Big blocking the '70 Duster, mine

[hotrodder]

Instead of digging up an old thread of mine from back when.... I'll start this one. I've decided to go ahead and get the 400 from a guy I know. It's a '77 year date casting from a 4x4 truck with manual tranny. The truck is gone, but complete drivetrain was purchased by the guy that I got the 400 from. Anyway, fast forward to today. Finaly got all the pistons knocked out. The motor was frozen up and has rust in the cylinders. The factory 452 heads will be replaced with 516 heads with worked exh ports. Anyway, once I got the pistons knocked out, the cylinders shined up, pretty much no more rust. Anyway, the motor had a badly spun bearing. Had to get a pair of pliers and seperate them enough to get a flat head between them to seperate them. The crank is a factory steel piece, and hopefully will do fine with a turning. The cam will be replaced with an Engle K58/K60 3038 cam. I will be wanting to reuse the crank, rods, and block providing everything checks out good. Eddy Perf RPM intake with Proform 750 street series carb with mech secondaries. I am wanting to keep a 4 speed behind this bad boy... As for the swap in though, I'm wanting to stick with Schumacher Ind for everything they offer, just get one of there kits pretty much. The rest of the exh will probably be 2 1/2" with X pipe crossover. Like to use Magnaflow muffs, something that's all metal without fiberglass matting so it want blow out the muff..... Would like to get ahold of some repop chrome factory style tips. This car originaly was a 340 car, but when I got it, all it is, is just a rolling body. Anyway, what you all think so far?

 

[496dart]

schumacher mounts are great (a bit over-priced)- i use them with a " torque strap" .

as far as the old ironheads--get an estimate on ALL the work --- then price some new 440Source heads or edelbrock (even used) .

The iron heads are simply outdated and there are better options for the $$ (finally)

 

[mrtires24]

I take it your car was a 4 spd befor. Your guna have to get a BB bell housing, and the truck one might not work. It all depends on if you are going to use motor mounts, or motor plates ( elephant ears) or underchassi or fender wells or exhaust manifolds, or mechanical clutch linkage or hydraulic clutch.

I bought the BB mechanical linkage through Brewers performance, but it only works with some bell housings. I highly recomend Brewers performance.

Have you done a swap like this?

ask away for questions, or Ideas, I don't know everything, but I learned alot when I did it. Lots of people on here know ALOT.

Phil

 

[hotrodder]

Sorry I've not checked in since I posted this thread. Anyway, first, this will be my first big block into small block car motor swap. Next, this car was originaly an automatic, so it will also be a manual conversion. There's a guy just north of me who has the linkages, pedals, and some other stuff that I'm gonna try and get when I get a chance to get up there to help convert this Duster to a manual car. I would like to go to a hydraulic set up, but it looks like it's going to be easier to go with a mechanical set up instead.... The Schumacher mounts will be used along with a torque strap... Motor plates are not being considered for this, motor should be under 500 hp. The iron heads are being worked by a buddy of mine, since he's doing them in his spare time, he's doing them for me on the cheap. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so low cost. Though.... It's taking a while, but I'm not in that big of a hurry anyway. The bell housing that was on this 400 is still attached t the tranny still back at the guys house... I'mnot planning on using it, because I don't know the condition that it's in... I'm wanting to get either a good used one, or a new one. Either way, I'm thinking that I'm gonna have to get a new steel flywheel (current one has a lot of rust on it, and it doesn't look like it will be just surface rust either), and of course a new clutch assembly, I've been thinking about the centerforce dual friction.