Getting more power in a C body

[edbods]

how about putting in a TKX? I'd imagine that in a manual you'd get a lot more power going to the wheels and less being lost to the torque converter in the 3 speed 727. Especially since these didn't have lock up converters until a few years later.

 

[Norwegianmopar]

how about putting in a TKX? I'd imagine that in a manual you'd get a lot more power going to the wheels and less being lost to the torque converter in the 3 speed 727. Especially since these didn't have lock up converters until a few years later.

I think we will end up with a stroker eventually, maybe a 383/496 to keep a stock appearance. The trans will then get a shift kit, new converter and a trans cooler in case we want to install a trailer hitch for pulling a camper.

For now it's converting to electronic ignition and driving it as is.

 

[Gerald Morris]

Just a note on small v/s big. Back about 25 years ago I had a 1997 Ford Explorer with a 302 FI and averaged 600 km on a tank of fuel. That was driving from Edmonton to Kelowna going though the Rocky Mountains. One of the guys I worked with had the same 97 but with the 4.0 l V-6. He could only get 350 km to a tank driving on the flat. In the mountains he had to stop at every gas station.

Qua Erat Demonstrandum! Yes, as the OP pointed out, the right sized engine will be MORE efficient than an undersized one attempting the same task.

 

[Gerald Morris]

I think we will end up with a stroker eventually, maybe a 383/496 to keep a stock appearance. The trans will then get a shift kit, new converter and a trans cooler in case we want to install a trailer hitch for pulling a camper.

For now it's converting to electronic ignition and driving it as is.

Wise Man! I use a modest shift kit on my 1966 727, w good result. The old 11" converter does fine, and I've got a couple more. I have a B & M tranny cooler, and having such upline from the radiator ATF cooling tank does your entire engine and trans a favor by cooling the ATF BEFORE it dumps heat into the engine coolant. Get a nice stacked plate tranny cooler when you get one.

I use a venerable NOS CD ignition with the original breaker point ignition which allows one to just push a button and switch back to the breaker point straight connection if the simple CD board for whatever reason dies. For the present, it works nicely with platinum spark plugs. One can tell the difference, and notice how the breaker points never burn up when using such a simple, elegant improvement. Mind you, the stock Hall Effect CD ignition which Mopar adopted by 1972 works very well. Be SURE to use genuine OEM Mopar stuff. The Hopster* can furnish you best in this....

* Halifaxhops