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Thread: Anything new from the straight 8 hot rodders?

  1. #1

    Anything new from the straight 8 hot rodders?

    Hi everyone, this may seem rude,like looking over shoulders or peeking under garage doors, but I was wondering what our "Staight 8 Hot Rodders" (alleycat, Chopper Johnny and others) have been up to? I'm not quite ready to tear into my 263 yet but....Anyone tried the super-/turbocharger route recently? Lately, I've been spending way too much time watching E-bay for Mustang/T-bird M90 systems , and I'm convinced it will work. With the scoop/air filter and blower on the right, piped down to the intercooler, then up the left side to a blow thru 4-barrel on a fabricated manifold.Oh yeah, the pipe to the intercooler needs an aftermarket blow-off valve...with flamethrower!! I'm actually not looking for "big" power, maybe 180hp at 4000? 310 lb/ft at 2500? If the engine passes a visual inspection,(it's supposed to be a "good running motor") I don't plan any internal mods, like to add Pertronix multiple spark ignition.If money wasn't a concern, I'd go fuel injection,but...
    Last edited by chevy6694; 05-06-2007 at 03:26 PM.

  2. #2
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    blower mods

    Well not a lot of comments on straight 8 performance lately, mostly regular maint. questions. The blower route seemed to be the biggest bang for the buck. with out complicated engine mods, just keep the pressure below 8 pounds and it shud be alright on a stock engine. press. can be bumped up with an overhaul and replacement pistons.
    Last edited by 39CENT; 05-09-2008 at 07:57 PM.

  3. #3
    Thanks for the reply, just thought (hoped) someone had some new R&D to report. Do you (or anyone) have a recomendation as to which year manual (or other books) have the most/best info on the 263? I know from looking at old Chevy manuals that the "first year" of a new "thing", the manual has more specific info, and often a special publication. Any thoughts? Well, I'll keep reading.

  4. #4
    Well, not as much feedback as I had hoped for, but I see it's being read a little so I'll do what I do best and keep rambling. Should I ever have the money to really go all out, I would look into de-stroking the 263. How about a .125 overbore to 3 5/16,(not sure that's really possible, but it says so in that old magazine article elsewhere on this site). Then de-stroke 5/16 to 3 13/16. Displacement stays the same, the engine would definately rev faster(a big plus), with a potentialy higher redline(not so important). You still have some of the longest rods anywhere, and this (if I understand correctly) keeps our peak cylinder pressure down. It's these long rods (and low compression) that make me believe this engine is a great candidate for super charging(even stock). Now of course if I could afford this, the pistons would be hypereutectic (forged if racing only) with oil squirt cooling under the crowns.

  5. #5
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    Have you looked at some of the past posts with the Bonneville '50 Buick? That car had a supercharged 320 and needed custom pistons, but went 150 something MPH!!!
    1953 Special Riviera 45R
    1965 Skylark Hardtop 300-4V
    1965 Mustang (in the family since 1968)
    1965 Corvair Monza Convertible
    1965 Dodge Dart 170 Wagon
    1974 Pontiac Firebird Esprit

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    diff strokes

    the 248 crank throw is 1.999 and a 263 is 2.125 I beleive the rods are the same length using the 248 rods and having the crank offset ground will give you a slight stroke, and a bore of 1/8 will bring you up to approx. 290 cu inches. and a destroke would make it around 280cu inch. [if my math is right]

  7. #7
    Well , this is why I'm here! Yes, the Bonneville pictures are great, there's also great video of that car, but you know that! Now, just about all my str8 knowledge comes from this site, and related links or advice, but I thought the 263 was pretty much a completely different engine, am I wrong? And, oh yeah, how about that str8 rail at Bonneville?!

  8. #8
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    263 straight 8

    The 263 had a bigger bore,and larger insert type, rod bearing [secondchancegarage.com/public/467.cfm] The stick shift engines usually had solid lifters I believe, I,m not an expert on all the differences. but the 263 was introduced later and had many improvements.
    Last edited by 39CENT; 06-30-2011 at 08:55 AM.

  9. #9
    OK, that's where I was misunderstanding. I thought the 320 and 248 shared the same block/head. So the 263 is more a developement of the 248?

  10. #10
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    Hi Guys!!! I diffinatly not gone, just have not been posting due to other unavoidable problems. However! I now have a dig. camera and I've not been idling my time away. I've been building/making some of the coolest parts for str8's that you've never seen!!! I will be posting photos of what I've done for you to consider.

    A little more about the 263. It is virtually a totaly different engine than either the 248 or 320. It just happens to have a "family" look to it. Not by accident. The 263 and probably a "big brother" were on the drawing board by no later than 1937, and test runners by 39, at the latest. These engines were intended to be in Buicks by about 40-41. Replacing the 248 and 320. Harlow Curtice, Harley Earl, and Charles Chane, had a very different idea as to where Buick was going than what we got. We got the 263 mostly by accident. It was going to be GM's first true high performance engine, long befor the "world famous" rocket 88. Is it a highperfable engine? Absolutly!!! This engine has practly not a flaw in it. 250hp? Ha!! I'm getting that out of my 248 now! 350 lb torque? Cake walk!! Supercharging not involved. BUT! As the old saying goes "speed costs, how fast do you wanna go?" and, unfortunatly, its still true. We should find out where Mr. Chane is buryed and send him weekly flowers in thanks for getting this engine out to us. alleycat

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