anyboby smallblocked a 70's colt?

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540demon

540demon

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ive been wearin ebay's *** out this week...came out with a pair of 15x8 (3 1/2 bs) draglites,26x8 1/2 mickey et drags, and a whole pile of other stuff.i sized the wheel and tire combo around my 340 swinger. i figured id make a serious bracket racer...but keep the 340 swinger as a backup. has anybody ever done a colt?lookin for guidance from yall swappers!doin a stock 360/727/ with a narrowed 8 3/4. i figured stock stuff will keep her consistent,and propel her little hindparts into the 7's on our local1/8 mile tracks. can't run past 7.49 without a cage..so i'll cut the throttle back if need be. looks like with stock firewall,the 360'swater pump would be at stock radiator location...might have to cut firewall to move back.any input is greatly appreciated!
forgot to mention i'll be using a scirocco radiator with flexalite's twin electric fans.(more ebay stuff)

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I remember a couple of them running back in the 70's when I was a kid. Some guys about 10 miles south of me had one with a 340. Too long to remember what it ran but I know it was deadly fast. I say deadly fast because it was such a short wheelbase and chassis technology wasn't what it is now so it wasn't real easy to control. Good luck shoehorning it in.
 
One of my customers runs one as a bracket car. Don't know much about it but if you want to talk to him i could get you his number tomorrow.
 
i have talked to the guy in seattle...he didn't build it,so he's not a ton of help..but that pic of the engine is a real morale booster.thanks man,now i know im not completely nuts. if that car was on the east coast it would be sold! i cant build mine for that price!
 
I am working on it right now....kinda.
The car is out back under the deck. Fits like a glove.

I am going with a magnum motor from a Dodge Van, 318 / auto / rear is undecided.

The frame and shock towers are a bit weak on this one, so it will get a full boxed frame. There is some ohter tricks up my sleeve, but those will have to wait. I see you found my post.... :D
 
i got a buddy that race some colts back in the 70 's an 80's . deadly fast cars. but he ran big blocks in all of them. he put together 4or 5 of the over the years.
 
Hi school buddy shoe horned a 350 into a Datsun B210. Even with posi it wouldn't hook. Damn near killed us several times!
 
It's been a while, but I've seen small blocks in Colts and Arrows. But I would strongly suggest frame connectors as well as an 8 point cage, all tied together, especially if it will be raced hard. Otherwise, you WILL tweak the chassis and body. It will likely be nose-heavy, so a stiff chassis will help weight transfer. Those little cars just weren't designed to handle V-8 power and do have a reputation of being squirrely, even done professionally, because of the short wheelbase.
 
the guy i know that did colts back in the day alway set his engine back some . all had tube chissie cars.
 
The Labaron's? They included the crossmember for correct front end geomerty and all. That would make the job easier. Not to mention, a lot of us would like to have one.
 
set that 360 in the colt this weekend,after cutting the firewall and trans tunnel out of the way. when mounts are aligned with crossmember...oil filter is WAY close to the idler arm,and dist. is gonna be right on the firewall. in a joking way, i called my buddy up and told him i found our answers...383 has front dist. and oil filter. then reality set in....i measured a 383 and my god..they are so close in dimensions its not even funny. that 120 lbs might be a good trade off. looks like im changin directions!
 
I'll be the first to admit that I tend to be overcautious. But another 100-120 lbs on the front end of such a light, nose-heavy already with a small block, short wheelbase and already difficult handling car is just too scarey. Getting it to transfer weight, hook and go straight seems like a lot to ask. But that's just me.
 
An easy solution for the oil filter interference is what I did. Behind the oil filter adapter there's a 3/8" pipe plug. Below it is an opening that's drilled but not tapped. Remove the upper 3/8 pipe plug and put a plug in the middle hole that originally held on the filter adapter, think it's 3/4 fine thread. Tap the lower hole that isn't tapped to 3/8" pipe. Screw barb fittings into the 2 tapped holes in the block and run them up and out of the way to a remote oil filter. The lower hole (the one you tapped to 3/8 pipe) is output from the oil pump and the top is oil back in from the oil filter. Here's a couple of pics of mine.

If you need more room you could probably scrounge your local hydraulic supply company and come up with angle fitting or adapters.
 
360 in a Dodge Daytona...........not mine

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Hemi in a Rampage...............not mine

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454 Chevy in a VW............this one did belong to me

It was a kick a$$ ride!

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540demon said:
where'd you get your filter mount?
Click to expand...

A buddy of mine gave it to me but you can buy them from Summit or Jegs. Any speed shop should have them also. NAPA can probably even get. Just ask for a universal remote oil filter mount. They even make them in dual filter style for extra filtering.
 
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