Big Block Low Deck engine install in 68 Dart

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1967 Cuda

1967 Cuda

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Well, installed my 470 Low Deck for the final time in my 68 Dart and tried we tried a different approach. The engine was in the car before for mock up, but didn't have headers at the time. The engine went in pretty easy for mock up, but we decided to try bolting on the headers and transmission and dropping the car onto them for final assembly. (I should note the car has coil springs in the front instead of torsion bars, so we had a bit more room)

Learned a few things yesterday that might help someone in the future. I knew the clearances were tight, but adding the transmission to the motor added a lot of headache. The weight of the transmission was kind of a pain and created an angle on install that caused a number of things to hit including the oil pan on the k member. (Didn't have any problems with this when installing just the motor for mock up) From my experience yesterday, I would recommend installing the transmission after installing the motor and headers. I'm running 2" TTI headers with a manual steering box on a stock K member with the Schumacher motor mounts. We got everything to fit, but the TTI 2" headers are really tight.

One other point that would offer is that I had the engine put on the dyno to run it in. From the initial startup, there was a significant rear main seal leak that we were able to address before the engine was in the car. The money spent to put a new engine on a dyno or run stand is well worth it in my opinion. I forgot to take pictures yesterday, but here is one from when we had the engine in for mock up.

IMG_2157.JPEG
 
Ya, its a tight fit.

Im running a 383 in a 67 barracuda.

I find that when i was going thru the installment process it was easier to put engine and trans, bolted together, in through the bottom of the car.

It can be a circus of using the engine hoist to raise the car, with the engine/trans on a home built dolly. Once you do it this way, you might never go back to the old way.

Nice lookin dart BTW!
 
Imagine doing one in a early A body.
 
I have a 440 in my 72 Duster with manual steering and I can vouch for the 2" Tti being tight. Mine rattle of the pass fender and a litt;e off of the PST 1.03 torsion bars.
 
I have the ultimate solution, put a stroked small block in it. Have fun changing the spark plugs.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
I have the ultimate solution, put a stroked small block in it. Have fun changing the spark plugs.
Click to expand...
I put a 408 stroker from Blueprint Engines into my 70 Duster. That engine was a runner, and I'm glad I went that direction instead of going BB.
 
Definitely simpler running small blocks. But glad everyone doesn't take the easy route. LOL
Installing 451 in my 68 Dart car with TTI 1 3/4 headers.
Thanks for posting lessons learned on install. Car looks good. Also running the car on a stand before install is a bonus.
 
I always jacked the rear of the car up as high as I can get it on 6 ton stands then the body is angled forward. I keep engine and transmission together. Pull the steering column for clearance and lower the body down in the back while having a floor jack under the transmission. Easy! Then put the headers in. Slip the column back in and done. Did this 3 different times on 3 different big block A body projects. Good luck! And that Dart looks killer!
 
Stabbing both is a nightmare I found (440/727), after initial install I had to take just engine out for an issue. Putting engine only back in with trans still in car was super easy, wayyy easier than stabbing both. I was too scared to try from underneath as I do all of this by myself for the most part. Just finishing up my swap to 4 speed, the self inflicted punishment never ends.

For sure a small block is easier, but the 440 just looks so cool, gets the ooh/ahh at car shows, and has gobs of torque even with schumacher tri y's.

Speaking of which, the tri y's allow for very easy spark plug changes, probably easier than normal headers in a small block car.

Aluminum heads, intake, water pump housing and pump I would bet it is no heavier than how it came with an all iron 340.
 
clementine said:
Ya, its a tight fit.

Im running a 383 in a 67 barracuda.

I find that when i was going thru the installment process it was easier to put engine and trans, bolted together, in through the bottom of the car.

It can be a circus of using the engine hoist to raise the car, with the engine/trans on a home built dolly. Once you do it this way, you might never go back to the old way.

Nice lookin dart BTW!
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
Muswagon said:
Stabbing both is a nightmare I found (440/727), after initial install I had to take just engine out for an issue. Putting engine only back in with trans still in car was super easy, wayyy easier than stabbing both. I was too scared to try from underneath as I do all of this by myself for the most part. Just finishing up my swap to 4 speed, the self inflicted punishment never ends.

For sure a small block is easier, but the 440 just looks so cool, gets the ooh/ahh at car shows, and has gobs of torque even with schumacher tri y's.

Speaking of which, the tri y's allow for very easy spark plug changes, probably easier than normal headers in a small block car.

Aluminum heads, intake, water pump housing and pump I would bet it is no heavier than how it came with an all iron 340.
Click to expand...
CRUZE 418 said:
I have the ultimate solution, put a stroked small block in it. Have fun changing the spark plugs.
Click to expand...
I made a few modifications to the inner fenders and spark plug changes shouldn't be an issue. Stroked small blocks are nice, but you will never get the the HP and TQ numbers that a stroker big block can produce without spending a fortune or having an engine that is more of a race set up. (i.e. high rpms and high compression ratio) If you ran a small block with a turbo, that would be a different story, but that comes with it's own set of issues.
 
4fortyDemon said:
I always jacked the rear of the car up as high as I can get it on 6 ton stands then the body is angled forward. I keep engine and transmission together. Pull the steering column for clearance and lower the body down in the back while having a floor jack under the transmission. Easy! Then put the headers in. Slip the column back in and done. Did this 3 different times on 3 different big block A body projects. Good luck! And that Dart looks killer!
Click to expand...
That sounds like the best way to do it. Having the rear of the car up would have probably made it easier. Thank you for the compliment on the Dart!
 
I'm glad my dart is just a race car, no inner fender aprons makes it "look" easier.
Congratulations, that's a really nice dart & really nice 470 too.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
I have the ultimate solution, put a stroked small block in it. Have fun changing the spark plugs.
Click to expand...
You know what's funny is over 40 years i have never owned a small block and i am doing my first one and everytime i look down and see those spark plugs in the most perfect spot possible it makes me sooo happy inside that it's not a big block :)
 
There is only 1 plug hard to change on my 68 Dart 440 eddy head tti 1 7/8 headers. Need a wrench not a socket. A 4" piece of 3/8" fuel line works good for backing out and screwing in.
 
In my old shop I would just lift the front of the car off the ground with my bridge crane. Then I would roll the big block and transmission under the car, and then lower the car down over the engine. Lift the engine into the car, lift the k frame up to the car and you're just about finished. I could do the whole job by myself in just a few hours.

DSC_3624 (Large).JPG


DSC_3622 (Large).JPG


DSC_3630 (Large).JPG
 
Nice thing about pulling the engine up into the car from below is that the engine can be fully assembled. Headers bolted on and torqued in place. Spark plugs torqued, wires on, distributor in, starter bolted in place. Transmission bolted in place. Radiator hoses on the engine, fan belts installed and tightened. Fan in place, etc.
 
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