my buddy has a 67 impala fastback sitting at his shop with a 283 in it, i could pick it up for a couple hundred and throw it in my camaro....any opinions?

 

Oh, boy, here we go again...

No, you can't "throw it in your Camaro". Too many things changed between 1967 and 1988. The heads don't have the provision to mount the accessory brackets. The 1967 brackets may, but probably won't work in the '88. The flexplate changed, the 283 doesn't even have a spin-on oil filter (unless an adapter has been added). Were you going to keep the 1967 carb or try to put your TBI on it, or had you even thought about that? You should know that the 283 truly is a weak sibling of your 305.

Reconsider before you get yourself in a spot where you've spent money on something that either you can't get to work, or will be a disapointment when you do.

 

there's a reason that sumbitch is obsolete, a reason why the fastbak is parked, and a reason 5/7 kid has a big block in the bel air.

 

was just an idea....now i know....

 

we found out its a 327, were gunna rip it out soon and start to rebuild it, the post about the heads is true, but if they are replaced, which i planned on my accesories will bolt up fine....

 

there used to be a useful sticky at the top of this forum about 327 vs. 350, and then a a couple of choads f-ed it all up with useless banter.

if the motor's free, and parts are cheap, i guess go for it. but i'll warn you: don't be dissappointed when somone with 23 or 30 extra cubes stomps your *** at the strip or stop light. but it'll be a cool curiousity thing, and honestly, at least it isn't a 305. good luck.

 

will the heads from the 305 work on the 327 to allow or mounting the accesories

 

Oh Lord please don't put 305 heads on anything but a 305. Yes, they'll bolt on. But pleeeeeeeeeeease don't do it. 305 heads suck really bad, at least get some 350 heads. I would recommend some nice small-chamber aluminum heads.

Oh, and I'd take a 283 over a 305 anyday. Much better bore/stroke ratio, and many of the early ones had forged cranks. But, there's still many better options out there. I just picked up a small-journal forged-crank 327 for free, and I plan on building it for the 91Z mainly because it was free, I have it, and no one else ever wants 327's...

 

'88-up TBI heads are pretty poor. Otherwise, your statement is a broad brush that definately paints outside the lines.

LG4, L69, or LB9 heads, with 1.94" intake valves and basic port/bowl clean-up, will flow better than the typical factory 327 head, and better than any factory 327 head you're likely to find. And, they'll have the needed accessory holes.

All 283 cranks were forged.

 

I agree also that a 1.94 305 head is worth using,assuming that a little elbow grease is applied.

However,most,but not all 283 cranks are forged.All of the earliest(front mounted w/o the side mount bosses)engines where,indeed,forged.But some of the later low output 283s had cast crankshafts.

 

My bad, some were indeed cast. Interestingly, those that were cast had a "casting" number that could also be a forged crank.

 

Regular old 305 heads suck but not the ones that came in 3rd gens. The 416's or 601's are some really good stock heads. They have some of the largest intake and exhaust runners every to come out of the factory. Plus they are much newer and not likely to be used up old garbage like the older so called performance heads.

If you port up and install bigger valves in some 416 or 601's they will be perfect for your 327. It will be better then any 327 that came from the factory.

 

what heads are on the L03?

 

187 swirl ports.

(Edited casting #)

 

any good for the 327?

 

Should work well in my opinion,might as well throw a modern grind camshaft in there while it's apart.

 

LO3 heads on a 327 is a good way to kill any potential the 327 has.

 

While I agree that they are not ideal,(and neither is 327 for that matter),the swirl ports can be hogged on with bigger valves to make an OK head.While I would not set out to find a set,it sounds like there must be a tight budget involved here,and if I had the engine,had the heads,and had the car apart,I'd say go with it.The less money spent,the less lost when you decide to go with more cubes.

 

Don't bother with the swirl port heads. They aren't worth the effort. Look for almost any early-mid '80s car or truck that had a 305 in it. Those will probably have 416 or 601 heads. It wasn't only F-bodies that got them, almost everything with a 305 had those heads if it was made between 1980 and 1985 or so. They are very easy to find... go to a junkyard... close your eyes.... point in any direction.... if you pointed to a GM car or truck from the '80s, it probably has one of those two sets of heads.