M-code A-body question

-
C

Canucklehead

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
356
Reaction score
457
Location
Smithers, BC
I’m working on my GTS, installing some 440Source heads, changing camshaft, getting rid of the leaking beat up 187 pan for an 893 pan, a few other things. I have the correct driver’s side engine mount bracket, but the engine that is in it is a 75 C-body 440 and it is not drilled by the oil pump for the M-code bracket to bolt to, so it’s been using a 383 mount. Correct 440 manifolds, original power train is long gone. My brain could be fading but, why could they not use the 383 mount bracket? I know that the factory M-code blocks don’t have the mounting holes like the 383 did but why not? The 383 mount has been working fine for at least 10 years. First photo is a (stolen from the net) factory 440, second (also stolen) is a factory 383.

553469C7-4B13-408A-A13A-10BB3C72C5C9.jpeg


6FBFFB77-7C06-48D1-9175-196627DAC91B.jpeg
 
The drivers side bracket is a 383 mount that has been bent out and a short piece of angle iron is welded on. It bolts to the oil pump bosses that have been drilled and tapped. There would be no way to use a stock 383 mount on a 440 without the modifications, you would only be bolting it to one hole! Some 440 blocks have one boss on the front of the block but not all of them. Please take pictures of the block you have and the mount. To answer why not, the 440 block is 3/4" taller so the 383 mount would not work.
 
Yes the do, but they use the two projections on the side of the block, the A-Body big blocks have the second projection shaved off for the steering box, especially on power steering cars. Here is a picture of a factory 68 Dart GSS 440 block.

101_1705.JPG


101_1704.JPG


101_1714.JPG
 
HemiSSDart said:
The drivers side bracket is a 383 mount that has been bent out and a short piece of angle iron is welded on. It bolts to the oil pump bosses that have been drilled and tapped. There would be no way to use a stock 383 mount on a 440 without the modifications, you would only be bolting it to one hole! Some 440 blocks have one boss on the front of the block but not all of them. Please take pictures of the block you have and the mount. To answer why not, the 440 block is 3/4" taller so the 383 mount would not work.
Click to expand...
Some of the later 440 blocks have the two bosses cast into them and they are tapped in fact I have one that I’ll never use. These bosses are in the same location as the 383 so the same motor mount bracket would work on both. If it were me and I had the original 440 bracket I would just drill and tap the oil pump bosses and be done with it. That’s what I did when I put my 440 ‘cuda together years ago.
 
mcodecuda said:
Some of the later 440 blocks have the two bosses cast into them and they are tapped in fact I have one that I’ll never use. These bosses are in the same location as the 383 so the same motor mount bracket would work on both. If it were me and I had the original 440 bracket I would just drill and tap the oil pump bosses and be done with it. That’s what I did when I put my 440 ‘cuda together years ago.
Click to expand...

That’s the answer right there, the later 440 blocks have a provision for both mounts, the 383 style and the 440 style. When they built the M cars the 440 only had the provision down by the oil pump.
 
HemiSSDart said:
Yes the do, but they use the two projections on the side of the block, the A-Body big blocks have the second projection shaved off for the steering box, especially on power steering cars. Here is a picture of a factory 68 Dart GSS 440 block.

View attachment 1715681603

View attachment 1715681604

View attachment 1715681605
Click to expand...

I knew about the shaved off mounting provision, but again my 75 engine fits with that mount intact. Manual steering, but no M-codes had power steering so it still doesn’t really add up.
 
I ran a 69 GTX 440 in my 68 barracuda with factory A body 383 mounts. I don’t know why some 440 have the 2 mounting nubs and some don’t. Its not a new or old thing its just some do not. You can have a 69 with or with out and them and that goes for most year 440’s. For some reason The M code A bodies did not come with them.
 
davescuda said:
I ran a 69 GTX 440 in my 68 barracuda with factory A body 383 mounts. I don’t know why some 440 have the 2 mounting nubs and some don’t. Its not a new or old thing its just some do not. You can have a 69 with or with out and them and that goes for most year 440’s. For some reason The M code A bodies did not come with them.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I wonder why they would build a special home-built appearing mount bracket when they had blocks that would work with off of the shelf pieces.
 
