Hello Everyone,
Just bought a 1965 Coronet 4 door with a poly 318. This car is rust free and completely unmolested but the paint and interior is fried by the Arizona sun. The 318 is smoked ( that's why it was parked). This car was owned by an 82 year old mechanic that kept it up and all original until 2004. I would like to rebuild the 318 poly because I just want it to drive and look decent... no need to make a race car. Am I wasting my time with the Poly? Are there any machine shops in Phoenix that are still familiar with the Poly? I know the LA 318 is a completely different motor but do all the accessories and brackets bolt up to it the same. What other motors would be simple swaps if this Poly is too much hassle?

 

I'd stick with the poly. One rebuild and you'll get several hundred thousand miles out of it; i see no reason to change.

 

i found a group of guys making high performance polys. just hunt for it.

 

X 2 Welcome to the forum

 

I would like to keep the rebuild under $1500. It has 130,000 original miles so I hope the cylinder walls are decent and the cams not toast. I called the machine shop I send my Ford FE stuff to, I guess they have an old school Mopar guy there. But if they come back with $2500 quote I'm going to rethink keeping the poly

 

with a 60's vintage block my guess is that it will need a re bore. $1500 budget is tough
& impossible when paying someone to do the work
Without knowing why it was parked ? You may be able to put a timing chain. valve job and replace a few bent valves ????

 

It only had 130,000 so fingers crossed that it doesn't need to be bored. Won't know till I open it up. The old guy said it had blow by so it may need to be bored.

 

Before tearing apart I would try and gather as much diagnostic information as possible.

A compression test if possible, leak down test, cylinder air pressure test and prime the oil pump with a gauge to see if it will build pressure. If the pump does work I might drain the oil and pump a jug of WD40 through the oil system while turning over by hand. A pressure test of the coolant system for cracks.

When taking apart do it slowly to measure and inspect each component closely.

 

Coronet 500 is giving you some very good advise.... Would help to know all you can and that may help in staying in your budget...

Welcome to the forum.. Also, be sure to check out the Mopar of the Month contest....

 

Will do, thanks for the advice!

 

Compression test results were awful. 1,2,7,8 were between 70 to 90 psi dry and 90 to 120 wet. 3,4,5,6 had 13 to 25 psi wet and dry. So I have a couple of the outside cylinders that jumped up 30 psi with the wet test, so I know that the rings are shot. All 4 of the inside cylinders have almost no compression, blown head gasket on both sides or could it be that the valves ate up the seats because they never had hardened seats put in? Heads are going to be pulled today so I guess I will figure it out soon enough. If the heads are toast where in the world do I find a replacement set? Also what changes the compression ratio On the Polys, combustion chamber size or the piston. I don't want a ratio any higher than 9.5:1 but if this is one of the 7.5:1 I would like to set it up to be a little higher.