I was on the Slant 6 forum, but now...

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Kenjenok

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Hello everyone, I have a 1973 Plymouth Scamp, slant 6, auto, PS, and a factory A/C car. Not perfect, but all there, running and driving. Being a Chevy man like my dad was, I'm new to this Mopar stuff. Always liked it and have some "dream" Mopars that I would like to own one day in the future!? So, I thought I would buy me one and this little Scamp is really cool.
Anyway, I want more power after driving V-8 Chevy's for the better part of 25 years, SO I have been looking for a 318/trans combo and bought one from a 1984 Chrysler Cordoba. I am going to get all the wiring that they can save, the trans mount, the radiator and anything else I want to go over there and pull off the Cordoba. I will purchase my very first engine stand, and attempt to check out and rebuild this 318. Probably won't mess with the trans other than check the current fluid, checking it for metal shavings and other things that indicate it's junk. Here's my questions so far, motor mounts? Factory exhaust manifolds or headers? Will my driveshaft work? I'm kinda partial to 2 barrel carbs, any thoughts? That's it for now. Thanks
 
Some of the hardware of the dobe may not work. Wiring may not. The slant wiring should hook right up, maybe lengthen or shorten some wiring

I would guess your driveshaft will work IF the 318 is a 904. I guess you know? your slant transmission will NOT fit a 318 For motor mounts you will either need A -- a V8 K member, B -- so called swap mounts or C -- fab your own. The position of the mounting ears on the slant K is wrong. Unfortunately the "big" source for "swap" mounts seems to be closed---Schumaker.
 
Some of the hardware of the dobe may not work. Wiring may not. The slant wiring should hook right up, maybe lengthen or shorten some wiring

I would guess your driveshaft will work IF the 318 is a 904. I guess you know? your slant transmission will NOT fit a 318 For motor mounts you will either need A -- a V8 K member, B -- so called swap mounts or C -- fab your own. The position of the mounting ears on the slant K is wrong. Unfortunately the "big" source for "swap" mounts seems to be closed---Schumaker.
Good info, what do I look for on the trans to tell me it's a 904? Markings, pan shape? The salvage yard guy told me the V8 trans mount would be with the motor/trans combo I am buying. This is all new to me, SBC is my normal go to....Like I mentioned, I'm normally a Chevy guy!
 
Hey, guess what guys? I just found out my motor is coming out of a 1980 Chrysler Cordoba, not my above mentioned 1984.
 
The trans mount in your Scamp will work with your new trans. You will either have to find motor mounts from Trans-Dapt or put in a V8 k-frame with mounts from any year 68-76 A-Body but just know that the mounts changed in 1973 so you have to have the k-frame and mounts from 68-72 complete or 73-76 complete. You should be able to use the wiring from your Scamp to use on the V8 but the wiring to the distributor may not reach so you would need to add some length to the stock wires.
 
Here ya go. It's probably an A904

727904gasket.jpg
 
yeah, now were rolling

welcome to the right side of the tracks (where we dont kick you out for upgrading...unless its a LS, of course)


silly question, how dead set are you on THAT 318?
like we discussed, your best bet is to get a v8 K-member

so perhaps the yard has a 75 dart sport with a 318 you could grab with the K member?


if not, Ks pop up here occasionally, but usually start at 200 and up
 
A few more items you may want to consider.....Keep your old speedo cable, adaptor, and gear from your old transmission to put into the new one. You may also have to round up a small block distributor with a vacuum advance, since the '80 Cordoba probably has a lean burn system computer. Get the kickdown linkage with the engine/trans. It may have to be modified a bit (usually it's for firewall clearance), but, you should be able to make it work by rebending the main rod. There's a different setup between a 2bbl and 4bbl, so, that a decision that will have to be made early in your build. It's unlikely the Cordoba radiator will work in your Scamp without major mods. Being a factory A/C car it should have disc brakes, so, you should be good there, but, you may have to do some McGiver plumbing to hook up the A/C hoses with your system. You'll have to round up a driver's side exhaust manifold or go with headers. If you're going to run a 2bbl, no need for headers. Wiring should work ok, except for some of the carb controls and emission devices, depending on what you're going to use and what you're going to change or remove. As mentioned, If you can find a donor car like the one you have, it will make this conversion a whole lot easier.
 
yeah, now were rolling

welcome to the right side of the tracks (where we dont kick you out for upgrading...unless its a LS, of course)


silly question, how dead set are you on THAT 318?
like we discussed, your best bet is to get a v8 K-member

so perhaps the yard has a 75 dart sport with a 318 you could grab with the K member?


