SuperGas61 Posted January 14, 2023 Report Posted January 14, 2023 Hi...not sure this has been posted anywhere on this site before (I couldn't find anything via search), but this guy has swapped a 318 into his '51 Concord (my exact car, right down to the New Brunswick blue!) and has documented it on YouTube. This isn't a step-by-step documentation of the build, but it does give you a good sense of what it takes to shoehorn even a smallish V8 into a P22 or similar car. He used an A904 transmission, which he said (in response to my question) was "not the easiest swap"... Anyway, just posting in the hope that this will be helpful for anyone who's contemplating a similar swap... Quote
allbizz49 Posted January 14, 2023 Report Posted January 14, 2023 Thanks for sharing those I'm currently swapping a 291 DeSoto hemi into my 49 Plymouth business coupe. It's had it's challenges but it will be worth it when I'm done. I've almost given up a few times. The biggest issue so far has been steering. It would kill me to.look under my car and see a rack and pinion but I may end up installing one to make it work. I have a few ideas on how to use the stock steering box or maybe a smaller manual box. If you want somebody enough, you'll make it happen. That's what I keep telling myself. 1 Quote
SuperGas61 Posted January 14, 2023 Author Report Posted January 14, 2023 45 minutes ago, allbizz49 said: Thanks for sharing those I'm currently swapping a 291 DeSoto hemi into my 49 Plymouth business coupe. It's had it's challenges but it will be worth it when I'm done. I've almost given up a few times. The biggest issue so far has been steering. It would kill me to.look under my car and see a rack and pinion but I may end up installing one to make it work. I have a few ideas on how to use the stock steering box or maybe a smaller manual box. If you want somebody enough, you'll make it happen. That's what I keep telling myself. He actually does use the stock steering box...he explains what he had to do for clearance starting at around 1:30 of the first video... Quote
kencombs Posted January 14, 2023 Report Posted January 14, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, SuperGas61 said: He actually does use the stock steering box...he explains what he had to do for clearance starting at around 1:30 of the first video... I'm pretty sure the manifold he used will allow the stock steering to be used, IF, one offsets the engine to the right a bit. A lot of later Mopars have the the engine offset. I'm not sure why he specifically stated he didn't offset. Best way to do it IMHO. Edit: That manifold can be from any A body of the 63-66 years with a V8, not just power steering. Hard to find though, and if one is performance minded it is sort of restrictive. But, the 65 Dart I once owned still ran really good even with that restriction. Edited January 14, 2023 by kencombs Quote
Sniper Posted January 14, 2023 Report Posted January 14, 2023 That's the same exhaust manifold that is on my 65 Cuda. When fitting it up to the 87 318 I have, with the roller cam heads, you have to pay very close attention to the port alignment as there is very minimal overlap for compressing the gasket. IOW, it's leak easy if you don't pay attention to it. His 83 318 is not running he same heads, but I hae no idea if that is an issue with his heads. Quote
SuperGas61 Posted January 14, 2023 Author Report Posted January 14, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, kencombs said: I'm pretty sure the manifold he used will allow the stock steering to be used, IF, one offsets the engine to the right a bit. A lot of later Mopars have the the engine offset. I'm not sure why he specifically stated he didn't offset. Best way to do it IMHO. He also mentioned that he straightened the steering shaft, but I'm not sure how he did that... Edited January 15, 2023 by SuperGas61 Quote
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