Swap 1950 Chrysler 6 to a 340

[CaptChris]

I plan on doing an engine swap to my 1950 Windsor Newport. I've driven her for the past 8 years. Engine runs like a sewing machine but pops thru the valves and is just not fast enough for me. I do love the flathead, but found a deal on a fresh 340 redone nicely. Here is my car,

 

I'm a bike guy that is starting to get into modifying cars. So, I have lots of questions before starting this project. 

 

If this topic has been covered and anyone can show me some links it would be appreciated.

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

the 340 is but a LA block..been done many times......a quick and easy means to read what others have done using LA block do a search, be sure you are at the top of the forum when you enter your search parameters...except for a tad of extra width at manifolds and valve covers..the BB is basically smaller in some respects to that of the LA...all these dimensions are also online and available with a couple key strokes on the internet...good luck...enjoy the car...building is more fun that just bolting..

[raystewart]

Hi, I'm in NE PA, if you go thru with the 340 conversion and want to get the flathead out of your way let me know.  I have a 50 Plymouth and love having spares around just in case.  Nothing makes things work well like having a replacement on hand!  

[captden29]

really nice car captain, and well driven as it should be.i am from long island, but living in north Carolina now.i know what you mean about being on the slow side as I have a 54 Windsor, but it is the powerflite automatic.good luck with the swap, you will want to drive it even more when done. capt den

[CaptChris]

Thanks for the feedback. I pulled the engine/tranny today. It appears to me that my steering is completely different than a Dodge or Plymouth so I may not have to offset the new engine. I'll post some better compartment photos soon. Not exactly sure of my next step, I have yet to buy a tranny, think I am looking for a 518 (46RE). I am unsure if I can just get some stock motor mounts and sit the motor in there to see where to weld them in or if I need the tranny in first to get the proper driveline angle. Or if both the tranny and motor need to be in there together. 

 

[CaptChris]

[Dodgeb4ya]

Rainier beer is a better beer to drink when working on Chrysler hardtops!

Edited September 13, 2016 by Dodgeb4ya

[Plymouthy Adams]

drink root beer,  may keep you from a error in judgment and possible incident.....flow will be about the same with either...

[CaptChris]

Send me some Rainiers! We don't have 'em out here. Anyway, those buds were payment for borrowing an engine hoist and paying helpers. 

[50 coupe]

Keep us posted. I enjoy following engine swap threads. There is one in my future also.

[wayfarer]

think I am looking for a 518 (46RE).

 

...actually, unless you have a can of magic fairy dust, you will want the 46RH. H = hydraulic,  E = Electronic.

You will also want to check this web site:  https://transmissioncenter.net/home/

[linus6948]

I`ve had an aversion to bud since a high school economics class where I learned they pay more to paint the can than for the ingredients that go into it, that fact always left a bad taste in my mouth, their beer always did that too. Good luck with the build.

[Fastback50]

Looking good--contemplating a 360 myself so will be interested in your progress.  Currently getting the 218 running first lol.

[rhelm1953]

To answer your earlier question, you will want the engine and transmission together to figure out the best mounting location.  That way you can get your driveline angles, transmission and engine clearance, figure out your exhaust routing, shift linkage etc before you final weld anything in place.  To figure it all out it's best to work with the whole package.  I like the car, the 340 will make for a really nice cruiser.

[mrwrstory]

Old thread but a lot should apply.  And since the Chrysler is larger,.....some latitude.  Pics have been rearranged so ask if you have questions.

 

 

[Dave72dt]

Don't forget to include the cooling system when calculating engine placement.

[CaptChris]

Well this project stalled for a month and I'm back into it. Got my AX15 tranny from a 1998 Dakota. Engine bay cleaned up a bit and I plan on lowering the engine in tomorrow to see what kind of room I have to work with and to start my motor mounts. I used some oem style spool mounts on the engine because I think the mounts will be easier to fab. Seeing other projects, making a tower type of motor mount on the frame to accomodate a flat motor mount just seemed more involved. I think with the spool type mount I can make up four semi triangular shaped plates to hold it. 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

sitting awful close to the floor to be marked high performance....hard to tell with this pic compared to mine as to where your shifter will fall into place...mine fell into place better than I had imagined from the start...

[CaptChris]

Shifter placement looks damn near perfect. Going to have to get one of those angled type of oil filter mounts. Haven't sat the radiator in yet, but it's gonna be close. May have to use a short fan stalk or whatever its called instead of a stock length one. Should I run a fan clutch?  Next thing I do is to trim out the inner fender wells. Appears as though the stock battery spot could still be used too. 

[wayfarer]

Looks good in there!!

[Niel Hoback]

Looks right at home, doesn't it?

[CaptChris]

On 9/18/2016 at 5:03 PM, Dave72dt said:

Don't forget to include the cooling system when calculating engine placement.

 

On 9/13/2016 at 3:40 PM, rhelm1953 said:

To answer your earlier question, you will want the engine and transmission together to figure out the best mounting location.  That way you can get your driveline angles, transmission and engine clearance, figure out your exhaust routing, shift linkage etc before you final weld anything in place.  To figure it all out it's best to work with the whole package.  I like the car, the 340 will make for a really nice cruiser.

  Thanks for the input guys. I ordered a thermal clutch orig intended for a 90's Jaguar. It's nice and short compared to an original, think I use 3/4" studs to mount it instead of bolts. Gonna give me leeway with mounting the radiator. 

   I read up on driveline angles and all. My side to side is pretty dead center, front to back is clear. Just that tailshaft angle and pinion to figure after I get the ride height I want. I had no idea that ideally there is supposed to be some angle at output shaft and an equal opposite angle at the pinion. I assumed dead straight was best, WRONG! Apparently U joints need to be "working". 

I'm searching around for some fenderwell headers cause I gonna do a gasser look with this car, but not a straight axle. They are very hard to find for small block Mopar. Anyone hear of any, please chime in. 

 

[Don Coatney]

This might or might not help.

[CaptChris]

Yup, that's the picture I saw but it was missing the lower portion. 

[DrDoctor]

   I’ve been looking at the driveshaft angle diagrams. The one with the outline of the engine/driveshaft/rearend labeled “right” is what I’ve always been told is the proper way to set up a driveshaft. This allows the u-joints to “work” (move, thus spreading lubricant within the u-joint). If you set the engine/rearend exactly in line with one another, you’ll experience u-joint failure much sooner. So, with that in mind, I question the top diagram of a driveshaft with the label “perfect – in line, no strain no vibe”. Maybe that situation would yield “no strain/no vibration”, but from what I’ve read, and been told, the angle of the transmission tailshaft and the rearend’s pinion should be within 1^o±, and that arrangement would result in premature u-joint failure. Thx.

   Another tho’t about the engine/transmission mounting: i don’t know how a late-model Chrysler Corporation engine mounts (side, front), nor how a Chrysler Corporation transmission mounts (tailshaft, side/”bell-housing”), but I DO know that, as in the case of a small block Chevy, for example, if using the front mounting for the engine (as in a ’56 Chevy, for example), and a transmission tailshaft mounting (like the later models did) rather than the bell-housing method (as in the ’56 Chevy example), it causes severe strain/sag on the engine/transmission combination due to the mounting points being too far from one another. In such a case, one must use either the side mounts for the engine with the transmission tailshaft mount; or the front engine mounts with the bell-housing transmission mounts.

    Thx.