if not, Ks pop up here occasionally, but usually start at 200 and up
I looked for about 2 hours over there and I didn't see any 70's model Mopars at all. Maybe a van or two, but no A body cars. He has lots and lots of the 80's, 90's and newer, but almost nothing older than say a 1979, except Chevy's and Fords, of course! lol
 
HA!
better get used to that brother, you're with the underdogs now

parts for our cars are half as common and twice as expensive

how are your welding skills?
you may be able to weld up a set of mounts
 
HA!
better get used to that brother, you're with the underdogs now

parts for our cars are half as common and twice as expensive

how are your welding skills?
you may be able to weld up a set of mounts
Just recently bought a 110 wire feed welder, but have little to no experience running it. Have tried a couple of times on a trailer I have that isn't the prettiest trailer anyway, but that didn't go well at all. Need to get with my uncle, he's pretty decent with his and wouldn't mind giving me some pointers!
 
If you really plan on keeping the 2-barrel carb, headers are of no real use and would make the install quite a bit more difficult in an A-body.

But at the same time... keeping that 2-barrel means you will be leaving a lot on the table...!
 
Look around on here for a 73-76 V8 K frame and 73-76 318 spool type motor mounts if the ones that come with your cordoba engine dont work. They pop up pretty often. Then just do a K frame change, or get a set of Schumacher 73-76 slant 6 to 318 motor mount adaptors or transdapt ones if they make them. As far as a kickdown linkage goes, Lokar makes a cable type one like a GM TV cable so when you decide on a 4 barrel and taller intake your still good.
 
If you really plan on keeping the 2-barrel carb, headers are of no real use and would make the install quite a bit more difficult in an A-body.

But at the same time... keeping that 2-barrel means you will be leaving a lot on the table...!
I'm not interested in FAST, just enough power to let me know "there's a V8 under this hood!" I have had lots of V8's (mostly Chevy!) and there's just nothing more fun than romping on the right pedal and it jumps to life and gets you on down the road! I will not be racing it, or anything even close to that at all.
 
Schumacher retired de to family health issues months ago. Never heard anything good about TransDapt. Put out a wanted ad on CL or FB marketplace local for the K is my bet.
 
even better . I wouldn't worry about the trans being a 904 or a 727 . Both are o.k. welcome ! this is a great site !

Agree, but if its 727 his existing driveshaft will be too long. If its 904 he should be able to re-use it.
Someone also mentioned keeping your existing scamp wiring. You will just need to lengthen a few wires. Much less work than swapping the whole harness. You can also get a new engine harness for V8. The engine harness are not too expensive like the dash harness is. I dont even bother with salvaging original engine harness anymore, not worth the effort vs the price of a new harness.

Enjoy the Scamp. Its a cool car and a rather less common model .
 
Agree, but if its 727 his existing driveshaft will be too long. If its 904 he should be able to re-use it.
Someone also mentioned keeping your existing scamp wiring. You will just need to lengthen a few wires. Much less work than swapping the whole harness. You can also get a new engine harness for V8. The engine harness are not too expensive like the dash harness is. I dont even bother with salvaging original engine harness anymore, not worth the effort vs the price of a new harness.

Enjoy the Scamp. Its a cool car and a rather less common model .
That's one reason I bought it, you don't see them everywhere! Even though it's really, really not that different....just badging, BUT it's a Plymouth man!!
 
Agree, but if its 727 his existing driveshaft will be too long. If its 904 he should be able to re-use it.
Someone also mentioned keeping your existing scamp wiring. You will just need to lengthen a few wires. Much less work than swapping the whole harness. You can also get a new engine harness for V8. The engine harness are not too expensive like the dash harness is. I dont even bother with salvaging original engine harness anymore, not worth the effort vs the price of a new harness.

Enjoy the Scamp. Its a cool car and a rather less common model .
Going from a slant 6 to a small block, if anything, some wires are too long......not too short. Just fold them over and re-wrap them to the harness farther back.
 
I would Run a 318 magnum they are pretty quick in stock form and have alot of more benefits than the LA 318
 
Hey, guess what guys? I just found out my motor is coming out of a 1980 Chrysler Cordoba, not my above mentioned 1984.
That's good news since they didn't make a cordoba in 84. You might want to part out that cordoba, those parts are getting really hard to find and could be worth something to the right people
 
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