Hello Everyone,

I have a 1968 Fury II with the original 318. I have the motor out at present and I want to rebuild or replace it. It has 265,000 original miles. The heads are shot since they did not have the hardened exhaust seats.

I would like to stroke it and bore it over 0.030 or more. I have not yet measured the cylinder bores to see where they are. During it's lifetime the engine was well taken care of.

Do you think it is worth rebuilding this motor or should I start over with a 383 or 440?

Thanks,

John

 

Upgrading to a 383 or 440 would mean changing the tranny out as well as the small block and big block trannies have different bell housings.

If you are on a tight budget, I say rebuild what you have. Build it up some if you can afford it. Otherwise, if you want a big block setup, shop around for a motor/trans combo.

 

What are your plans for the car? Daily driver?

 

john -

It really does depend on what you want to do with the car, so a little more info would help. While a big block will give you more performance a nicely massaged small block (340 or 360) might be an easier fit. If you want to rebuild the 318, that's fine too, it's your car!

Archer

 

Hello everyone,

My plans are for a nice driver car, but not a dialy driver. I would like more performance but I am not building a hot rod.

John

 

John -

It's going to be your call. Unless you're attached to that motor for some reason (being original and all), you might be better off with a 340/360. Might wind up being cheaper than going the stroker route.

Archer

 

The issues with going to a 360 are that:

You'll need either a torque converter balanced to the 360 (has weights welded to converter) or a B&M/ similar special aftermarket flex plate to do that job

You'll need a 360 oil pan, which is different at the rear "half moon" than a 373/318/340. Can probably use your 318 oil pickup. There are some problems with pan/ oil pump compatability with aftermarket oil pans

Everything else should "bolt up" if you decide to go 360

So far as rebuilding your 318, it's up to you. Even if your block is hosed, 318s are cheap and plentiful, should be easy to find either block or heads cheap.

The only real problem with buiding a 318 is that most stock / performance heads off 340s/ 360s have larger combustion chambers and therefore drop the compression ratio. If you go this route, IE bigger heads, you'll be boring this block anyway, so you can put in higher compression pistons to compensate

 

I agree that a 360 will be a lot more fun. I had a 68 with a stock 318 in good shape back in the early 80's. I did the usual, valve job 4 bbl, electronic mopar distributor, dual exhaust. It was a fun car, much better after the work was done, but it still got passed by everything on the road. No "hot rod", nice cruizer though. So I would say just use what ya got unless you are gonna be looking for some stop light action. Then Big is the only way to go. 318 will be low budget, stroked 360 will need up grades in brakes, trans, converter, gears, and such to keep up in heavy car. Your car so ultimatley your choice. Let us know wich way you go.

 

A early steel crank 68-71 340 would be the easiest swap as it is not externally ballanced like 360s and later 72 and up 340s. Thus no changing of the converter.

 

TRUST me here, get a mild cam for that thing, and mixed with the .030 bore and headers and a run of the mill bowl job on the heads you could easily pump out 300 hp. that's what i'm doing with mine. i have the stuff already now i just need to pluck the engine from the car.

 

I use to be a Big Block guy but now I love my 318's. If you stroke, I like the look of the 3.79" crank that's available now. I think the 4" is too much, and I like the look of a 3.94" over 3.79". If you stay with the 3.31", with the right camshaft you can get 350-380 torque output.

 

Didn't the '68 318 come stock with 340 torque?

 

1968 318 came internal balance with a forged crank...230 horsepower right out the factory....stroke it and put you a roller setup in there and you will be happy...watch out if you have that dreaded 7 1/4" rear though

 

Have you actually seen a '68 318 forged crank in a car? If so was it hollow or solid rod throw?

 

Yep mine is in my storage and would have to drop the pan again to answer number 2 question...my 69 block that came out of truck had a forged crank that I am running in my Aspen...FFT...the 68 is the original motor out of my Dart