71Polara
New Member
yeah its a 8 3/4
Did I get a good deal? payed $1500
- Thread starter 71Polara
- Start date
That sort of thing isn't unusual, even with a 383 or 400. Put a 6-speed automatic in it and THEN see who sees taillights! Probably has a 2.94 rear axle ratio. The 318 is a tough motor, with basically the same horsepower as a Chevy 350 2bbl, fwiw.
Rather than the 440, a good stroker LA would be a much better and more "bolt-in" situation.
The OTHER thing is learning how to drive it for best performance. Ease it off the line (about 1/2 throttle) and THEN floor it. NOT WOT off-idle! Just an observation of "heavy car, smaller engine" dynamics.
Looks like you did decently well with the whole deal. You know it'd need some work, just not what to get done first.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
Crawl underneath and see what ratio is on the tag.
That will save you having to change housings. For best overall performance for street use you really should have a 3.23 gear ratio with the 440. If the car does have 2.76 gears in it, that is most likely why it is a dog off the line. The 440 swap is certainly something you can do, figure on adding a complete exhaust system and probably a heavier radiator in addition to the drive line and transmission. The rear yoke on your 8.75 will probably need an adapter u joint to accommodate a 440 drive line with the larger u joints..
Dave
twostick
Senior Member
If it has a 727 in it now, the original driveshaft will be good to go. BB and Small Block 727 are the same dimensions. If it turns out to have a 904, you'll have either shorten the driveshaft and change the slip yoke or find a C body 727 specific shaft.
As to the question, is it worth it? Silly question. No replacement for displacement. It's always worth it.
Kevin
Just googled 318 and 360 stroker kits and there seems to be a ton of them.
Congrats on your car.
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71Polara
New Member
If the driveshaft location can stay the same will that move the engine farther forward of its factory position? Also I was told the back halfs on BB and SB 727's are the same so can that also be reused?
Big block and small block 727 have a different bolt pattern on the engine mounting side and the flex plates are usually different. The rear shaft on a big block is a heavier unit and the tail shaft housings do not interchange without changing the rear shaft. You probably would not want to run the lighter unit behind a big block in any case. Best bet is to find the correct big block transmission. If you plan to keep your current rear end, be sure to keep the speedo drive gear out of you current transmission as that will work in either transmission. This will keep you speedo accurate. Most small blocks had 904 transmission except for police cruisers and some trucks.
Dave
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
C-body SB and BB 727 are same length. Drive shaft should work with BB 727. Use your 440 if it's already built. Buy BB 727, get it rebuilt. Good torque converter. Make adjustments to your kickdown linkage.
Driveshaft "location" will remain the same, but the LENGTH would need to vary, or the existing driveshaft could be modified for the needed length. Engine mounts are a hard-point in the vehicle architecture, so that needs to remain as it is. The B/RB engine might be longer than a LA engine, but with the mount location matching what's already there, but with different mounts.
The stroker 408 LA motor really make a LOT of sense, for similar power/torque. Much less money, by the time you're done, than getting that 440 to fit and work. BESIDES, when you let it perform, you can tell your astonished friends "It's just a 318 with a 4bbl and dual exhausts".
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
The stroker 408 LA motor really make a LOT of sense, for similar power/torque. Much less money, by the time you're done, than getting that 440 to fit and work. BESIDES, when you let it perform, you can tell your astonished friends "It's just a 318 with a 4bbl and dual exhausts".
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
You've said this in another thread recently and unless you can show me numbers in production then we need to call it 50/ 50 , 904 / 727.
Here are the measurements of a 727 SB from the Summit site. Click on mail 0014 not the icon.
Dave
Dave
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polara71
Old Man with a Hat
I'm referring to production numbers. So many 727s on small blocks. To say most came with 904s I cant accept.
@71Polara -- Congrats, and welcome to the fusie Polara-Monaco owners' club!
I really like the color combo. @saforwardlook has a car (if memory serves, either a Chrysler or an Imperial) with that color scheme (yellow outside, green inside) and I agree with him that it works very well with GY4.
It's your car, so you do what you want. This said, even if you decide to change the engine (I would not), I suggest that you initially keep the car stock and see how much you like it. Get her to run well, and only then decide whether you want to change her. Poppy, my G-code '70 Polara 'vert, is not a race car -- but she is a delight to drive on county roads and she holds her own on the highway.
