My 360 build

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dartfreak75

Restore it, Dont part it!
Joined
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I want to start a thread documenting my progress on my 360 build. For the ones that dont follow my car build thread this engine is going into a 1975 dart swinger that I'm slowly building. The engine is a 1977 360 the block was machined. 060 over I'm using kb107 pistons on the stock rods and a refurbished stock crank and stock harmonic balancer. The cam is a lunati voodoo 262/286 duration .475/.495 lift. I'm using matching lunati microtrol lifters. The heads are the factory 360 heads that I ported myself I didn't go to wild on them. I cut the guides for positive seals and had a valve job done. The valves are the factory 1.88 size and are all new melling valves the exhaust valves are also factory with engine tech valves. The heads where shaved .030 to ensure they are flat. The head cc came out around 63 after they were milled. The compression should be around 10.2. Up top I have a factory 1971 (I believe) 340 intake and a fresh thermoquad carb. The TQ is the large main 1 1/2 primary carb. I am gonna be posting alot of pictures so enjoy. Feel free to give me any tips or tricks or construction criticism. This is my first full rebuild and I'm learning.
 
Ok so here goes. What iv got done so far is the machine work. Boring the block milling the heads and the valve job. I cleaned out the extra metal In the valley with a dremal cleaned it really good gave it an oil bath and got the plugs put in it. I got the cam bearing installed. I had to shave them using the old cam I took a cutoff wheel and cut diagonal slots in the journals and turned it with a wrench. Now the new cam fits great in the new bearings. The only oil mod I did was drill a small hole in the front oil plug and one in the cam thrust plate to let some oil squirt onto the timing chain. I may go back and drill four holes into the oil filter plate. I put the block to the side and started in the heads I started measuring my valve spring installed height and i have ran into problems there they are considerably shorter than they are "suppose" to be they are coming in at around 1.62 the shorted is 1.605 the tallest is 1.64 on the intake side and the exhaust is 1.62-1.65 the problem here is my valve springs have a coil bind of 1.1 so doing the math that only leaves me about .026 on the shortest exhaust side. So I'm either gonna have to cut the seats all to 1.65 or find new springs.

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I like your build and the stock look , it will run very well. I like the factory intake and T/Q. This is the engine in my garbage truck , i did not have a stock intake but had an LD340 , here is a pic of mine
20161010_214012.jpg
 
I like your build and the stock look , it will run very well. I like the factory intake and T/Q. This is the engine in my garbage truck , i did not have a stock intake but had an LD340 , here is a pic of mineView attachment 1715598978
Thanks that looks really good. That's the look I'm going for I want it to look completely stock but run a little better than stock. I know in 1975 the 360s where pretty weak due to emissions and low compression. I wish I could find a correct set of 75 valve overs the ones I have are off a 69 340. Most ppl will never tell a difference and the ppl who can will probably just think it's a 340 engine lol i like the original appearance I have also decided to go with exhaust manifolds instead of headers just to keep the original look going. I bought a super nice snorkel air cleaner off of a member here it's a 2bbl cleaner but I am gonna try and modify the bottom to fit a 4 bbl that's gonna be a later project but I'm gonna buy just the bottom of a 4bbl cleaner and cut weld and fab it into the bottom of the 2bbl cleaner.
 
Thanks , If I find any mid 70s covers I will let you know , looks good. What are those manifolds?
 
Thanks , If I find any mid 70s covers I will let you know , looks good. What are those manifolds?
Yep rumbles correct magnums idk how they are gonna fit yet but I'm gonna give it a whirl I have a pair of the crappy 80s headers that everyone hates if they dont fit right. I'm hoping they will it will fit the "original" look I'm going for without spending 500 on 340 manifolds. I got those locally for 35 bucks.
 
