alhewitt
09-27-2017, 08:46 PM
Been off this site for a bit but wanted to update the group as to happening this summer. My 57 is a crowd pleaser, I showed it several times and I'm amazed at the comments it receives. Having an absolute stock 57 with the very few options it has is quite unusual as there are so many aftermarket performance item available to improve these cars. But mine is stock, unmodified - until now. I mentioned earlier that when I bought this car it had been in someones collection for 30 years, the speedometer showed less than 300 miles since restoration. It ran poorly, and used oil. The fix has involved a complete new fuel system, gas cap to FI. I removed the engine to address the engine bay, repainted the engine and reassembled it. It runs well but still uses oil, smokes out the exhaust under hard acceleration and fouls the plugs. It uses a quart of oil per tank of gas under spirited driving.
The weather is about to turn dog shit here in Seattle so this weekend I decided to work on the beast. I have been in discussions with a local engine rebuilder and have a game plan to rebuild the little 283, mainly to stop the oil consumption and plug fouling but also to retain the stock appearance and looks. This engine guy appears to know his stuff and will need the 283 for up to six months - he's busy. Meanwhile in my garage I have an L79 as removed from my 65 Chevelle. This is a 0.060' over 327 with 11.0:1 pistons that is advertised at 350 HP, a good runner but made only 250 HP at the wheels, (the 283 FI made 182 HP at the wheels). So I installed the 327 in my 57 with the FI system on it, drove it yesterday and made few full throttle runs in first and second gear - great fun.
Keep in mind that my frame of reference is 1962 when I had a 57 Chev and installed a new 327 in it at 17 years of age. It was very fast for the day, I never lost a race and I raced it often on the street. So here we are today or yesterday as it were and I have the 57 running with this 327 in it. The wife and I drove down to the beach for a walk-about and on the way home I hammered it in first gear. Wow! First thing that happened is the tach winds up to 6,000 RPM in first gear in about 2 seconds, I'm steering quickly as the tires are spinning (it is dry pavement) and as I look in the rear view mirror I see smoke from the tires. The 283 would not do this but the 327 does!
Point is I have more HP with the 327 than the little 283. Horse-power is like new sex, it is addictive. So I'll run with the 327 until the 283 is rebuilt and then I don't know what I'll do. I may pickle the 283 until it is time to sell the car and I may reinstall it. Choices - choices.
I'm trying to post a picture so i hope it shows up...
Al
The weather is about to turn dog shit here in Seattle so this weekend I decided to work on the beast. I have been in discussions with a local engine rebuilder and have a game plan to rebuild the little 283, mainly to stop the oil consumption and plug fouling but also to retain the stock appearance and looks. This engine guy appears to know his stuff and will need the 283 for up to six months - he's busy. Meanwhile in my garage I have an L79 as removed from my 65 Chevelle. This is a 0.060' over 327 with 11.0:1 pistons that is advertised at 350 HP, a good runner but made only 250 HP at the wheels, (the 283 FI made 182 HP at the wheels). So I installed the 327 in my 57 with the FI system on it, drove it yesterday and made few full throttle runs in first and second gear - great fun.
Keep in mind that my frame of reference is 1962 when I had a 57 Chev and installed a new 327 in it at 17 years of age. It was very fast for the day, I never lost a race and I raced it often on the street. So here we are today or yesterday as it were and I have the 57 running with this 327 in it. The wife and I drove down to the beach for a walk-about and on the way home I hammered it in first gear. Wow! First thing that happened is the tach winds up to 6,000 RPM in first gear in about 2 seconds, I'm steering quickly as the tires are spinning (it is dry pavement) and as I look in the rear view mirror I see smoke from the tires. The 283 would not do this but the 327 does!
Point is I have more HP with the 327 than the little 283. Horse-power is like new sex, it is addictive. So I'll run with the 327 until the 283 is rebuilt and then I don't know what I'll do. I may pickle the 283 until it is time to sell the car and I may reinstall it. Choices - choices.
I'm trying to post a picture so i hope it shows up...
Al