Your car is a rare clean original with low miles -- why change her into something else? The fact that she's a 4-door does not mean that surgery should be performed. Then again, it's your car, so it's your choice.
PS: is it surface rust or dirt on the front fenders? If you would post pictures of the rear quarters, trunk, and the fender tag, that'd be great!
PPS: if you want to sell before making any changes, do drop me a line -- I know someone who'd want this car.
I really like the color combo. @saforwardlook has a car (if memory serves, either a Chrysler or an Imperial) with that color scheme (yellow outside, green inside) and I agree with him that it works very well with GY4.
It's your car, so you do what you want. This said, even if you decide to change the engine (I would not), I suggest that you initially keep the car stock and see how much you like it. Get her to run well, and only then decide whether you want to change her. Poppy, my G-code '70 Polara 'vert, is not a race car -- but she is a delight to drive on county roads and she holds her own on the highway.
Your car is a rare clean original with low miles -- why change her into something else? The fact that she's a 4-door does not mean that surgery should be performed. Then again, it's your car, so it's your choice.
PS: is it surface rust or dirt on the front fenders? If you would post pictures of the rear quarters, trunk, and the fender tag, that'd be great!
PPS: if you want to sell before making any changes, do drop me a line -- I know someone who'd want this car.
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Here's a question . . . what are the build specs on the 440 you desire to use? Cam, intake, cfm of the AVS2? What was the original intention for how it would be used?
Be aware the your "find" Dodge was desgined to accommodate almost any engine that Chrysler had in '71, from a Slant 6 to a 440HP. They "all went in the same place", BUT each had it's own set of supporting players, unique to each engine.
DO verify that you do have a 727 in the car, not the much more common 904. Similar with the rear axle. The 727 could have been behind a 318, but the 904 was more common, unless somebody ordered it with the 727 when it was new. AND all of these things had bearings on what springs and BRAKES were on the car, when it was built. It was all a "big package" rather than an assemblage of parts (as GM tended to do, many times). Alter any part of the package, and other things need to be changed too, by observation. What diameter brakes does it have?
I get that you perceive YOUR car can't be besmirched by a mere 4-cyl minivan, BUT I suspect that modern 4-cyl has similar horsepower as your 318, but with much less torque, which is why the minivan NEEDS a 4, 5, 6, or more speeds in its automatic transmission to do what it does, with the top gear being an overdrive (for fuel economy). BUT that's also an indication of how far engine technology has dome in 50 years.
In the mean time, get the Dodge running well, stopping well, and being the GREAT car it can be. LEARN how to drive it well, too. Each vehicle has it's own personality and LEARNING how to best use its attributes is a huge factor in enjoying it for what it can do, not what it wasn't designed to do, 50 years ago. Whether it's a 318 Polara or a 440HP Polara.
The obvious deal is to put your 440 in it, as you've already got it. BUT as has been mentioned, it's not going to be a direct bolt-in item, considering it's a different engine family from what you now have. Certainly, "anything can be put anywhere", but at what cost and effort? Making dreams into reality can be expensive sometimes. Not as easily as some of the cable car shows make it look, either. Especially considering they have EVERY needed tool in their modern shop to do anything they might desire to do with them. AND a staff of experienced mechanics at their disposal. NONE of that is cheap, either. Looks good on tv, though.
The other side of me leans toward "You have a nice car now", but upgrading it to a larger RB engine will not make it more valuable, generally, unless you find that special buyer later on that is not concerned that "it didn't come that way". When I see a car that's been upgraded as you seem to desire, that's the first one I walk away from, having seen others done that way in the past. I know that if the focus was only on the engine, then the other "factory upgrades" usually have been glossed over and not upgraded too. I'd much rather see a car that's had quality body work and sheet metal replacements than one with an engine family change. That's just me.
AND then there's the deal with if the 440, the way it's built, be suitable for a daily-driver vehicle, or is it more for a hot rod application (lighter weight, more "gear", etc.). But your car, your money, and your local advisors . . . . be that as it may.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
Be aware the your "find" Dodge was desgined to accommodate almost any engine that Chrysler had in '71, from a Slant 6 to a 440HP. They "all went in the same place", BUT each had it's own set of supporting players, unique to each engine.
