Gear heads ,,283

[John T]

Check Advanced and O'Reileys for better prices and the quality is the same. NAPA is overpriced unless you can beat them to get their "best shop pricing". My local NAPA will price-match the Advance store down the street if you get the right counter guy. Needed an air filter and Advanced was a lot cheaper than the NAPA store. The guy behind the counter threw me a price that was double what Advance sold them for. Had no choice since I needed it then, so when the turd went in back to get the filter, one of the other counter guys that knows me, reached over and pushed one key on the keyboard, and the price suddenly went down by more than 50%. It was less expensive than the Advanced price.

I DO buy stuff online if I know ahead of time
but I discovered bad front axle u-joints by accident.. and I needed it fixed right away

My NAPA dealer gives me a decent price... but I know some napas don't unless you have an acct. napa has different pricing tiers...

anyway I got new hubs and u-joints from napa

funny, I DID stop at Autozone before napa ...... and I sh*t you not, the girl at the counter absolutely could not comprehend what a front axle u-joint was...... she kept saying... all they show is a driveshaft u-joint..... I was about to go postal.... I couldn't believe the incompetence.

absolutely NO automotive knowledge at all.

I just walked out.

at least my napa is a bunch of good ole boys that actually know which way to turn a screwdriver.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

That's back when a woman could shift a standard transmission AND still throw out her right arm if she had to hit the brakes hard...... so you didn't go through the windshield....

Dad put dual exhaust on it with el cheapo mufflers...... sounded sweet.

OMG that sounds exactly like my parents...I still have a hand print on my chest from mom.....hahahahah

No child safety seats for us, no seat belts, and everyone just said "Hey Kathy, grab me an ashtray....." while sitting on the couch.

 

[John T]

OMG that sounds exactly like my parents...I still have a hand print on my chest from mom.....hahahahah

No child safety seats for us, no seat belts, and everyone just said "Hey Kathy, grab me an ashtray....." while sitting on the couch.

Me and my dad used to go fishing with the neighbor and his kid.....

the neighbor was a "functioning" alcoholic...

He would always have a glass of coolade or iced tea in the cup holder...

every once in a while he would come to a stop sign, reach down under the seat for the flat bottle of Majorska .... take a belt, and put the bottle back.

a few seconds later... take a sip of iced tea....

we never thought twice about it........ it was just what he did.
never appeared to be drunk.... he just drank

Times were different...

 

[D2Cat]

I DO buy stuff online if I know ahead of time
but I discovered bad front axle u-joints by accident.. and I needed it fixed right away

My NAPA dealer gives me a decent price... but I know some napas don't unless you have an acct. napa has different pricing tiers...

anyway I got new hubs and u-joints from napa

funny, I DID stop at Autozone before napa ...... and I sh*t you not, the girl at the counter absolutely could not comprehend what a front axle u-joint was...... she kept saying... all they show is a driveshaft u-joint..... I was about to go postal.... I couldn't believe the incompetence.

absolutely NO automotive knowledge at all.

I just walked out.

at least my napa is a bunch of good ole boys that actually know which way to turn a screwdriver.

I (and friends) often experience similar responses at the local O Reilly's store. It's often referred to as "Oh Really".

 

[jimh406]

I doubt it's a ring, but it could be. Unless the Aunt was a hotrodder, my bet is valve seal or multiples. Is the oil level changing?

I'd run some Sea-foam through it for grins and giggles and see what happens with the smoke.

 

[6869704x4]

Check and see if the crankcase ventilation is clogged up.

 

[skeets]

He got the valve covers off and it was as he put it yucky,,, soGOKs when the oils was changed last. Had 2 stick valves Dad taped on them lightly a couple times and they work 1 point for Dad. Seafoam is a good idea but flushing the lines first would be a good idea I think. I dont know they put some ATF in the holes or not, something to ask. I have to dig out my old brake tool for him, I really want good shoes on the beast and take a look at the drums, and maybe rebuild or buy brake cylinders. One step one day, and it is way too cold to do much anyways. The main thing is he is excited and learning

 

[RCW]

Skeets - - I learned about small block Chevy's with a 327....

Was a few years ago.

Still love those engines.

 

[DustyRusty]

If the top under the valve covers is gunked up clean the top with the thinner and a parts cleaning brush. and make sure that the oil drain holes are clean and flowing.
If the engine at the top has a lot of sludge, then so does the lower end. I would drain the oil and put about 2 or 3 gallons of lacquer thinner into the engine, let it sit for a couple of weeks, and then drain it through cheesecloth into a clean can. The cheesecloth will catch all the crap coming out of the pan. Then put the thinner back through a few more times, cleaning it of the chunks, to clean out the pan. When you think that it is clean, put a mix of 50/50 10-weight oil and ATF into the engine with a new filter. Next, you will pull the distributor and get the tool to spin the distributor which is connected to the oil pump. This will give all the bearings some fresh oil and push out the thinner. Once the engine is primed, start it up and let it run for a half hour at an idle. After that, you can drive it slowly for a few miles to get the oil circulating. Then drain the hot oil. and put a new filter on and fill it with 10W-30 oil.
Back in the 1960s, I saved a bunch of engines using this method. It is an unorthodox way of getting rid of the sludge, and it will also free up stuck rings. If the engine is totally worn out, it won't help, but it is worth a try to save the engine. If the valves clatter, then add a can of Sea Foam to the engine. If it is a Powerglide transmission, you can safely use the Sea Foam in that transmission. Regular oil changes every 2000 miles will keep that engine clean on the inside.