I decided to re measure the spring height and I wrote them all down in order and marked the heads so I can remember exactly what each one of them was. Here are the numbers I got. Now I just gotta do the math on my coil bind and spring pressure and decide what I'm gonna do. Head one looks pretty good head 2 is concerning.
Head 1

Ex 1.65

In 1.635

In 1.635

Ex 1.65

Ex 1.655

In 1.64

In 1.64

Ex 1.655

Head 2

Ex 1.65

In 1.61

In 1.635

Ex 1.635

Ex1.64

In 1.615

In 1.62

Ex 1.655
 
I think you are well within spec there brother. If you where 1.5 or 1.7 range then yeah I would be concerned. I would run it as is or shims work too if looking to get it dead nuts on. Plus or minus .020 no big deal
 
I think you are well within spec there brother. If you where 1.5 or 1.7 range then yeah I would be concerned. I would run it as is or shims work too if looking to get it dead nuts on. Plus or minus .020 no big deal
The problem is its short and not long. If they where a but over id shim them but shorter cant really be shimmed.
 
Yep rumbles correct magnums idk how they are gonna fit yet but I'm gonna give it a whirl I have a pair of the crappy 80s headers that everyone hates if they dont fit right. I'm hoping they will it will fit the "original" look I'm going for without spending 500 on 340 manifolds. I got those locally for 35 bucks.
I tried a pair of those manifolds. RT side would fit nice with no interference , left wouldn't work because I have a 4 spd and the Z bar was in the way . Might work on an automatic. Good luck. Lookin Good !
 
Ok so i did all the math and to keep the coil bind over .050 the intake install height has to be at least 1.625 and the exhaust side has to be at least 1.645
 
I tried a pair of those manifolds. RT side would fit nice with no interference , left wouldn't work because I have a 4 spd and the Z bar was in the way . Might work on an automatic. Good luck. Lookin Good !
Yea i have an automatic and i converted it to a floor shift so all the linkages have been removed. My biggest concern is steering column. We will see what happens lol
 
They look like they would flow well.
From what iv read they flow similar to the 340 ones. I know headers will out flow them but im willing to give up 10-15 hp for a better looking user friendly package. I dont want to scrape every speed bump and have the headaches of changing plugs and melted wires. I know alot will disagree with me.
 
I want to start a thread documenting my progress on my 360 build. For the ones that dont follow my car build thread this engine is going into a 1975 dart swinger that I'm slowly building. The engine is a 1977 360 the block was machined. 060 over I'm using kb107 pistons on the stock rods and a refurbished stock crank and stock harmonic balancer. The cam is a lunati voodoo 262/286 duration .475/.495 lift. I'm using matching lunati microtrol lifters. The heads are the factory 360 heads that I ported myself I didn't go to wild on them. I cut the guides for positive seals and had a valve job done. The valves are the factory 1.88 size and are all new melling valves the exhaust valves are also factory with engine tech valves. The heads where shaved .030 to ensure they are flat. The head cc came out around 63 after they were milled. The compression should be around 10.2. Up top I have a factory 1971 (I believe) 340 intake and a fresh thermoquad carb. The TQ is the large main 1 1/2 primary carb. I am gonna be posting alot of pictures so enjoy. Feel free to give me any tips or tricks or construction criticism. This is my first full rebuild and I'm learning.
Very nice parts selection!! Let me tell you, once that carb is set up right, and you've got the timing right, you'll have stomp like you've never dreamed! STart saving now for DOT drag radials, cause you gonna need 'em!!!!!!
 
Very nice parts selection!! Let me tell you, once that carb is set up right, and you've got the timing right, you'll have stomp like you've never dreamed! STart saving now for DOT drag radials, cause you gonna need 'em!!!!!!
Its funny you mentioned tires because i have been doing a lot of research on them the last few days. I may end up moving the springs in later. I have to replace the leaf springs eventually when I do I may move them inward depending on how much traction issues I have. I measured and about the widest I can go now is 235s I think if I can get the tuning down its gonna be a strong engine. I forgot to mention the rest of the combo. I got a neutral balance flywheel and a boss hog converter it's their street series it's like a 2200 stall I believe. And a 999 torqueflight with 3.73 rear gears
 
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