DO verify that you do have a 727 in the car, not the much more common 904. Similar with the rear axle. The 727 could have been behind a 318, but the 904 was more common, unless somebody ordered it with the 727 when it was new. AND all of these things had bearings on what springs and BRAKES were on the car, when it was built. It was all a "big package" rather than an assemblage of parts (as GM tended to do, many times). Alter any part of the package, and other things need to be changed too, by observation. What diameter brakes does it have?
I get that you perceive YOUR car can't be besmirched by a mere 4-cyl minivan, BUT I suspect that modern 4-cyl has similar horsepower as your 318, but with much less torque, which is why the minivan NEEDS a 4, 5, 6, or more speeds in its automatic transmission to do what it does, with the top gear being an overdrive (for fuel economy). BUT that's also an indication of how far engine technology has dome in 50 years.
In the mean time, get the Dodge running well, stopping well, and being the GREAT car it can be. LEARN how to drive it well, too. Each vehicle has it's own personality and LEARNING how to best use its attributes is a huge factor in enjoying it for what it can do, not what it wasn't designed to do, 50 years ago. Whether it's a 318 Polara or a 440HP Polara.
The obvious deal is to put your 440 in it, as you've already got it. BUT as has been mentioned, it's not going to be a direct bolt-in item, considering it's a different engine family from what you now have. Certainly, "anything can be put anywhere", but at what cost and effort? Making dreams into reality can be expensive sometimes. Not as easily as some of the cable car shows make it look, either. Especially considering they have EVERY needed tool in their modern shop to do anything they might desire to do with them. AND a staff of experienced mechanics at their disposal. NONE of that is cheap, either. Looks good on tv, though.
The other side of me leans toward "You have a nice car now", but upgrading it to a larger RB engine will not make it more valuable, generally, unless you find that special buyer later on that is not concerned that "it didn't come that way". When I see a car that's been upgraded as you seem to desire, that's the first one I walk away from, having seen others done that way in the past. I know that if the focus was only on the engine, then the other "factory upgrades" usually have been glossed over and not upgraded too. I'd much rather see a car that's had quality body work and sheet metal replacements than one with an engine family change. That's just me.
AND then there's the deal with if the 440, the way it's built, be suitable for a daily-driver vehicle, or is it more for a hot rod application (lighter weight, more "gear", etc.). But your car, your money, and your local advisors . . . . be that as it may.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
71Polara383
Kid with ballcap
I vote 440 swap with a 3.23 SG. Keep the original engine to stay with the car if it ever needed to go back in.
Sure it "ruins" the originality of the car, but if it's what you want to do, I say go for it. The car WILL be more fun with a big block!
Sure it "ruins" the originality of the car, but if it's what you want to do, I say go for it. The car WILL be more fun with a big block!
I say get her as good as can be first the way she was born ,live with it and see all her charms stock first, especially since she is not broken.
She survived this long ,give her a chance.
I will also add a tid bit in that if you install the 440 handling will suffer some. I had as a kid a 1966 4 door Dodge Coronet with a 273 V8. It wouldn't kick *** off the line but it did fine on the highway and sipped gas. But the best thing I noticed as a kid that it handled pretty dang good compared to my buddies cars! I saved up enough money for 2 tires that were wider to put on the back. I did so and started thinking about putting them on the front and see how she handles. Better!! I left them there. I surprised alot of similar cars on the corners, not the straightaways. My Fury has a 440 stock all cast iron. I know its there.
She survived this long ,give her a chance.
I will also add a tid bit in that if you install the 440 handling will suffer some. I had as a kid a 1966 4 door Dodge Coronet with a 273 V8. It wouldn't kick *** off the line but it did fine on the highway and sipped gas. But the best thing I noticed as a kid that it handled pretty dang good compared to my buddies cars! I saved up enough money for 2 tires that were wider to put on the back. I did so and started thinking about putting them on the front and see how she handles. Better!! I left them there. I surprised alot of similar cars on the corners, not the straightaways. My Fury has a 440 stock all cast iron. I know its there.
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FYI
69 300 vert
Well-Known Member
It's a lost cause, don't bother. Your car has something the minivan will never have, distinctive memorable styling. The linked video is relevant to the conversation.
Would love to have the Vette, can't remember what ran against it?
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