Exhaust manifolds on my 273

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crashcaptn

crashcaptn

1965 Dodge Dart GT
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
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Location
San Diego, CA
I've heard about the Dodge Dakota exhaust manifolds being better than the stock ones on my 1965 273. I'm curious, has anyone here put them on their car? Do they clear the steering column just fine? Are they really that much better? And if they are, which cars have these manifolds so i can narrow my search in the junkyard? Pictures would be great too, as well as any identifying marks they'd have...

Thanks again... as always.
 
I have heard of getting them off a full size truck and them working on later A and E bodies. They may flow as good or better than the 340HP manifolds. If they fit early A's???

May have to ask this question on another board such as Moparts.
 
wow great link memike! So i cant tell.. because i have power steering, will i have trouble mounting them?
 
I've got magnum manifolds on my '63 with manual steering and they're a very tight fit - I don't think they'd work with power steering
 
If you don't find the magnum manifolds,BEWARE,The 273 manifolds will need to be clearanced at the back on the drivers side,the downpipe will hit the boss for the a.i.r. port be cautious,the boss on the head is very thin and those manifolds are fragile,use double gaskets to help with the clearance issue and some careful grinding.Good luck!
 
Good advice. Thanks guys =) once i find a set i'll play with it and give a full writeup on my experiences..
 
snake, do you have any pictures of the installation? What year/model vehicle was the donor for your manifolds. I would like to use them on my 66 / 360 combo, but I still haven't seen a pair actually installed on an early A body.
 
Sorry guys, I tried it on my 65 Barracuda this summer. These manifolds do not work on early A's. The driver side downpipe sits in the middle of the steering column. If there is something else available besides $1000 headers I'm all ears!
 
Good to know jimbo! I wish there were shorty headers that made sense that could work in here somehow.. My friend has a 1955 chevy.. i was pretty jealous of that engine bay!
 
the manifolds I used are off a mid 90's van - I think Dakota, Ram and van manifolds are all pretty much the same. they are a tight fit and I had to shorten the steering column jacket but it's still easier to work on than when I had stock 273 manifolds - and waggin's right the 273 manifolds do get very thin when you grind them to fit later heads - if I used them again I would grind some off the head to avoid thinning the manifold so much.

I posted pics on this thread on the first page

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=26139

I've been running them for about 6 months now with no bother. It would be a much neater swap if I had an aftermarket steering coupler
 
I have an extra set of 273 manifolds off my 64 Dart GT for sale cheap if someone needs them, or to mod them.
 
racingsnake440 said:
the manifolds I used are off a mid 90's van - I think Dakota, Ram and van manifolds are all pretty much the same. they are a tight fit and I had to shorten the steering column jacket but it's still easier to work on than when I had stock 273 manifolds - and waggin's right the 273 manifolds do get very thin when you grind them to fit later heads - if I used them again I would grind some off the head to avoid thinning the manifold so much.

I posted pics on this thread on the first page

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=26139

I've been running them for about 6 months now with no bother. It would be a much neater swap if I had an aftermarket steering coupler
Click to expand...



Thats what I did on my 340, I ground the head to fit the 273 manifold. I run a 550 cfm Edelbrock and it kind of balances out. I'm sure if I could get some better exhaust I could step up the carb and most likely gain a good 75 HP.
 
On the later head's such as 302's they are very thin so be careful grinding on those for the clearance you need,maybe a lil' bit and some off the manifold and a double gasket.the 340 hi po exhaust manifolds are what I used on my 64 dart years ago,they flow a lil' less than headers.you will also need a 90* oil filter adaptor if you use those.
 
I ground a little off the outside of the block, and a little
off the rear of the manifold where the 2 met.

I am using Summit Copper exhaust gasket on the drivers side, along with the factory heat shield/gasket.

early {1964-66} factory 273 abody exhaust manifolds,
1973 318,
# 302 cast heads,
LD4B intake
# 1406 carb.

sum-111420.jpg


waggin said:
On the later head's such as 302's they are very thin so be careful grinding on those for the clearance you need,maybe a lil' bit and some off the manifold and a double gasket.the 340 hi po exhaust manifolds are what I used on my 64 dart years ago,they flow a lil' less than headers.you will also need a 90* oil filter adaptor if you use those.
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud8mci4rjFU
 
great info, i'm getting ready as we speak for my build.. this is getting logged away for that =)
 
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