65 Barracuda engine swap

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R0K3_B3aRd

R0K3_B3aRd

Man with a Master plan.
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I have a 273 v8 all stock with 904 tranny. I want to upgrade but i don't know what engine to get or builds? Any opinions? like hemi or ls1 or any ford or chevy??thanks
 
I know you're just getting a feel for your car, and for Mopars. You can see a small-block Mopar barely fits in the narrow engine compartment of an early-a such as yours. Since you asked for opinions, a 273 is a great, durable, advanced design, swapping in a Ford or Chevy aside from being difficult amounts to butchering the car.
 
Which 273 do you have. A 273 commando has more than enough potential to do what I need. I'm not at the strip, but it will provide more than ample speed. The standard 273 is also a strong engine which you can build and get out of most anything you may want.
Of course, I'm just an old person who doesn't like change.
 
Any small block Mopar will fit and you can use most of your existing accessories from your 273. If you want more power for cheap just rebuild a stock 360 mild cam and you can just beef up your 904 trans. You probably have a 7 1/4 rear so that need to be addressed.
 
I also just bought a 65 barracuda and it is my first mopar project. It has been sitting out in the weather with no hood on it for a long time so there is a lot of rust in the intake, heads and cylinders of the 273. I'm pulling it out this saturday to pull the motor apart and see if it is rebuildable. If not will any older 318 line up with the bell housing holes on the 904 tranny?
 
twistthethro said:
I also just bought a 65 barracuda and it is my first mopar project. It has been sitting out in the weather with no hood on it for a long time so there is a lot of rust in the intake, heads and cylinders of the 273. I'm pulling it out this saturday to pull the motor apart and see if it is rebuildable. If not will any older 318 line up with the bell housing holes on the 904 tranny?
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Yes 318 is a direct swap for 273.
 
On my sister-in-laws 66 Barracuda I removed the 318 and put a 340 instead. With the 340 engine in stock form the rear end was not going to survive. Used a Explorer with 2 short axles and 3.27 gears.
 
If the 273 had a 4 bbl intake, it is the HiPo or Commando engine, and very desireable, so don't just scrap it. A 360 is the cheapest power upgrade and bolts in except one motor bracket differs and you need an adpater ring to fit the crank tight to the torque converter of your tranny (don't try without it). Magnum 5.2 or 5.9L blocks fit the same as a 318 or 360 cu in, and gives cheap EFI and roller cam. If you use their tranny you also get an overdrive gear, but must cut the tranny tunnel to fit. Magnum heads fit an LA block and vice-versa. You can get alum intakes to use a carb w/ Magnum heads if scared of EFI. There are forums here for both Magnum and new Hemi swaps. A few have fit a GM LS engine, but never read of a Ford engine swap. The 1966- engine bays are narrower so not all engines and exhausts you see for later A's will fit yours. A 7.25" rear-end won't survive long behind a power upgrade.
 
BillGrissom said:
If the 273 had a 4 bbl intake, it is the HiPo or Commando engine, and very desireable, so don't just scrap it. A 360 is the cheapest power upgrade and bolts in except one motor bracket differs and you need an adpater ring to fit the crank tight to the torque converter of your tranny (don't try without it). Magnum 5.2 or 5.9L blocks fit the same as a 318 or 360 cu in, and gives cheap EFI and roller cam. If you use their tranny you also get an overdrive gear, but must cut the tranny tunnel to fit. Magnum heads fit an LA block and vice-versa. You can get alum intakes to use a carb w/ Magnum heads if scared of EFI. There are forums here for both Magnum and new Hemi swaps. A few have fit a GM LS engine, but never read of a Ford engine swap. The 1966- engine bays are narrower so not all engines and exhausts you see for later A's will fit yours. A 7.25" rear-end won't survive long behind a power upgrade.
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well said:cheers:
 
build a teen, same power as a Commando 273-4 and almost free. 360 alone will have balance issues, 340 is too much money and has a different motor mount location, everything else doesnt fit (good) and I have put a 451 in there. 318 will bolt in 100% and are neutral balanced so you can use your old tranny and convertor, just pick up a adapter ring from Tflite-patty if newer than 67 crank. These cars are light and 340-360's lighting up the tires through 2 gears (yes...) is overkill. Drop a 4bbl Performer on it, dual exhaust, 5-600 CFM 4bbl and some 3.55 gears and youll have a fun car. Been there...still doing that!
273-4
318
340 +.060
340 std
451
403 stroker+efi
225 turbo
225 turbo+efi...in that order...!
 
