283 performance engine build

Im looking to build a 283 with 450-550 hp. Is it possible and if so could someone help me out?


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In a word, NO. The rpm would be astronomical, and so would the cost. If you want those levels of power, your best bet would be AT LEAST a 350/383. A 500 hp 383 is not too difficult to achieve, But a 283 just does not have the displacement to make this a realistic goal.

yea anything is possible, do you plan on driving this on the street. because what it take to make 500ish horsepower out of a 283 will most likely make it just about unstreetable, unless if you go the forced induction route. i think that 350hp is a much more attanable goal and will still be street freindly. besides a 283 at 500hp is only going to be making around 400tq.

what are your intentions for this motor?

Start with a 400 block and tell everyone it's a 283. Unless you're independently wealthy, you don't have enough money to build a 500 hp 283.

Im building it for an offroad racing jeep. there are certain engine specs to get into certain classes and i want the most power i can out of small cubes. this will never be a street driven machine.

What's your budget?

Going out on a limb: Have the block sonic checked to see if it can tolerate being bored out to 4.00" then see if you can have the mains on a 3.75" stroke crank turned down to fit the 283 block. Doing that will get you 100 additional cubic inches.

More realistically, the best way to get the most power out of small cubes would be to install a supercharger.

i can get a crank rods and pistons for 1200 and i plan on using 461x heads. i dont really have much money to build it but i can get stuff cheap.

Sooo....you're gonna use production heads in a competitive racing class? Is the class restricted to production heads or will you be racing against other guys who are runnin' Brodix, AFR and other aftermarket aluminums????

If i run aluminum heads, i will have to add more points and i will be bumped into a faster class. if i use aluminum heads and paint them, i could get torn down and i will never be able to run the motor there again. i know someone who runs the 461x heads and makes about 450 hp but i dont know how he got it and how i can get more.

Have you seen the dyno sheet on this motor? Or is this guy just asking you to believe him? Son, believe me, neither I nor anyone else on this board is trying to bust your chops, but 450 is real easy to say. It's just a little bit harder to show 450 from a 283 with production heads on a hardcore dyno pull.

Are you limited to 461x heads, or can you use any cast iron production head? What about induction? Are you restricted on carburetion or intake manifold? Are you limited on fuel?

this motor is no joke. i think he said he has a 650 lift cam and dome pistons.

I can use any intake. i can use any head but i want to use production cast iron heads. i can use any kind though. i am going to use a carb and planing on either alcohol or 110 race fuel. i am not doing any kind of forced induction because they give too many points. pretty much the most stock you run, the less points you have to claim.

Not knowing what you mean by "points" other than to assume it is a penalty, can you run a aftermarket Iron cylinder head?? The 461X is a behind the times choice in the power making department. Even the newer GM stock 350's Vortec head would be a better place to start, but Dart or EngineQuest or RHS Iron would make this a lot easier.

When you said you could get parts cheap, I would not consider a $1200 rotating assembly cheap, not much of a "deal".

Explain this "points" thing a little so we know what you are working around.

500 HP 283 you are looking at around $4500 minimum to get it done.

Do you have converter/trans and driveline matched to a high rpm combo?? Are you prepared for the regular maintainence that the valvetrain will need so that you can turn 8800 rpm on a regular basis??

Fill in some of our blanks, outline what you have and what you need to achieve, not just a "generic" hp number.

My Uncle ran 283's and 302's in Sprint Cars back in the day, I can feed you what I know.

Pretty much i am looking to use iron heads because in the racing i am doing, you have to claim a certain amount of points to get into certain classes. if i need at max 400 points to be in C class and i have iron heads, then i would have 390 points. if i were to put aluminum heads on, i would have to claim more points putting me to about 430 points and that would put me in the faster class and i will then be the slow one in the class. these arent the real numbers but i hope you get a good understanding that the more points you need to claim the faster the class you get put in.

I am looking to get the most power out of the motor with a stock head. i can do work to the head but i cant use aftermarket.

the rotating assembly i can get was the same kind used in a 1200hp blower motor.

i dont have anything yet because i want to know what i need before i start getting parts. i am up for the high rpms and the maintnence. i dont have a trans yet.

i will be using chevy blazer rears. front and back.

pretty much i want to know how to get the most power from a motor with intermixed stock parts(that meaning the heads).

Do you know anything about your uncles motors?

A 283 with 461x heads can hit 500hp but it won't be cheap. Probably about 20+ grand.