68 Barracuda 440 swap parts needed

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cudaman68

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Great site guys! I have a 68 cuda I'm restoring; it’s been in the family since it was new. I’m in the process of putting a 440 in and need to round up some parts. I need the motor mounts and headers I have a 4-speed and power steering. I know you can buy them new just thought I would see if someone had them used. I need a BB bell housing I have the flywheel from my 318 that I think I can use but the clutch and pressure plate will have to be replaced. I’m also looking to upgrade the rear end from the 7 ¼ that is in the car now so I’m looking for a complete 8 ¼ or an 8 3/4. I live in Clyde, Oh 43410
 
cudaman68 said:
Great site guys! I have a 68 cuda I'm restoring; it’s been in the family since it was new. I’m in the process of putting a 440 in and need to round up some parts. I need the motor mounts and headers I have a 4-speed and power steering. I know you can buy them new just thought I would see if someone had them used. I need a BB bell housing I have the flywheel from my 318 that I think I can use but the clutch and pressure plate will have to be replaced. I’m also looking to upgrade the rear end from the 7 ¼ that is in the car now so I’m looking for a complete 8 ¼ or an 8 3/4. I live in Clyde, Oh 43410
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I have just done all this to my duster in the last couple monthes.

Yes you can use a 318 fly wheel if it is internally ballanced. if the 440 is externally ballanced, you can have the flywheel drilled.

you will need one of three bellhousings. casting #2468370, 2468372 and 2892513. and you can only use these if you are going to use the Shumacher motor mounts swap. otherwise you can use a biger bellhousing if you use elephant ears.

I bought alot of parts from brewers performance.
I bought my bell housing from a guy on this forum...Thanks again Robbie!!!
and I have bought other parts from summit, rock auto parts, and my local parts store.

Use Big block dart web site for info as well, you can find out what headers you can use there. You can also take a look at my duster project if you like.

Best advice would be...get used to putting the engine in and out and in and out.....

and ask questions on here...you WILL get answers.

Phil
 
PS, I would also switch from points to electronic ign right now....look on Big block dart . com for instructions.

Phil
 
You can use any of the big block bellhousings with any mount that puts the engine in the stock location. Cheapest mount setup is to build your own Direct Connection (DC) k-member (modified 73-76 small block K).
 
Jim Lusk said:
You can use any of the big block bellhousings with any mount that puts the engine in the stock location. Cheapest mount setup is to build your own Direct Connection (DC) k-member (modified 73-76 small block K).
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No you can't. I had a 11 inch bell housing, and it would not make the mechanical linkage work, if you are going to switch and use a hydraulic clutch, then yes you can use anything, but that looks stupid under the hood. Just my opinion.

Thats only the cheapest way if you know how to make it, and have the tools. I am guessing you will need a welder. I could be wrong. motor mounts are not too expensive. How do you make a K member work?

people told me to keep the 11 inch bell, and make elephant ears, but I think they look silly, again a personal opinion. I am also not a fan of fenderwells.

It looks beter if it looks like its suposed to be there.

Phil
 
I`ve got motor mount of spole type in my Formula S.
Although I got a 383 cid. I belieave its the same with a 440.
Bought a aluminum bell housing from Brewers for a 130 tooth flywheel.
The only way to get the accurate parts for the clutch linkage was to order a complete set from Brewers. It was a ease to install.
I`m going to mount my tti headers later this summer, but first I have to break in the engine, then I`ll see if this set up will work (clutch linkage and tti:s).
Good luck with your resto and please post a lot of pics.
 
swedefish, the driver mount on my 69 440 cuda is completely different than that used on the 383. The boss on the block is located in a different place.

Grant
 
I had to bore and tap my 440 block for motor mounts when installing it in place of the factory 383. The bosses (above the oil pump) were there, they just weren`t drilled or tapped.
 
OneOfMany said:
swedefish, the driver mount on my 69 440 cuda is completely different than that used on the 383. The boss on the block is located in a different place.

Grant
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Grant, is your car a factory 440 car? If so , what K-member does it have? Do you have any pictures of it?
 
