65 cuda 273 to 360 tranny hookup

-

challenger57

cuda57
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
207
Reaction score
26
Location
york, pa.
I am about to swap my 273 for a 77 360, what type of changes might I encounter. Can I use my 360 torque converter 3500 or must I us the 273 converter 2500. I have the 360 flex plate. Is the spline diff? How well will the old (rebuilt) 904 handle the power diff. of the 360---350 to 400hp? Thanks gents
 
Bob's right. A 727 converter won't work. It needs to be balanced correctly for the external balanced 360. Either by using a converter that has 360 balance weights on it or using a neutral balance converter and a B&M flex plate #10239. Also it has to be the correctly splined converter. Up to 67 they were 18 spline and after 67 they were 27 spline. How well it's going to hold up is a guess. If the rebuild is fairly new and it has a good quality shift improver kit it should last a long time. If it's been awhile since the rebuild and don't have a shift kit I'd pull it and refresh it and install a shift improver kit.
 
For any other thoughts on this thread the 360 3500 torque came out of a 904 that was hooked to 360, but it was a newer 70's 904. Any more thoughts greatly appriciated before I open the can of worms. Thanks
 
For any other thoughts on this thread the 360 3500 torque came out of a 904 that was hooked to 360, but it was a newer 70's 904. Any more thoughts greatly appriciated before I open the can of worms. Thanks

I'll add to Fishy68's comments by saying that if you're running the '65 904 with the ball and trunion you may want to pull the factory unit and set it aside, replacing it with a later 904 (or 999) having a slip yoke style tailshaft. This will obviously require a new driveshaft also, but you'll be happier for it come joint replacement time.

Regarding the torque converter, please clarify what you are talking about regarding "the 3500 that came with the 360 and the 2500 that came with the 273". Are you talking aftermarket part numbers or theoretical stall RPM? If you are talking about the latter, it will depend heavily on the rest of your combination: cam/carb/intake/gear ratio all impact the package's efficacy.

What do you have in mind for the car? Cruiser? Drag? Autocross?? A 3500 RPM stall converter is somewhat on the loose side, unless you're pushing a .050" duration greater than 245 degrees, and while fun for drags, would be less than desirable for cruising (unless you can't idle because of cam choice, wink wink). Simplify match the stall with the cam manufacturers recommendation.

Will the parts bolt up? Possibly (assuming you don't try the '77 converter in the '65 904), but will they do what you want? Make sure you look at the whole combo. More info please!! :cheers:

As a side note, what are you doing for motor mounts? You'll need to either modify the 273 passenger side bracket or buy a set of Schumacher conversion mounts to accommodate the 360. And don't forget exhaust, headers are limited in choice to Doug's, TTI (very nice), Spitfires (if you can get them) and Hooker semi-fenderwells.
 
The 65 trans may have a different spline count than 68 and later. You can switch the front drum (65 will be 4 disk, mid 70's may have 5) and reaction shaft support to the later setup and use the later style converter (I think the pumps were the same). Same goes for the mainshaft and tail housing if you want to get rid of the ball/trunion. Ball/trunion parts are more expensive and harder to find.

You will have to use the 65 valve body with the cable shift case. OR use a later complete transmission and a shifter adapter cable from www.imperialservices.net
 
You got some very good info on the tranny / torque converter changes required.

As for the exhaust, you can either bolt on your original 273 manifolds to your 360, and they fit just fine, or go with later 340 HiPo manifolds (VERY pricey) or headers.

Your original motor mounts from the 273 will work just fine on the 360. I just put a photo in another thread showing the driver's side mount, and explaining how the passenger side mount will work. Look at the Motor Mount thread just above this one.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=7476
 
The 3500 and 2500 are stall numbersfor after market converters. Headers are not an issue because the 273 has 360 heads on it. Thats another story from another earlier thread I had and reason for swapping to the 360. The 360 origionaly had a 2500 stall when I got it. As for the cam I have no info on it other than the #'s on the end. I put a post out earlier for help iding the cam but no help #940162. The motor is bored .040 over with pistons .035 out of the hole. Carb is a 650 holley. Intake will be either edelbrock performer or performer rpm, not sure. Gears are3.91SG. Thats about all the info I got. My thoughts are to just use the 2500 stall and hope tranny holds up. Thanks Mark
 
-
Back
Top