pishta said:
build a teen, same power as a Commando 273-4 and almost free. 360 alone will have balance issues, 340 is too much money and has a different motor mount location, everything else doesnt fit (good) and I have put a 451 in there. 318 will bolt in 100% and are neutral balanced so you can use your old tranny and convertor, just pick up a adapter ring from Tflite-patty if newer than 67 crank. These cars are light and 340-360's lighting up the tires through 2 gears (yes...) is overkill. Drop a 4bbl Performer on it, dual exhaust, 5-600 CFM 4bbl and some 3.55 gears and youll have a fun car. Been there...still doing that!
273-4
318
340 +.060
340 std
451
403 stroker+efi
225 turbo
225 turbo+efi...in that order...!
Click to expand...
nice i appreciate the opinions guys. If anything i might just get a new edlebrock 4b intake and carb and a dual exhaust with flow masters. eventually I'm going to get 8 3/4 but not sure what else is strong?? Right now i just stripped the interior carpet going to sand away this week.
 
A "new" Edelbrock intake will not fit your 1965 273 heads. The only Edelbrock intake I can think of that fits the 64-65 heads is the D4B which has been out of production for 40 years.

The best all around "upgrade" for a 273 in an early A-body is a 318. Bolts right in, makes reasonable power and they're cheap. Heck you could probably swap the 273 crank for a stack of 318s.
 
Well gang, something that needs to be addressed before you "swap a 318 right in" is the fact that the register on the front of the torque converter of a pre-66 is smaller than that of the 318's crankshaft, and it won't take long until the front pump is toast on their original trannies!! You must use either the corresponding trans from a 67 or later car, which is not easy to do in a 65 that originally came with a pushbutton trans! The other option is to buy the spacer from Torqueflight Patty on eBay for $40 and install it in the 318 crank register! No, you cannot just swap the torque converter from the later trans into your pre-66, the spline count is different!!

Ain't early A's fun???
 
cosgig said:
Well gang, something that needs to be addressed before you "swap a 318 right in" is the fact that the register on the front of the torque converter of a pre-66 is smaller than that of the 318's crankshaft, and it won't take long until the front pump is toast on their original trannies!! You must use either the corresponding trans from a 67 or later car, which is not easy to do in a 65 that originally came with a pushbutton trans! The other option is to buy the spacer from Torqueflight Patty on eBay for $40 and install it in the 318 crank register! No, you cannot just swap the torque converter from the later trans into your pre-66, the spline count is different!!

Ain't early A's fun???
Click to expand...

Just learned something new.I didn't realize the 65 Barracuda still used the push button tranny.64 was the last year they used push buttons in the Dart.
 
well i would be down to trade the 273 normal v8 if any of you guys interested. I have no problem dropping cash on top of it. Only 126k original miles. Pm
 
TURBO(s)
Think about it. Easy 350 easy hp.Requires low compression;check. No big tranny change;check. Only a diff change (for longevity);check. Still get great fuel mileage;check. No or almost no down time;check. No big cam,big carb,big manifiold;check. No hi-stall or 3.91s;check. comfortable,quiet cruising;check.KILLER torque;check, and double check.Minor support mods,and tire frying times.
Ok, thats what I would do.lol
 
Back in Time said:
Just learned something new.I didn't realize the 65 Barracuda still used the push button tranny.64 was the last year they used push buttons in the Dart.
Click to expand...

64 was last year for pushbutton in Barracuda too. 65 was still cable shifted but it is actuated by a floor shifter.
 
geoterr said:
I am looking for the horn set for a 65 barracuda. let me know if you have one for sale.

thanks
Click to expand...

I don't have one for sale myself, but may I bring your attention to this one that I found on ebay....

I would, however, recommend washing the end before putting it in your mouth....

View attachment hybrid_motorcycle.jpg
 
I've got the same car and went through what you're going through. My 273 had low compression in a couple of cylinders, barely ran, and the 904 cable-shift leaked. I decided to do a 360 magnum engine swap and have since learned how quickly the $$$ add up. When my project is done, it'll have a 360 magnum bored .30 over with kieth black pistons and elelbrock aluminium manifolds with 10.7:1. It'll be balanced to within one gram and will have a performer RPM Airgap intake and 750 Street Demon carb. I've acquired a 833 four speed, new pressure plate, flywheel, clutch, pedal assembly, and linkage. I've welded all the seams on the K-member and the power stearing mount, acquired tubular upper control arms, strengthened the lower control arms, and acquired all the bushings and other parts to completely rebuild the front suspension. Also acquired some 4-piston disks. I still need to get a new rear end (probably a narrowed 8.8 with 3:27 ratio), install sub frame connectors, and a bunch of other stuff. It's been fun but I still have a long way to go and I've come to appreciate the relative simplicity of rebuilding the 273....
 
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