That there fine gents is the Holden small block. Two-hundred and fifty-three cubic inches of restrained horsepower. Four-point-two litres of pure, adulterated fat. A full 800cc smaller than a proper V8. But it's my kind of donk as I'm a bit of a radar evader
It's an '83 model out of a VH wagon, so unfortunately it comes with pollution gear, but fortunately it comes with an electronic dizzy and the stock Q-Jet. No horrible Holley's here! It's a real quiet runner, no knocks, no wobbles - with the hood down you'd struggle to know it was even an 8. Came complete carb to sump and flywheel to fan. Well, it still needs a flywheel, an air-cleaner and to swap the sump to a HQ one as it's a forward pan style vs. the Commodore rear pan. I did the horsepower sums, and on stock motors:
F - 105-125bhp/189-209ft.lbs
253 - 134-154bhp/200-213ft.lbs
My 253 is the later 'blue' type, and will run a twin system [allegedly/effectively [?] making it the 154bhp version]. My F is actually an F.5 and as such is more than likely the 125bhp version, but with a range of comps from 90's - 100's and a solitary 130 psi, I'm sure the leap from my tired F to this relatively fresh 8 will see some significant gains. I'm still running the three-speed because I'm archaic and stubborn. No disc conversion [hence the choice to nab the smaller capacity 8 instead of big brother 308]. Probably a stock Commodore rad, shroud, fan etc. No air. No steer. No electric fuel pumps. Just a marriage of General Motors and Toyota. As though the General asked for the hand of Mr. Toyoda's eldest daughter and Mr. Toyoda simply had to comply to the might of the Five Star General and his thirsty, non-4WD engineering. Thump, thump, thump..
