Topic: Help with understanding this engine

[Sopcich04]

My wife's father passed away about a year ago and he had a 1981 camaro that is now ours. Well finally getting settled into our house, I'm going to start fixing this car up and getting it to run right(he was a life long mechanic but many things are not working on the camaro)

First thing i looked up was the engine block number........its a 283 from a 58-62 chevy.....why on earth is this engine in the car?

looking at the VIN, it originally had a 229CI.

does the 283 bolt right in and is the block similar to the 229?

thank you in advance, its been years since i posted here and years since i sold my 79TA!

[RENOVATIONS]

.......its a 283 from a 58-62 chevy.....why on earth is this engine in the car?

Maybe it's what he had on hand at the time...or he preferred that particular SBC...hard to say; people have different reasons why they choose the powerplants they use.

does the 283 bolt right in and is the block similar to the 229?

Since 2nd gens came with a variety of engines, the subframes are drilled for nearly anything GM had to offer...from your original 6 cylinder to any SBC (like the current 283). An older engine like that may have required motor mount adapters (can't say for sure) but it obviously "bolted right in"  haha