I am working on overhauling the original 273ci Motor that came in my 1965 Plymouth Barracuda! I'm pulling parts & working on cleaning them up to restore them to as close to original condition as possible! Already have stripped, cleaned & painted a new oil pan & the 2 original valve covers. I am also in a parallel process of overhauling a 318ci Engine that is a newer 71-73, (haven't narrowed down the mfg date yet) which came out of a "Motorhome" with about 55,000 miles on it. The oil pan is different as well as the timing chain cover is different where the water pump is mounted to a raised position higher up on a specialized timing chain cover location.
So during the process of going thru steps on these things, I pulled off the intake manifold from the 273 & was working to strip off the 59years of gunk from the Intake manifold, which includes removing the rivets from the belly plate to clean the cavity between the plate & the underside of the 2 barrel intake airflow well/ports!
Wow was my expression when I found what appeared to be a stash of coal chunks/flakes & the encrusted coating of hardened crusting along the cast iron cavity! So I went into excavation mode to see what else was hiding inside this historic sarcofigus of ancient records of a failing system. Next I found what an emotional mind never wants to find, but that a rational mind endures to find truth that leads one to where reality can smack your face to wake one up to the truth! A CRACK RUNNING STRAIGHT UNDER THE DEAD CENTER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE INTAKE PORT's "Carburetor Barrel"! Quite possibly the reason why the previous owner gave up on the car & left it to sit in their carport for 20 some years. My guess is that fuell was being fed into the intake, spilling through the crack and being baked into charcoal over time, which also caused overheating of the intake manifold. I just can't figure what would have caused the crack in the first place.
So I seek any info on my current need for a working path forward! I am considering: Cleaning & Brazing the crack in the manifold & rebuilding the carb. I am in Tucson, so water freezing in the intake is not a likely cause of the crack. If anyone has experience or thoughts on the smartest, budget friendly path to matke thing work would be much appreciated!
I do realize life is what happens, regardless as to what our plans are!
Thanks in advance!