O/T but Mopar question

[Andydodge]

O/k here in Oz the last use of the 318 poly engine in a car was definately in the 1966 Dodge Phoenix, a 4dr Dodge badged Plymouth( tho' am pretty sure trucks used the 318 poly for a few more years).........however I have heard & read conflicting info regarding the last years that the 318 poly was used in the US & Canada..........question is........what was the last yr that the 318 poly was used in the USA and Canada and to further muddy the waters has anyone got definate info regarding the use of hydraulic lifters in 318 polys......I understood that all 318 polys were solid lifter engines with adjustable rockers.........thanks...Andy Douglas

[Young Ed]

All I can say it was atleast 64 as Dad has one in a 64 Fury.

[Plymouthy Adams]

1966 was the cutoff as the new LA 318 was installed in the 1967 lineup..think this was the same for the truck line also..

[Kevinb71]

Yep 1966 saw the LA engines in the US. Allpar has a write up on engines and it says that Canada used the poly in '67 yet(Doesn't mention other exports). I can confirm the US timeframe as we had both a 65 and 66 plymouth Fury. The 65 was a poly and the 66 was an LA.

[B-Watson]

Yep 1966 saw the LA engines in the US. Allpar has a write up on engines and it says that Canada used the poly in '67 yet(Doesn't mention other exports). I can confirm the US timeframe as we had both a 65 and 66 plymouth Fury. The 65 was a poly and the 66 was an LA.

Yes, Canada was 1967. The engine number on American 1967 318s was C318 whille the Canadian was CC318. The first "C" was for the 1967 model year and the second for Canada. And 1967 was the only year that was done.

The first year for the 318 LA engine was 1967, not 1966. Thus all 1966 Plymouths and Dodges had the poly 318 while American-built 1967 models got the new LA 318. As the Canadian plant built only Fury and Polara/Monaco models, the imported Belvedere and Coronet models had the LA 318 in 1967.

As for export markets, it depended upon whether Detroit or Windsor supplied the engines and how many leftovers the export company had from the previous year. South Africa, for example, sold leftover 1961 Dodge Lancers in 1963 as DeSoto Rebels.

Bill

Toronto, ON

[Plymouthy Adams]

the 318 was the second engine inthe LA series..the first was the 273 which was introduced in 1964..one could easily assume by looking and easily mistake the two if they did not know the exact start/stop dates of production when looking into the engine bay of a pre 67 car....

[anthonyb]

Andy,

I don't know about any other years, but the 318 poly I put in my truck has hydraulic lifters. The engine/tranny combo came out of a 65 D400 truck.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I do not recall ever seeing the 318 Poly with hydraulic lifters...of course I got to admit to never driving the larger series truck either..

[Andydodge]

Bill, thanks for all the info BUT your answer is still rather confusing............what was the last year that the 318 Poly was used in the USA......1966 or 1967?.......and last year the Poly used in Canada?.....1966 or 1967?........as for Australia I know for certain that irrespective of where the Oz Dodge Phoenix were sourced(Canada?) the last year for the 318 Poly in the "Big" mopar, ie the Phoenix, was 1966, the 1967 Dodge Pheonix had the 318 LA Wedge, and as an aside all V8's in Oz Valiants were LA series, 273 in 1964/5 then the 318 from 1967........but I degress........Last year for Polys please and I have never heard of a 318 Poly with hydraulic lifters.......thanks, andyd

[Plymouthy Adams]

USA in 1966..... some Canadian cars go the left over blocks in their 1967 cars...quick check to allpar.com will give you a pretty good history of the A engine and how it compares to the newer LA good reading...lots of other good info there...the Mopar Engines book has some details of interchanges etc etc also..

[B-Watson]

USA in 1966..... some Canadian cars go the left over blocks in their 1967 cars...quick check to allpar.com will give you a pretty good history of the A engine and how it compares to the newer LA good reading...lots of other good info there...the Mopar Engines book has some details of interchanges etc etc also..

Yes, 1966 was the last year for the poly 318 in U.S.-built cars while the Canadian plant last used the poly 318 in 1967.

But, the Canadian 1967 poly 318 engines did not use leftover blocks. The 1967 poly blocks were cast during the 1967 model year.

[Andydodge]

Bill thanks for the answer, Anthony, are you absolutely certain the 318 poly you have has hydraulic lifters?......if so then what sort of rocker setup does it have as all the poly lifters I've seen, admitedly for solid lifter cams, have adjustable rockers.......andyd