I’ve got a 65 426 Street Wedge block from out of a C-body that has them drilled and tapped. I guess that’s because the big block C-bodies of that era used that same mount. I also have a 64 426 Street Wedge block from a B-body that has the bosses but they are not drilled and tapped.
 
mcodecuda said:
I’ve got a 65 426 Street Wedge block from out of a C-body that has them drilled and tapped. I guess that’s because the big block C-bodies of that era used that same mount. I also have a 64 426 Street Wedge block from a B-body that has the bosses but they are not drilled and tapped.
Click to expand...

I think it’s only the 65 C body that uses that same mount. I was asked by a friend to check my honey hole for a 65 C body for that bracket, and it was on there. Didn’t grab it yet, it’s pretty buried in the dirt, can’t even get a Jack under the car.
 
cosgig said:
I think it’s only the 65 C body that uses that same mount. I was asked by a friend to check my honey hole for a 65 C body for that bracket, and it was on there. Didn’t grab it yet, it’s pretty buried in the dirt, can’t even get a Jack under the car.
Click to expand...

The 383 A-body mount brackets are the same as the 65-ish B-bodies but the 440 A-body mount bracket and place that it bolts to are completely different. The first picture is how a 383 would bolt up, the second is where the M-code 440 bolts up, just above the oil pump.

C43B65CF-DA7F-4E68-8AD3-8CC905C1334B.jpeg


C5F532FA-79D8-4802-AB22-011450E91A2F.jpeg
 
The later 440 blocks with two bolt holes were used for the power steering pump brackets. About 16 years ago I paid $415 for an original bracket, only ones made were the ones that came on the cars. Finding all those m-code specific parts is like a treasure hunt gone bad. I picked up a set of manifolds that the original owner had driven 13 miles then put on the shelf, cost me $4500.
 
I don't feel so bad about the original hyper pack exhaust manifolds I just bought.
 
Ceedawg said:
The later 440 blocks with two bolt holes were used for the power steering pump brackets. About 16 years ago I paid $415 for an original bracket, only ones made were the ones that came on the cars. Finding all those m-code specific parts is like a treasure hunt gone bad. I picked up a set of manifolds that the original owner had driven 13 miles then put on the shelf, cost me $4500.
Click to expand...

Mine didn’t cost me anything but a BIG pile of 70-72 Swinger parts. The guy that I traded my Swinger parts to paid $4000 plus another 1200 for a Glen Ray 065 radiator made from NOS tanks. Which i’m scared to put into the car, so I bought a used 065 to put into my car. The Glen Ray sits in my shed in its shipping box.
 
Canucklehead said:
Mine didn’t cost me anything but a BIG pile of 70-72 Swinger parts. The guy that I traded my Swinger parts to paid $4000 plus another 1200 for a Glen Ray 065 radiator made from NOS tanks. Which i’m scared to put into the car, so I bought a used 065 to put into my car. The Glen Ray sits in my shed in its shipping box.
Click to expand...
I paid a grand for a used one, got the shroud for $50. Then there’s the special throttle-kick down bracket. These cars get passed around till it comes to pay for the BIG ticket items.
 
Fortunately the kick down linkage was on the car when I bought it. I would like to find an 093 727 for it one day, although I rebuilt the mid 70s trans that is in it and I like how it shifts. Also before I bought it, somebody had pirated the 3.55 Sure Grip out of it and put some 2.76 open gears in it. I have built some 3.55s with a Tru-Trac locker which will go in this spring. It clips along with the 2.76s but the 3.55s will be a big difference.
 
That 093 is a desired trans, competing with the m-code 6 pack cars
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top