Engine Before The Car

[tom'sB2B]

I want to buy a P15 or D24 four door sedan sometime in the future. I bought a 218 engine that I was going to rebuild and swap into my 1950 Dodge truck. But, I was thinking the engine in the truck runs fine, why not build the engine for my future car. I was thinking of building it into a 230 with duel carbs. I was wondering how I should build the engine to accommodate any future car purchase.

The one problem I thought of is a fluid drive set-up

Can you all give me some suggestions of what I should do.

 

[greg g]

if you do not know what it will be going in, remember that a car with fluid drive will require the Dodge crank to accommodate the fluid drive set up.  I suppose if you built the 218 with the4  bolt crank to flywheel, you could always make the dodge non fluid drive with The Plymouth parts.  If you have the engine built except for the crank shaft, then put a Dodge unit in if that's what you end up with than you could retaint he dodge fluid drive set up.  If you end up with a Plymouth it moot.

[tom'sB2B]

What if I set it up as a 230 with a 8 bolt crank to flywheel for fluid drive D24, then I buy a P15. Will the standard four hole flywheel and bell housing match up?

[Don Coatney]

You are getting way ahead of yourself. Do a forum search for answers to these questions so we dont have to duplicate what has already been discussed.

[pflaming]

Like Don suggested, do some research, for example. I'm not so sure a fluid drive will bolt into just any frame. I have a hy-drive and it has an added cross frame. In addition to that the floor 'hump' on a straight 3 speed may not be large enough for a fluid drive. The hump in my car is quite noticeable. A center passenger in the front seat of my car had best have SHORT legs.

[Jim Yergin]

What if I set it up as a 230 with a 8 bolt crank to flywheel for fluid drive D24, then I buy a P15. Will the standard four hole flywheel and bell housing match up?

I used a Dodge crank in a Plymouth 218 to make my 230. Had to use the 230 flywheel because of the different offset and had to machine the input shaft bushing because the fluid drive crank opening for the bushing is smaller.

Jim Yergin

[tom'sB2B]

I will be looking for '46-'48 Plymouth P15 four door sedan or '46-'48 Dodge D24 four door sedan.

It seems like I will be facing four options:

P15  218 standard

        230 standard

 

D24 218 fluid drive

       230 fluid drive

 

If I set my engine up as a 230 with a eight bolt flange pattern. The two issues I might face is:

A. Flywheel extending too far out where I may have to shave the bell housing so that the starter lines up correctly

B. The different input shaft bushing

C. Both A and B

 

What else am I missing?

[greg g]

Perhaps re title the  post Cart Before The Horse???????  If you stick to Plymouth engine and Plymouth car you shouldn't have many problems.