Bear with me multiple questions.
Decided to take the wiring plans a step further. I will end up rewiring everything and changing a lot.
Basics: 1975 Dodge step side was a manual now automatic
Looking to change motor (318 non original / same vintage)
I believe I would like a 360 figuring a big block conversion is a hassle.
Transmission definitely want to keep automatic 727 existing
Must need to have a stronger transmission to handle more than stock horsepower?
Dont know about the transfer case other than it is full time four-wheel drive.
Life would be very easy if someone knew a place that could send me:
360 engine (over 300 HP)
Transmission built to handle the engine
Transfer case
*All new would be preferred
Wiring someone must make a wiring harness for a 1975 Dodge pickup
Do other engines bolt up / fit other than the 318 & 360?
I would prefer someone to stop me from making stupid mistakes before they happen.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Delray Dude
03-25-2008, 11:55 AM
As for Automatics...you can't get much tougher than a 727 (but my personal preference is a good old A833 manual myself...will be converting my auto to manual on next engine swap in a few years
Aside from the 318 and 360, a 340 would bolt up....but finding one of those is another story.
As for new motors - you can pretty much get a magnum long block motor from Mother Mopar - look at Jegs or Summit - have several engine packages available in various horsepower ranges some well over 300 HP.
As for the trans - remove it and have it rebuilt - you'll be fine with that one - 727's were behind all big blocks (including HEMI's) that produced well over 400 HP.
86_custom
03-25-2008, 01:15 PM
as far as your new wiring harness goes you'll have to get one custom made or go with a universal from Painless or the like, we're not lucky like the furd and chebby guys and have factories in taiwan pumping out reproduction everything. And a big block conversion wouldn't be that hard our trucks had big blocks as options
B-300
03-25-2008, 01:47 PM
360's are externally balanced (and cast crank 340's), so you will need a 360 torque convertor or a B&M conversion flexplate.
Rebuild the transmission and add a shift kit to increase reliabilty.
The transfercase on the fulltime 4wd is plenty strong as it comes from a 2-1/2 ton truck.
sgillett
03-25-2008, 07:37 PM
One motor mount isolator is different 318 to 340 - 360.
The oil pan is different on the 360.
Good luck.
Delray Dude
03-26-2008, 09:41 AM
One motor mount isolator is different 318 to 340 - 360.
The oil pan is different on the 360.
Good luck.
Good point on the oil pan - you will need a truck pan for a 360 if you go that route. The ear lug on the passenger side is/was slightly different in the early 318 & 340's to the later ones - nothing a big hammer didn't fix when I swapped my 87 318 to a '70 318 - I remember I had to bend the bracket about a 1/4 inch to clear - no biggie.
With all the money it costs for a new motor and such, you can build a pretty beefy 318 for cheaper - the article below is almost exactly what i'm going to do for my next build up - mostly that is. I have a '69 318 with the higher compression, so the swirl ports heads will knock the compression down some to where the built motor is. Other than that, looks like they did most of the homework as in cam selection and carb tuning, if they got 400 H.P., I'm sure doing something similiar with yield atleast 330 to 350 horse on "just a 318".
I'm sure if you print out the article, take a 318 to a good machine shop and say..."I want this" they should be able to reproduce a similiar engine.
Thanks guys!
I like Delray Dude's answer so I'm taking that advice for starters. I'll check with the local machine shop guy and see what he has to say. That would make life a lot easier. That way I can just have my 727 transmission rebuilt and put everything back with no problems. I'll check into the shift kit as well on the transmission (Thanks B-300).
Still looking into the wiring. Painless has 2 available - they say use the mopar muscle harness - reading here they say the universal ... not sure?
Delray Dude
03-28-2008, 01:45 PM
another possible route is to have the machine shop to all the bottom end work on the 318, and buy the aftermarket heads that already have the work done to them, bolt it on and go - specially if the machinest charges an arm and a leg to port out the swirl port heads....which he might (they take time) and you might be cheaper or near the same cost of buying some nice new ones....
just another thought. Since I have the old heads and a boat load of time before I build my 318, I'll do the grinding myself.....
bherder
03-28-2008, 01:46 PM
It probably won't make any difference, but if you're worried about the TC.. as I understand it the 203 had different sized chains in the mid-70's as compaired to the late 70's. Something like a 3/8" sized link, compaired to a 1/2" size link. As 'bullet-proof' as the 203 TC is, the later ones with the beefier chains, are supposed to be a whole lot better. Here's some reading for ya.. ;)
