I mean, nobody tries to go faster by shrinking bore size, right ??? To the tune of 45 cubic inches ????
273 or 318 ?
- Thread starter 318willrun
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MileHighDart
Well-Known Member
You forgot to put "Just drop a 360 in it" in your poll.
Jeffrey67dart
Well-Known Member
Had a 72 dart with a 318 and is was a lot of fun! The dart with a 273 what i have now is just missing some torq in the lower rpm's
4.05 bore X 2.96 inch stroke. That would really be something if there was an LA block with an 8-1/2 inch or so deck height.
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Fat engines and skinny women.
Horse power gain equivalent is 1/8” overbore = 1” longer stroke.
I bought a 73 more door Dart with a 318 two barrel for my daughter to drive. One day she comes home and I am outside. She says “Dad, look what I can do!” She stands on the accelerator and does a one-legged burnout down the street. I wiped a tear of joy from my eye.
I’ve owned several stock 273-2bbl cars, pretty lame. Low on torque and power. Got worse gas mileage than a similar 318. Yes they were running on all 8 and not smoking, decent used engines.
I’ll step up to a poly 318 any day!
I’ll step up to a poly 318 any day!
I’m the one vote for the 273. Because no matter which engine I had, I’d swap it out for a big block, so might as well vote for the underdog lol.
I drove a 2 door Aspen (or was it a Volare??) with a factory 318 4bbl (Thermoquad). I would have put that up against the historic 273 commando, all factory stock. Honestly, it was a much faster car than I expected.
By the way, this is no disrespect for the 273. It's another LA small block that I like. I take each engine for what they are......
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
Seriously?? We finally got tired of that 340/360 thread, and you had to start this all over again!
Instigator...I know it's the dead of winter and we're all really bored (-10* this morning, my old fluorescent shop lights won't even fire up).
Since you didn't specify, I vote for the 273 simply because the Commando/Charger is the best looking small block ever produced by Chrysler, with the possible exception of a 340 6bbl. (without the air cleaner on). The 318 didn't even get a factory four barrel until, what, 1978?
Up Next: 170 or 225 Slant Six, and Why?
a 460 HP 273 turning 8000 RPM, I believe IQ52 mentioned he built one years ago.
Well, in the thread that you mentioned, some 273 fans showed up and threw their hat in the ring. So......Seriously?? We finally got tired of that 340/360 thread, and you had to start this all over again!
I know it's the dead of winter and we're all really bored (-10* this morning, my old fluorescent shop lights won't even fire up).
Since you didn't specify, I vote for the 273 simply because the Commando/Charger is the best looking small block ever produced by Chrysler, with the possible exception of a 340 6bbl. (without the air cleaner on). The 318 didn't even get a factory four barrel until, what, 1978?
Up Next: 170 or 225 Slant Six, and Why?
A family friend has a '66 Coronet 440 2 door with a 273 and a 727 with an 8-3/4 with 2.76 or 3.23 rear gears. If it belonged to me, I'd have a 318 in it almost immediately. Not that I wouldn't prefer a 360. Or 340. Or a Big Block. A 318 would be a matter of convenience and affordability. I could get one together from my available resources quicker than anything else for the least work and money possible. The difference in performance and driveability would be worth every bit of the trouble to make it happen. But I would most certainly upgrade to later single pot disk brakes and split master cylinder before doing that. And I'd probably put a manual steering box in while I was at it, too. My take on driving it was the power steering felt like the tires weren't even on the ground, and the factory manual drum brake setup would barely be adequate for a slant six. Almost a two feet on the brake experience.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
And if you've never heard a well built 273 singing it's song at high RPM, you're in for a treat. It's distinctive, and addictive.
I've got one under the bench and collecting parts, waiting it's turn for a build, just because I want to. Don't even know what I'd put it in; although I've been considering a "Track T" type build for a few years now- hinging on finding suitable vintage Mopar sheet metal that won't bankrupt me. My wife says I'm getting too old to climb into a T bucket anymore...
If the same efforts were put into a 318, I'm sure the same accomplishments or more could be obtained. A person can put performance money to make a 2.2 K-car run 10's. Been done more than once.
I understand the low deck 170 and the high deck 225. My why was what the heck did they need a 198 ?
It depends on what, with and how you're going to do it.
I could put a 318 on a grocery cart and run 4's all day long.
if ya know what I mean. lol
Yes, in the end, it's HP vs Weight ratio. It's why a 140 hp crotch rocket will beat a 450hp 3500 lbs car.It depends on what, with and how you're going to do it.
I could put a 318 on a grocery cart and run 4's all day long.
Patience young padawan. This is a 273 vs 318 discussion. We must wait for someone else to start the slant six thread when we are done with this one.
or a thread on reasons for preferring a 340 over a 426 Hemi. that could get real good.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
Or, GASP! 3.7 vs 3.9…. 
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