I realize that this is a 7+ month old question but I thought I would give it a shot. In 57 Chevrolet still offered the 265 on 2 barrel cars with a 3 speed or 3 speed with overdrive transmissions. Powerglide cars and any 4 barrel or better cars all got 283 engines if they were to be V8's. So the 283 with a 2 barrel engine was a Powerglide only car. That is how I remember it... Al

 

Thanks for the reply, but it doesn't really answer my question. Which is, if the overdrive could be had with the inline 6, 265 2-barrel, as well as the 283 4-barrel, why not the 283 2-barrel? Another way of asking my question is this: If the overdrive was offered on engines with 140, 162, and 220 HP, why wasn't it good enough for 185 HP?

 

You would have assumed that the powers above would have offered that as an option, maybe the designers thought it was not needed at the time, no excuse probably should have at least been an option.

 

As I understand it in 1957 there were no 283" 2 barrel 185 HP cars made with a 3 speed or OD transmission. If you wanted a V8 - 3 speed/OD car with a 2 barrel carburetor it would be a 265" engine. The Seattle police dept was an exception. They were special order 283" 3 speed cars with a 2 barrel. I still remember the young cops winding them up early in the morning while I was delivering news papers, I was 11 years old but remember it vividly... Al