Cool find on Craigslist!

Water-Bug wrote:
The 283 Chevy and 289 Ford were the early V-8s that started the horse-power race. Prior to their debut, you had to buy an Olds', Lincoln, or Cadillac to get V-8 performance. Ford had a flat-head V-8 for years, but it was never really a performance machine.

An awful lot of old timey racers would say you're blowing smoke with the above statements - especially the silly comment about flatheads!..:R

Yeah - Ford produced flathead V-8s from 1932 to 1953.
Those flatheads produced a lot of racing records from drag strips to Muroc, El Mirage and Bonneville.

A (very) few folks used Cadillac and even Studebaker V-8s in their hot rods when the OHV engines came along.
Dean Moon had an OHV Stude V8 in his '34 Ford.
However, power of choice was Olds - preferably with a B&M Hydro.

When Chev V-8 came along a lot of "what's best" changed.

BTW - on the West Coast an 1/8 mile drag strip was unheard of - and
of course, we raced all year long *outside*.

If you want to "go there" - start a gearheads thread, or go visit the HAMB forums.

Back on this thread's topic.......guess if you are a collector/restorer - or looking for a project.....it's a good/fun deal.:C

~

Thanks for showing, there was a similar one for sale near to where I'm currently parked in Port Angeles WA and I wondered what it looked like inside but didn't want to ask to see it knowing up front I wouldn't buy it. Looks like a nice rig for week long hunting trips, convert it to 4WD and it'd be darned versatile.

Many years ago, my very first four wheel drive was a 1960 Chevy half ton with an inline 6 in it. I liked the truck, detested the engine.
I scrounged the wrecking yards, and found a rebuildable 283. After having it bored .020, and finding a set of "double hump" heads (the ones that came with the engine were cracked), I assembled the engine and installed it in the truck. THEN it was perfect! I put 2 foot sideboards on the box, went up to the mountains, filled it with firewood, and drove it home, no problems!
I wish I still had that truck. The only electronics in it were the Mallory ignition and the stereo! NO computers!
The 265/283/327 engines were GREAT, IMO!

The chassis-mount camper in the OP is very neat, and would be a great restoration project. Not something I would like to take on at this stage in my life, though. I think the price is right. I am somewhat surprised, though, that they did not cut the cab for a walk-through, and install bucket seats. Most of the ones I have seen were built that way, and it is very nice.

I had a '65 Chev pickup.

Rust bucket at the bottom of the fenders, around the headlight mounts, inside where floor meets side cowling.
This one appears to have same issues.

There are tons of aftermarket body panels available for these now.

Camper looks like a shell and needs rebuilding from there.

Looks like a cool resto project for somebody. The toilet and mattress would be first on my list.

I got a buddy that has a chassis mount camper like that. Only his is mounted on a 1960 Dodge. It's way cool.

Another vote from me on the nice engine a 283 was. I like my Fords but, lets be honest the Small Block Chevy reigned supreme for 40 years (or more, go to a small dirt race track anywhere in America today and that is what they are still running) The Engineering team on that one really got it right!!

To bad we can't engineer anything worth a darned here anymore.

Tons of 283's in the 60's my dads 3/4 ton pickup came with one from the factory even with the heavy duty package, 4 speed stick with super low 1st gear.

Saw many of these in the 60's we called them chassis mounts, as they were a real close cousin to slide in campers. we had a slide in Open Road camper and there were several Open Road chassis mount here in town at that time, predecessor to the C class.

One I think that made the propane light go away is newer rigs are much more air tight.

The 283 Chevy and 289 Ford were the early V-8s that started the horse-power race. Prior to their debut, you had to buy an Olds', Lincoln, or Cadillac to get V-8 performance. Ford had a flat-head V-8 for years, but it was never really a performance machine.

I was going to get on and defend the 283, but I see everybody else has already piled on. The 283 was the second version of the famous Chevy small block, and it is a great engine. Built several of them from parts.

Too many old gear heads on here to let somebody say that.... :)

Dandy Dan wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:

midnightsadie wrote:
looks great, P.S I ran hot rods in the 60,s with the 283 engine , and have a lot of trophies because the engines were great,

283's were HOT STUFF until the 327's came out. Ran a '56 Chevy with factory "Power Pack" (dual 4 barrel carbs), dual point Mallory ignition, milled heads, 3/4 race cam, solid lifters and 4.11 rear end. It was an 1/8th mile machine, set up for indoor winter drags. On the street, it jumped so much off the line, that I rarely had to push it past 2nd gear. Just shut it down and grinned. It had no top end. Was done at 75 mph. Not the engine to pull/carry a load. "Nothing beats cubes" but the 283s tried until the 327 SSs beat them factory stock.

There is nothing wrong with a 283. They are the bullet proof engine until the 327 came out. 348 was a big block.

Exactly, 348 was more suited to pull/carry a load. 283 was a sprinter. The 348 was the workhorse.