price@noscvax.UUCP (James N. Price) (03/28/86)
Ladies and Gents of net.auto. This is my first posting, so hope I don't sound too ignorant or ask an inappropriate question. I own, for fun, a nice '57 Chevy with a straight stock 283 V-8. The car apparently has about 130K miles on it, but the engine doesn't seem that worn. But I do get some blow-by and blue smoke. My wife and I are planning to do a total restoration on the car during the next two to three years. First the drive train, then the paint, and finally the interior. On the engine, I have three choices about how to rebuild it: 1) If I want to keep the car straight stock (for purposes of showing it, for example), the 283 has to be rebuilt. If rebuilt with stock parts, it requires leaded gasoline of at least 92 octane, the long term avail- ability of which doesn't look too good. 2) If I don't care about keeping a stock engine, I can replace the 283 with a low mileage 350, and voila, a "new" car in a good looking "old" body. But then the car would never be "stock" again. 3) I can have my cake and eat it, too, I understand by putting in different kinds of valve lifters and seats so that the rebuilt 283 will run on unleaded gas, albeit still needing the premium octane levels due to a 9.4 to 1 compression ratio. If gasoline availability were no object, I wouldn't hesitate to go for option 1). I'm inclined to go with 3) assuming that high octane unleaded will be with us for quite a while (like 10 years at least?) My only significant incentive to pursue option 2) is cost--about 1/3 less than rebuilding. I'd appreciate any thoughts out there on the issues of stock vs. non- stock cars, long-term availability of leaded gas, long-term availability of high-octane unleaded gas, and true-life stories of anyone who's been in this situation before. In other words, I'm open to any advice! My direct mail address is PRICE@NOSC.ARPA. My work phone is (619)225-2665. Thanks in advance for your thoughts! Cheers--Jim Price, San Diego, CA
olds@ihlpa.UUCP (Mondeville) (04/01/86)
> 1) If I want to keep the car straight stock (for purposes of showing it, > for example), the 283 has to be rebuilt. If rebuilt with stock parts, > it requires leaded gasoline of at least 92 octane, the long term avail- > ability of which doesn't look too good. > > 2) If I don't care about keeping a stock engine, I can replace the 283 > with a low mileage 350, and voila, a "new" car in a good looking "old" > body. But then the car would never be "stock" again. > > 3) I can have my cake and eat it, too, I understand by putting in > different kinds of valve lifters and seats so that the rebuilt 283 > will run on unleaded gas, albeit still needing the premium octane levels > due to a 9.4 to 1 compression ratio. > > If gasoline availability were no object, I wouldn't hesitate to go for > option 1). I'm inclined to go with 3) assuming that high octane unleaded > will be with us for quite a while (like 10 years at least?) My only > significant incentive to pursue option 2) is cost--about 1/3 less than > rebuilding. My suggestion to you would be #3.If you plan on showing the car #2 is definitely out.Your car came the 283 so dropping a 350 will alter your cars 100% restoration.If you have the car's original paper work (showing it came with a 283),and enter it in a contest,it will hurt you point's wise and will be frowned upon by purist's of that particular type of car. You should rebuild the 283 using using valves,etc..,that will be compatiable with today's low octane gas.Current technology,(cam profiles,head porting, blueprinting,etc) will let you make as much or more horsepower as stock with different vales and even less compression;and you won't have a problem trying to run it off of pump gas.Your best bet is to go to a local speed or machine shop and get all the details.Oh,my personal opinion is that unleaded premium will be around a long time (over 10 years),because many people use it,not just car enthusists.#1 is definitely out because leaded premium and leaded regular will be gone soon and it will be real hard not to mention expensive tryimg to use octane booster,racing gas etc...,to run your car good luck with your project! I am the night rider....,I'm a fuel injected suicide machine... E.G.Mandeville ihnp4!ihlpa!