pothole Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Hello, I have a 52 Pilothouse that I want to put a 318 or 360 with an auto trans in it. Could you please help me get this started? What are the best known ways in which to accomplish this? So far I have only found bits and pieces of intel on this. Are there particular engine years more accommodating than others? What mods will need to be done to fit a 727 trans in? are there particular rear ends that work better than others to handle the V8? I want to keep it all Mopar, no cross corp if possible. Your help is greatly appreciated, I just want to get this started. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I've got a 318 and 727 in mine. I've replaced the firewall and floor of the truck, firewall has a 7 inch deep recess cut into it and there is a hump in the new floor board for the trans to fit. Engine is offset 2 inches to the right and a new rear trans mission support was made. I do have room to remove the distributor and room in front for a radiator in it's stock location as well as a stock fan. I don't know if any of that will help with the stock suspension since mine is not. Others have done a frame swap, Dakota being popular, or the Volare clip and I think a Crown Vic clip as well. I chose this route because it suited the direction I was going and the engine/trans position was carefully thought out. None of it may be relevant to how you want to build your truck. If you want to build a truck exactly like mine, I can give you a play by play. Otherwise, there is no playbook. You'll have to wing it on a lot of stuff, based on your skill levels of fabrication and problem solving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiftyFifty Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 If your going V8 the big question as Dave posted is front suspension, and if your planning stock, then the brake upgrade to front disc and a dual master should be a must. I think some of the biggest challenges are re working the brake pedal and in most cases the gas pedal as well, so it's a pile of fabrication work thus why a lot go to frame swaps or front clips. No difference in 318 or 360 LA block so that's just preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pothole Posted March 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Thank you for the insight! So, a 2 inch offset for motor to the right, a 7 inch firewall recess for the tranny & engine to fit proper, meaning new motor mount placement and trans support with front suspension mods along with brake upgrades and a pile of pedal fab but I'm good with an LA 318 or 360. Hey Dave, are you saying you did the clip conversion? I know I'm not set up for that. But maybe a Dakota frame swap like you and 4mula-dx are talkin'. Are there more friendly Dakota years that suit the 52 for a more seamless mod? I appreciate both of your help on this, Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 No, I'm saying that's where I placed it because that was the right place for it with every thing else going on with my truck. There were specific reasons why it didn't go forward more or up or down or back even more. It's not a clip. It is an IFS based on the M II design fabricated specifically for the ride height I want on the original frame rail design. I had a clip on it. It was later removed, new C channel bent up to original dimensions, sectioned in, and has been fully boxed to support the IFS. My truck is far from stock. There is very little on it that hasn't been changed in some way. It hasn't lost it's distinctive Pilothouse look but every panel on it has had some changes to it. The issues and problems I'm dealing with require different solutions than those on a stock framed and suspended truck. Swapping a frame from a Dakota is not a bolt on either. The frame will require some length adjustment and it has a higher kickup over the rear axle than the stock frame so it creates some bed floor issues. The Dakota firewall has to be mated to the truck cab somehow so some judicious cuts and welds will need to be made Frame swaps, engine swaps, radical body changes all require thoughtful planning and execution and the more you have to pay for, becomes expensive in a hurry. Lacking the skills, equipment and planning often puts projects like this in scrap yards and life happens as well. I'll admit mine isn't ready for paint yet and it's been a many year project and I had been hoping to spend some time on it this year. It's been 3 years since I've been able to spend any decent amount of time on it and my brother just dropped off a fresh project car last week for me to do plus one coming out of Texas, if it shows up as planned. My projects always come last. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruff1148kr Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 what was the reason for the 2 inch off set ? gas and brake pedal room or something else? I did my fire wall the same 7 in turned out great but did not do a off set for 360LA motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Steering gearbox clearance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48Dodger Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 A link to my build links..... 50 B2B 48D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 steering clearance as well as more room for my big feet plus it makes it easier to route exhaust past steering and starter, more room for shift linkage, battery if it ends up under there and with dual exhaust, more clearance for the fuel tank although final location for that hasn't been determined yet. brake pedal will be a hanging type, master and booster on the firewall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruff1148kr Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Well I built my firewall around everything that I thought would get in the way LOL Hope I did it right mocked up the brake and gas and steering battery driveshaft just not the exhaust, well I hope I left enough room time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pothole Posted March 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Well thank you all. After careful and realistic consideration, this has turned into a bigger and beyond my abilities mod. I don't have the skills or the shop to do this unfortunately. I also don't have the $$ to pay someone to do it which is not what I want to do anyway.. Sounded good initially...Still sounds good, however, I'm going to keep the flat head and drive it for a while enjoying a 52' pick up truck. Perhaps this is suited for a future project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Well thank you all. After careful and realistic consideration, this has turned into a bigger and beyond my abilities mod. I don't have the skills or the shop to do this unfortunately. I also don't have the $$ to pay someone to do it which is not what I want to do anyway.. Sounded good initially...Still sounds good, however, I'm going to keep the flat head and drive it for a while enjoying a 52' pick up truck. Perhaps this is suited for a future project. there is nothing wrong with that IMO and I applaud you for taking this route if you felt it was the best thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 An excellent plan. Enjoy the truck as is, develop the skills you will need to put those plans into place in the future, make changes you feel comfortable with. Don't be afraid to push your limits a bit. That's the only way you learn and the only way you get better. This doesn't have to be an overnight project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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