Chevy sml block cyl head help

[overlordsshadow]

1963 283 and 1980 350. Can the heads interchange? Some websites have been showing that the head gaskets are the same along with head bolts but I phoned local retard parts store and they said they have different gaskets. Need to get cousin back on the road cause he is stranded here. We need to put the 350 heads on the 283 since the 350 threw a rod.

[turbovanman²]

The problem is, the 283 has such small bores vs the 350 large bores, the heads will work in a pinch but you will have shrouded the valves big time. Also, you might have to notch the cylinder walls and check for valves hitting.

You would have to use the 283 head gaskets but intakes are the same.

[contraption22]

Simon's right. Technically they interchange, but you must be careful of valve-to-block interference if using a 350 head on a 283.

[87 charger]

You could use the crank and rods out of the 283 and de stroke the 350 block. You would have a cheap home built 302 chevy. I was thinking that the 283's had a forged crankshafts as well.
I have heard that combo built and man do they WIND! :thumb:

[87 charger]

I almost forgot to say that you would have to run King bearings to make the smaller journal crank fit in the 350. They make thick bearings just for that.:thumb:

[contraption22]

You could use the crank and rods out of the 283 and de stroke the 350 block. You would have a cheap home built 302 chevy. I was thinking that the 283's had a forged crankshafts as well.
I have heard that combo built and man do they WIND! :thumb:

I'm pretty sure the 302 was a 327 with a 283 crank.

[87 charger]

You are right..BUT the 327 and 350 are both 4 inch bore,but the 327 had a small journal crank and a large journal crank depending on the year and block.
It is much easier using the 327 small journal block though. :thumb:
The 350 had the larger journal crank and needs the king bearings.
I raced chevys for a LONG time.

The 327 ran a 3.25 stroke
The 283 was a 3.00 stroke
The 350 was a 3.48 stroke
327 and 350 both have 4.00 bore

[85lebaront2]

One other issue, later 350s used a different intake bolt, same location, just changed. You will need to be sure any intake you use covers up the crossover correctly due to the EGR on the later heads. Chevies are pretty interchangable, but not 100% any more.

[moparzrule]

The 350 heads will have a huge combustion chamber compared to the 283's, compression will drop like a stone, the larger shrouded valves and larger ports will kill any low end power you had. It should have plenty of power from 5000-7000 RPM though LOL. But the lowered compression will hurt a lot.

87 charger is right about the interchangability using the correct bearings for the large snout of the 350. Making a 302 might be a good option depending on what kind of car this is going into. But, IMO you probably aren't going to want to spend that kind of money because you'll need new pistons and rings and probably need to freshen the rods, probably turn or atleast polish the 283 crank, new bearings, while you're in there throw in a new oil pump and pickup, it all adds up because you keep saying ''well I got it out now so I should replace this and this and this''. $$$$

[tinyturbo]

If there just 1.72 or 1.94 valve heads then you shouldn't have any trouble but it will be a dog cause the powerpack heads from the 283 had like 55-62cc chambers and your 1980 heads are about 76 cc so compression wise its gonna be down a bit

Id use the steel shim gasket if you can find it thats what came on those engines originally and spray it with copperseal cause if you use the a composite gasket its going to take another hit on the compression.

[moparzrule]

You could also shave the head. But, taking too much away can make you need shorter pushrods and/or surfacing the intake manifold. If you can picture the front view of the engine, imagine (on an exagerated scale) the heads coming closer to the block and what that does to the sealing surface of the intake manifold.
I had trouble a long time ago with a 273 that I built. The block got decked, heads surfaced, and I used a thin gasket, all to raise compression but it only ended up with trouble getting the intake to seal. It had a solid cam so I didn't have any trouble with the pushrods because I could adjust the lash to whatever I wanted.

[gasketmaster]

The problem is, the 283 has such small bores vs the 350 large bores, the heads will work in a pinch but you will have shrouded the valves big time. Also, you might have to notch the cylinder walls and check for valves hitting.

You would have to use the 283 head gaskets but intakes are the same.


Actually he would need to run the 350 head gaskets otherwise the smaller diameter fire ring would be inside of the larger combustion chambers on the 350 heads.......that can't happen ;)

I believe the intake bolt hole angle change on the two center bolt holes on either side of the crossover port came in the late 80's like 1987ish if I'm not mistaken.