Yes, it has the orig. K.. the mount is a two-piece welded together unit that looks like a poor homemade job, but is correct. From what I understand it is same as 383BB K-memb. They were on assy. line as 383 (and tag-coded as such), then conversion performed

Grant
 
OneOfMany said:
Yes, it has the orig. K.. the mount is a two-piece welded together unit that looks like a poor homemade job, but is correct. From what I understand it is same as 383BB K-memb. They were on assy. line as 383 (and tag-coded as such), then conversion performed

Grant
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I gotcha' , they used the same 383 K-member but a different motor mount for the 440`s.
 
Why would it need a different motor mount? The blocks are the same until you get to the decks. So the holes in the front of the block (for a P/S pump in later years) would be in the same location.
 
I am putting a 383 4 speed combo in my 68 Barracuda coupe and you should change from power steering to manual for clearance issues. I am using TTI 2" headers and still have to grind out 1/4 " clearances on the bellhousing.

There is better info on this in the 4-speed forum.
 
Longgone said:
Grant, is your car a factory 440 car? If so , what K-member does it have? Do you have any pictures of it?
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Here's some pics...Top...383 A-Body mount and ,bottom, 440 A-Body mount...

383-A-body mount.jpg


440_A-body Mount.jpg
 
65Val said:
Here's some pics...Top...383 A-Body mount and ,bottom, 440 A-Body mount...
Click to expand...

Thanks 65Val, I`m familiar with the 383 mount, it`s what I have in my 68 Barracuda and it`s the same mount I used when going to the 440, but the other mount...........now that is wild. What were they thinking when they created that???? That`s the first time I`ve ever seen that mount!
 
Remember when buying car, I said to owner.. "ya that looks factory" thinking to myself that I could butch a better one. Insulator in pic is correct.

Grant
 
What in all that's holy is that attached to? It looks like it's bolted into the oil pump webbing?

damn that's scary
 
cudaman68 said:
Great site guys! I have a 68 cuda I'm restoring; it’s been in the family since it was new. I’m in the process of putting a 440 in and need to round up some parts. I need the motor mounts and headers I have a 4-speed and power steering. I know you can buy them new just thought I would see if someone had them used. I need a BB bell housing I have the flywheel from my 318 that I think I can use but the clutch and pressure plate will have to be replaced. I’m also looking to upgrade the rear end from the 7 ¼ that is in the car now so I’m looking for a complete 8 ¼ or an 8 3/4. I live in Clyde, Oh 43410
Click to expand...

The most important thing that you should think of cudaman, is that when installing a 440 into a car that was once a /6 or smallblock, is that the car has to be modified as a whole to handle the big block. That means changes in the rear end, suspension, frame stiffening, cooling, brakes, exhaust, etc. You get the picture, that 440 will find any weakness in the car. Good luck, I hope we can help, and post pictures as you go along.
 
mrtires24 said:
No you can't. I had a 11 inch bell housing, and it would not make the mechanical linkage work, if you are going to switch and use a hydraulic clutch, then yes you can use anything, but that looks stupid under the hood. Just my opinion.

Thats only the cheapest way if you know how to make it, and have the tools. I am guessing you will need a welder. I could be wrong. motor mounts are not too expensive. How do you make a K member work?

people told me to keep the 11 inch bell, and make elephant ears, but I think they look silly, again a personal opinion. I am also not a fan of fenderwells.

It looks beter if it looks like its suposed to be there.

Phil
Click to expand...

The elephant ears and mounts have no bearing on whether the mechanical linkage will work or not. What does is what level of fabrication you are willing to tackle, and you had better be willing to do more than just turn a few wrenches to accomplish a big block four speed swap. In our case we built custom linkage. The problem is that the big bell only has one ball-stud hole and does not accomodate the factory-style bracket that needs two holes. This has NOTHING to do with the mounts chosen. Whoever the "people" are that told you the elephant ears would solve your problem have NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Before there was a Schumacher (and this is not a slam on them) people were dropping big blocks into a-bodies by making their own mounts because Chrysler wanted nearly $400 for a DC k-member. Then I saw one up close and saw how bad the workmanship was and that it was just a modified stock piece. I used the measurements off the factory piece (first mistake) and published them in Chrysler Power magazine in the late-80s (I'm not one to hoard information). Then in the early 90s I found out the measurements on the factory DC unit were wrong and the correct measurements are published at Big Block Dart. I can pull a 73-76 v-8 k-member in any local self-serve yard and spend about $20 for it. Yes, it needs to be cut and welded.
 
