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Trick a 253

Calaber

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I can't help laughing at the way everybody buckets the 253. In 1973, I had a 253 four speed HG GTS Monaro. My mates ran 308 four speed HQ's, HJ vans and an HG 308 Trimatic Premier with single exhaust. My Monaro, despite being heavier, and with only a 2" dual system and a 2 barrel Holley 350 would keep the 308's honest and could actually out-accelerate the 308 van. The Premier with its single exhaust was left behind. When I say it kept the 308's honest, they beat my car, but they didn't romp away from me like you might expect.

The 253 just needed decent breathing to help it move better. The shithouse old Bendix 2 barrel that it came with on the red motors was a joke and dual exhausts, even without any extractors, could release a few more neddies. If you want to keep the car original and get better performance, without wanting to have a beast, then simple reworking of the heads, better cam, 4 barrel and decent exhaust will work wonders. It won't beat the big boys but it can sound just as good as a 308 with decent pipes and still hustle along pretty well. The blue 253's had a four barrel standard in the VH and the other mods involved help it breathe better than the reds. Nice little modded 253's can still be a sweet engine. You don't have to seek bulk horsepower all the time to enjoy the V8 experience.
 

ari666

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Hangman

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You may believe that, but the bloke asked for tips on getting power out of it, not if he should run it at all.

Nothing wrong with a 253. The only catch is for the same cost/work you could build a 308 and have more power.
 

ari666

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we have to all focus on the question:

whats the best way to get power out of it for cheapest. the answer is going bigger cubes. strangely enough, buying a 308 is cheaper than most mods and will automatically deliver more power. it can be used with the same diff, the same trans and doesnt need any engineers cert.

what we are trying to do is save the guy from heartache. there is NO reason good enough to keep a 253. you cant claim is because "its the engine the car came out with so im trying to keep it original" cos' the second you throw a cam and some headers on, you have lost the factory/stock standard 'playing card'. he wants power, then dont piss around and put a decent engine in that has proven time and again to be able to deliver.

/rant, ima do what soop was wise enough to do and dissappear into the lurk corner.
 

old mate

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ok, so once upon a time i built a 253. the only reason i built a 253 was because a p plater at that time could drive a vb commodore with a 253, not a 308. but it ended up that the p plate laws changed before i got my plates so i was stuck to v6 anyway.

what i did was got the stock 4 barrel manifold, quadrajet carb. crow 5602 camshaft (i think, or was it 5603, my memory is foggy) and early style cam timing gears (more advanced than the emissions era gears, got them for free), hei ignition. threw some bearings and rings in there for good measure too, only to last until i got off my p's so i could get a big engine.

exhaust wise i had the smaller diameter lukey extractors to a 2.5 inch exhaust. it pushed the car along ok for what it was, probably as quick or possibly a bit faster than my ecotec ute. 'comes on the cam' at about 2800rpm.

but because the p plate laws changed i never drive it and will have a bigger cube engine to go in it when i get off restrictions.

but in summary, cubes is win. 308>253.
 

Hangman

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we have to all focus on the question:

whats the best way to get power out of it for cheapest. the answer is going bigger cubes. strangely enough, buying a 308 is cheaper than most mods and will automatically deliver more power. it can be used with the same diff, the same trans and doesnt need any engineers cert.

I'm not disagreeing with you, except he's already said he wants to keep the 253.

what we are trying to do is save the guy from heartache. there is NO reason good enough to keep a 253. you cant claim is because "its the engine the car came out with so im trying to keep it original" cos' the second you throw a cam and some headers on, you have lost the factory/stock standard 'playing card'. he wants power, then dont piss around and put a decent engine in that has proven time and again to be able to deliver.

Some people do like having the original engine in their car.

At the end of the day it's up to the owner.
 
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Guzzoline addict

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What ever you do, when building a 253, dont do what people are saying and build it like a 308.Keep the valves small and dont put anything like a single plane manfold on.
 

Guzzoline addict

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What are you saying just because a motor has small valves means its stardard motor?
 
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