big help... haven't bought pistons yet, so flat tops with 64cc - ish chambers would work, right? If big chambers are all I can find, then some type of small dome maybe?

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

2.02 hits the cylinders
if you get vortech , they must be 305 vortechs , most old heads need a lot of work
world products makes a good 283/305 head new

http://www.mortec.com/

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

L31 305 vortec heads would be cool and we could score them from the junkie easy enough. Regal in brockton used to sell heads for 25 bucks a piece.

Brian

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

305 heads are crack prone smoggers
I would be diggin for a set of small chamber 1.72 int 283 heads

[Barry Donovan]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

just about every casting number with first 3 number 373**** through 376**** can be 283, some are on 327, all have 1.72 I and 1.5 E, then 377-379 is a mystery that a pro may be able to answer.

3770126
3782879
3782461
3876132


casting number for 1960s-1970 327, the fuelie (1.94 and 1.5) may bolt right up...

and this very rare one for a 302 or a 327, the biggest of all...the first oif the big ones

3890462 2.02, 1.6, it was a cracker between the valves, but always curable.

I have asked this question about 327 heads fitting, never got a definitive answer. After the first version, the answer was no they will not fit a 283, but the early ones might, and given machining abilities, I could guess alot could fit.

This post has me looking at an old book I bought with all casting numbers LOL. there are many more numbers, but related to 302 and 327, I posted just a few early ones. There ALOT of versions...
I was literally in a 30foot or so dumpster rummaging through hundreds of heads with the book I refer to in hand, years ago. I will never admit my combo on a 350, all gm numbers...the result was outrageous ;D

[Mr4Speed]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

Are you still putting a TPI on this? Somebody's going to crucify me for saying this but here goes-305 swirl ports. No one wants them-price is usually between dirt cheap and free. They have the best exhaust port of any production small block head, and the intake ports work surprisingly well in applications under .500" lift-even better with minor porting. You need a 305 head of some sort for the small chambers-64cc is too big unless you want to run kerosene. To put a TPI on Vortec heads you have to buy the $400 intake base from Scoggin-Dickey, otherwise the 305 Vortec heads are by far the best way to go.

Link to everything you ever wanted to know about GM casting numbers-

http://www.mortec.com/

[Matt Cramer]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

Hey, I was just about to say 305 TPI heads myself. I seem to remember them doing pretty well in a Junkyard Jewel type engine.

[min301]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

305 Vortec's, best you can get w/o going aftermarket.

[Caveman]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

Thanks.... wish me happy hunting!

[Brad54]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

If you want to go old school, check Craigslist for some double-hump heads. They're not $25 apiece, but the price on them has dropped through the floor. Amazingly cheap.

Depending on how big you go with the bore, 2.02 valves WILL fit, but they are shrouded hard by the cylinder wall, so stick with 1.94s.

-Brad

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

TONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/pts/1351393250.html

[Caveman]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

called the guy... complete motor minus peripherals, fuel pump, starter etc..

Ironic: He's about 3 miles from me. I ask a question to the whole friggin' universe, get some awesome answers, and the solution is down the street. This internet thing is cool.

BANGSHIFT RULES!!

Now, Briuab, do you have a valvespring compressor I could borrow?

And what valvesprings should I run if I want this beeeatch to rev to 7000?

[dieselgeek]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

this thread is awesome. Carry on!!

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

Dude, I have you covered on the compressor.

I'm deferring to guys who know a shat load more than me on the springs.

[Brad54]

Re: What are good 'crap' SBC heads? 283...

called the guy... complete motor minus peripherals, fuel pump, starter etc..

Ironic: He's about 3 miles from me. I ask a question to the whole friggin' universe, get some awesome answers, and the solution is down the street. This internet thing is cool.

BANGSHIFT RULES!!

Now, Briuab, do you have a valvespring compressor I could borrow?

And what valvesprings should I run if I want this beeeatch to rev to 7000?

I'm getting a TON of help from Lamar Walden on my small-journal 283, with double-hump heads. Can't put big springs in a double-hump, because you'll hit water if you open them up too far.
Hydraulic roller, because we figured that the heads aren't going to flow much past 7,500, so there wouldn't be a need for a solid roller. .540/.544 lift, .293/.300 advertised duration, .242/.248 @.050
The springs we're using are springs he found in the COMP catalog for roundy-round racers that can't modify the heads: number 941-16. 130lbs on the seat, 350lbs open. Lamar says these hold up very well, never have a problem, and they'll go past 7,000 for me.
The heads are 292 castings, with 64cc chambers (though we cut them some). I'm just cleaning the ports out real good, not hogging them out and recontouring, so they're the limiting factor. Well, limiting other than displacement.
We'll see what it does on the dyno in a couple weeks, and then you can read about it in Hot Rod Deluxe as a C/Gas stroker 283 build.
-Brad