Jim Lusk said:
The elephant ears and mounts have no bearing on whether the mechanical linkage will work or not. What does is what level of fabrication you are willing to tackle, and you had better be willing to do more than just turn a few wrenches to accomplish a big block four speed swap. In our case we built custom linkage. The problem is that the big bell only has one ball-stud hole and does not accomodate the factory-style bracket that needs two holes. This has NOTHING to do with the mounts chosen. Whoever the "people" are that told you the elephant ears would solve your problem have NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Before there was a Schumacher (and this is not a slam on them) people were dropping big blocks into a-bodies by making their own mounts because Chrysler wanted nearly $400 for a DC k-member. Then I saw one up close and saw how bad the workmanship was and that it was just a modified stock piece. I used the measurements off the factory piece (first mistake) and published them in Chrysler Power magazine in the late-80s (I'm not one to hoard information). Then in the early 90s I found out the measurements on the factory DC unit were wrong and the correct measurements are published at Big Block Dart. I can pull a 73-76 v-8 k-member in any local self-serve yard and spend about $20 for it. Yes, it needs to be cut and welded.
Click to expand...

I know everything that you wrote, sorry for not typing every detail. and I do think I was wrong. I think the comment for elephant ears was made fro the header and stearing linkage clearance, not so much for the clutch linkage. You are wrong about turning a few wrenches with a big block swap. it really isn't that dificult, and all the parts can be bought, and bolted on by turning a wrench. The dificult part is finding the parts, and knowing what works with what. Heck you can fabricate anything if you want to, but why, if you don't have to, and you are NOT going for a show car. it just depends on the build.

if you can by a k frame for $20, Id start buying and selling them.

Phil
 
No, it's not that difficult, but it's not for the novice, either. Why fabricate instead of buying? There are lots of reasons, including the fact the is considerably less expensive and you get the satisfaction of building something.

And, if you think you can just hand some wrenches and parts to a novice that he will get the car together, then we'll just have to agree to disagree as every novice I have ever been around (including myself 30 years ago) needed somebody who had been around to help out and point out where the pitfalls are. Even my sons, who have done this swap with my supervision, would need to call and ask about what fits with what.
 
Jim Lusk said:
No, it's not that difficult, but it's not for the novice, either. Why fabricate instead of buying? There are lots of reasons, including the fact the is considerably less expensive and you get the satisfaction of building something.

And, if you think you can just hand some wrenches and parts to a novice that he will get the car together, then we'll just have to agree to disagree as every novice I have ever been around (including myself 30 years ago) needed somebody who had been around to help out and point out where the pitfalls are. Even my sons, who have done this swap with my supervision, would need to call and ask about what fits with what.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't consider myself a novice, and I did it. yes I asked for help, but not fisical help, whether the help came from a book, a freind or this site doesn't really matter. I did it all myself. If the difference between a novice ( back yard mechanic) and an experienced one if not needing to ask questions, or learn something new. then we are all novice.

You don't need to fabricate everything in order to be clasified as experienced. can come across as too cheap to buy the right thing to...But I do understand what you mean buy the satisfaction of making something

Phil
 
I posted some picture in the Restorations section under Scott's 68 Barracuda
Thanks for all the info guys now how about those parts LOL
 
You can get motor mounts and headers from Schumacher Creative Services and the 4spd. hardware all from Brewers Performance. Trying to locate any factory A-body big block stuff is hard because it`s rare and expensive. Your best bet is to look at what`s available in the aftermarket. Before doing any engine swap you should have a purpose in mind for the car. This will direct you in a course for your build . Unless you`re already way into the motor build I would consider working the chassis first like upgrading the rear end, suspension, and brakes, then turn my attention to the engine. It`s better to have a /6 in a car with a good chassis than a 440 in a car with a bad chassis.
 
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