Just how ridiculous would this be?

[DionR]

Hello everybody,
I am finishing the very last stages of the 2001 360 thats going in my 78 cordoba. I decided to go with the hughes adapter kit for the mechanical fuel pump, carburetor and v belts. I pulled the motor that was in the car last weekend to get the last few brackets for the drive belt setup and throttle linkage, and found that the magnum heads have quite a bit more material and sit further forward. I was able to line up the power steering but the alternator is giving me trouble. First off the back of the alt case hits the heads preventing it from sitting straight and the three point adjustment bracket isn't able to sit as far back as it needs to. I could grind the heads and block where they mount and bent the adjustment bracket, but it would be an excessive amount. This setup however lines up perfectly. My only concern is that the short distance between the crank pulley would overwork the alternator bearing. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I also have an idler pulley with bearing I could make a bracket for to lengthen the belt.

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I run Magnum R/T heads and a stock alternator setup and don't have any issue with the alternator not fitting.

There is something else going on here. Maybe you are using the wrong groove in the crank and water pump pulleys? If you started with an AC setup, seems like the belt routing and brackets are pretty different. Like maybe the water pump pulley is wrong for a non-AC setup?

Not really sure, but I know it works without having to re-engineer the entire setup.

 

[chrysler kid]

I run Magnum R/T heads and a stock alternator setup and don't have any issue with the alternator not fitting.

There is something else going on here. Maybe you are using the wrong groove in the crank and water pump pulleys? If you started with an AC setup, seems like the belt routing and brackets are pretty different. Like maybe the water pump pulley is wrong for a non-AC setup?

Not really sure, but I know it works without having to re-engineer the entire setup.

I see lots of pictures with aftermarket magnum heads like tgese with a flat surface. The problem im have is this part of the casting that sticks out is hitting the back of the alternator case

 

[chrysler kid]

This is the LA that was in it before. That part of the casting isnt there

 

[chrysler kid]

The next problem im facing is the motor mounts (or at least the one on the driver side so far) has a shorter gap inbetween the dog ears on the block. I read that some guys just use a spacer. Okay no problem, but the question that i have is that the distance between the rear of the front dog ear and the rear of the block on the magnum is 19 3/4" whereas the LA is 19". Is this going to pose a problem?

 

[DionR]

I see lots of pictures with aftermarket magnum heads like tgese with a flat surface. The problem im have is this part of the casting that sticks out is hitting the back of the alternator case

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All Magnum heads, aftermarket or not are going to have the surface at the same place. There might be more material around the holes based on how it is cast but the end of the head should be at the same place on all of them. Otherwise they wouldn’t work with the Magnum accessory drive.

Not sure how it compares to the LA heads, but I know it works on my setup. And I don’t think I used a different spacer behind the alternator either, but been a lot of years. Really don’t think so, but I could be wrong.

I really think a non-AC water pump pulley (at least) and the non-AC alternator mount is all you need. Maybe a non-AC crank pulley.

I will say that I’m not sure how your current power steering pump will work though. Might need the standard LA power steering brackets.

 

[DionR]

The next problem im facing is the motor mounts (or at least the one on the driver side so far) has a shorter gap inbetween the dog ears on the block. I read that some guys just use a spacer. Okay no problem, but the question that i have is that the distance between the rear of the front dog ear and the rear of the block on the magnum is 19 3/4" whereas the LA is 19". Is this going to pose a problem?

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The 340/360‘s had the same spacing. A 360 mount would bolt up, or use a spacer. People have been doing that for years when swapping a 360 in place of a 318.

 

[DionR]

Something else to add, the crate motors Mopar used to sell all used Magnum heads and nobody had to build an alternator mount to put them in their rigs.

 

[DionR]

Here is a Magnum dressed to look like an LA and has the LA alternator and brackets.

Disguise your Magnum motor as a Mopar LA engine. |

 

[chrysler kid]

All Magnum heads, aftermarket or not are going to have the surface at the same place. There might be more material around the holes based on how it is cast but the end of the head should be at the same place on all of them. Otherwise they wouldn’t work with the Magnum accessory drive.

Not sure how it compares to the LA heads, but I know it works on my setup. And I don’t think I used a different spacer behind the alternator either, but been a lot of years. Really don’t think so, but I could be wrong.

I really think a non-AC water pump pulley (at least) and the non-AC alternator mount is all you need. Maybe a non-AC crank pulley.

I will say that I’m not sure how your current power steering pump will work though. Might need the standard LA power steering brackets.

I see what you mean now. All of these setups run one belt for alternator and water pump. Ive been doing everything backwards to make what I have work, and making more work for myself than I need to. My setup originally had two belts for ac and alt, one for smog pump and one for power steering. The alternator was also mounted in between two funky brackets that also held the ac compressor. All of these setups have the alternator higher up whereas I couldnt do that because the belt would hit the water pump. Thank you for the input.