[AcampoDave]

I have a lot of love for 283's but if your not happy with a 292, a 283 won't be the ticket either. 283's can be spirited and fun in a half-ton shorty, but when saddled with the extra mass of a 3/4 ton long bed it won't be the same. Sometimes, when I have a heavy passenger, my stock truck's 283 can feel it.

An HEI is a great distributor and I put them in every Chevy I've ever had. The aftermarket supports them well with different counter weights and springs, adjustable vacuum advances, coils etc.
Getting mine dialed in right required a degreed balancer tape, (a dial back timing light works too) which let me know my total advance, my tach and a helper to let me know at what rpm it was "all in". My total advance was low so I changed my initial timing from 12 to 16 (a huge increase from the factory spec of 4 degrees) which still kept my total advance at a tolerable level. In my case I knew I had taken it too far when the motor pinged upon lugging it a bit off idle with the clutch. (Other engines have pinged upon short shifting under heavier throttle)

Geezer has previously posted an excellent article on the subject and it was very helpful along with the advice he and other "distributor doctor's" gave me right here on this site. The expression "timing is everything" holds true in life and engines. I wouldn't give up on that motor without really trying to optimize an HEI for it.