Question 65 Cuda
- Thread starter Baby huey
- Start date
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Assuming you mean an early A (66 older) Yes, the engine will fit.
You may need to weld up a custom motor mount bracket to make mount to the early a engine mounts fit right, but the engine will fit.
The short shaft truck Trans, however wont fit.
You may need to weld up a custom motor mount bracket to make mount to the early a engine mounts fit right, but the engine will fit.
The short shaft truck Trans, however wont fit.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
short answer is yes.
the longer answer is, quite well and you'll need to reuse several of your 273 parts: oil pan, motor mounts, exhaust manifolds.
the water pump intake is on the passenger side instead of the driver's side. so you'll either need to get creative with the plumbing or swap over your 273 timing cover and waterpump. or swap out your radiator.
67 and earlier small block transmissions use a small torque converter hub that matches the early crankshaft register. with a later motor you'll need an adapter ring to take up that space unless you swap out your trans for something later or upgrade your torque converter ($$$).
the longer answer is, quite well and you'll need to reuse several of your 273 parts: oil pan, motor mounts, exhaust manifolds.
the water pump intake is on the passenger side instead of the driver's side. so you'll either need to get creative with the plumbing or swap over your 273 timing cover and waterpump. or swap out your radiator.
67 and earlier small block transmissions use a small torque converter hub that matches the early crankshaft register. with a later motor you'll need an adapter ring to take up that space unless you swap out your trans for something later or upgrade your torque converter ($$$).
If you swap in a later trans, among other things, you would need to rig up a shifter and replace the ball and trunnion driveshaft.
I would just use the original trans, rebuild it if it needs it, with the adapter ring junkyardhero mentioned above. They used to be available, may still be, but one could be machined without much trouble. https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/late-to-early-converter-adapter-ring-specs.182542/
The original trans would fit the car better than anything else.
If you don't like the adapter ring idea, you could spend $$$ for a new converter for your original trans, may have to change input shaft and a couple other things. Transmission shops that specialize in Mopars could fix you up with what you need. For a stock 318, I wouldn't bother.
I would just use the original trans, rebuild it if it needs it, with the adapter ring junkyardhero mentioned above. They used to be available, may still be, but one could be machined without much trouble. https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/late-to-early-converter-adapter-ring-specs.182542/
The original trans would fit the car better than anything else.
If you don't like the adapter ring idea, you could spend $$$ for a new converter for your original trans, may have to change input shaft and a couple other things. Transmission shops that specialize in Mopars could fix you up with what you need. For a stock 318, I wouldn't bother.
cudamark
Well-Known Member
The only other area you will need to address in the difference in intake bolts and their angle between the '65 heads/intake and the '84 318 version. Either get an earlier intake off a '66-up 273/318, or, redrill and get some angled washers for using your 273 intake on a 318. A 2bbl-4bbl conversion adds other changes needed too.
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