 

[skeets]

Yep that would work, I had a 292 Y block that was,,, ahhhh yucky, the oil gluged out of the drain, 50/50 oil and diesel started it up and ran for just a couple min, drained and new filter,, valves stopped ticking and ran pretty well and surprisingly it didnt use any oil between changes

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

The grand son had a 64 or 65 Belair 4 door given to him by a great aunt. And yeah he already has visions of a big block,,4 speed and big tires,I dont think thats gona happen. The body is a little rough but not bad and the floor pans are solid so thats a good start the seats and rug well they need work. Anyways it has a little 283, 2 bbl backed up with an automatic. It starts and runs and STOPS, but smokes like crazy, stuck ring maybe,, maybe something else.
So my question in keeping it as stock as it can be, what do ya think a rebuild might cost him. Not a shop rebuild , but in his Dads garage provided nothing crazy is wrong. I was think around 300 for gaskets and seals and maybe bearings and odd and ends. What say you, and yeah grandpap will pick up some slack, in the wallet if need be.

Wait... Full Stop!

Respectfully, your grandson will never appreciate a "64 or 65 Belair". Unless he's really bright and into vintage cars. Change NOTHING. Gaskets or whatever, but change nothing. Original is key.

IMO.. get it running, and sell it for premium money to those in the know. People want that. Your grandson probably just wants bitchen' wheels.

Sell it and get him a Toyota corolla or Tacoma truck. Ford Ranger or similar. Take the rest of the money and put it into savings for college or something.

Most kids these days will NEVER appreciate the history or value of that car.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

If you want to teach him mechanical skills.. a 64 or 65 Belair is good. But it's like pearl before swine. No offense, but one doesn't train children on gold. Train them on plastic and aluminum.

Ya'll are talking Napa, O'Reillys and Autozone. But this Belair is Hemmings, Hagarty and Chip Foose territory.

Big money.

 

[Yooper]

Checked the oil on hundreds of those engines back in the day at my dad’s gas station. I remember how rare it was to see an oil leaker. And they were easy to work on. Enjoy the journey with your grandson Skeets!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Last 283 I had was in a '56 panel delivery. Know where a 'fresh' 327/300 is sitting..in a '62 E type.

 

[Ktrim]

Was the engine oil pump primed before starting after sitting?
If not unseen damage may be there.
I had to rebuild a dodge 270 poly a few yrs ago that was previously rebuilt, however sat for several yrs while the rest of the car was being done. It was then started dry.
Worst issue there was it literally wiped so much off the camshaft causing the valve timing to be out so much it wouldn't run worth a damn.
Just fyi

 

[6869704x4]

Last 283 I had was in a '56 panel delivery. Know where a 'fresh' 327/300 is sitting..in a '62 E type.

Unless somebody swapped that 283 into that truck it would have been a 265. The 283 didn't hit the streets until 57

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ok, maybe 57 then, it had 'ram's head exhaust' and I've never been a chevy guy but the truck was $200 delivered, probably in '86 or '87.

 

[DustyRusty]

ok, maybe 57 then, it had 'ram's head exhaust' and I've never been a chevy guy but the truck was $200 delivered, probably in '86 or '87.

I believe that you mean "Ram's horn" exhaust manifolds. That exhaust manifold design started in 1955 and I can't tell you when it might have changed, but they were still using it into the 1980s. The only thing different was the diameter of the outlet starting with 1 1/2", 2", and 2 1/2" for the 300 HP engines. Some years had the generator or alternator mounted on the front of the ram's horn, and later on, they stopped doing that.

 

[sheepfarmer]

I DO buy stuff online if I know ahead of time
but I discovered bad front axle u-joints by accident.. and I needed it fixed right away

My NAPA dealer gives me a decent price... but I know some napas don't unless you have an acct. napa has different pricing tiers...

anyway I got new hubs and u-joints from napa

funny, I DID stop at Autozone before napa ...... and I sh*t you not, the girl at the counter absolutely could not comprehend what a front axle u-joint was...... she kept saying... all they show is a driveshaft u-joint..... I was about to go postal.... I couldn't believe the incompetence.

absolutely NO automotive knowledge at all.

I just walked out.

at least my napa is a bunch of good ole boys that actually know which way to turn a screwdriver.

It could be worse, when not only do they not know anything, they assume you don't either. Went into an O Reillys for a bottle of PowerService for anti gel, and the kid tried to hand me a bottle of gas preservative, and another kid came over and asked was I sure I had a diesel engine? By that time i'd found what I wanted. There were no other customers so they felt compelled to "help."

 

[skeets]

If you want to teach him mechanical skills.. a 64 or 65 Belair is good. But it's like pearl before swine. No offense, but one doesn't train children on gold. Train them on plastic and aluminum.

Ya'll are talking Napa, O'Reillys and Autozone. But this Belair is Hemmings, Hagarty and Chip Foose territory.

Big money.

Ya know I have been thinking, and I guess if it were you or I thats most likely what would happen, because we already have what we need and want.
However this is his freedom machine, and there aint no money in the world thats going to take it from him, his, no one else.
My oldest found a beat up 57 bird when she was a freshman in high school , was it worth more than she gave for it, yep, but that was her freedom machine, we worked on the 312, and she did most of the body work where she could, and it was her everyday driver, untill after collage.
The youngest did the same with a 78 Corvette, her dream and freedom ride, and her and one of her girl friends and her gear head boyfriend, painted it like a Vett on a Lenny Kravis album cover.
So money aint the bottom line when it is yours and something you want. I guess they learned from the Old Man, aint no point in havin toys if ya dont play with them
No offence, but its not always the money.