Hey gang!
First post! Just wondering if anyone out there...with their vast knowledge...could tell me if it's a great pain to swap a 318(a rebuild with a 1972 casting date...not a poly) for a 383 or 440....trans is a beefed 727. I'm assuming exhaust and motor mounts would change, but is everything bolt-n-go? I've been doing some "reading" up on the 400 also. Is it really a dog or just a bad rap? They seem to be a dime-a-dozen compared to 440's(especially when compared to 383's....expensive!) And if the 400 is a good project to rebuild, what parts are interchangeable(assuming again that the 400 is NOT just a regular RB block...)???? Please help!!! I don't need 700hp, just a little more umph in a Big A$$ Fury III!

 

i have a 1965 sport fury and i did a swap to a 413. it can be done it costs alot, the linkages for the tranny are hard to find. now for the motor you will have to look for the bosses they are 2 tapped holes on the driver side of the block that the motor mounts bolt to. Schumacher sells these mounts they helped me out alot there number is 206-364-7151.

the 400 is a dog the 383 in the later years turned in to the 400. you can stroke them and make great power out of them turns in to a 451 stroker

you will have to change trannys as well i use a bvig block 727 for my 413. its not cheap to do engine swaps anyway you look at it its always gunna cost more than you thought. but it is worth the money the beefed up 413 making 422 hp really woke up the c-body.

but if i was you i would look for a 383 there cheaper than 440 and you can make some good power out of them for pretty cheap

 

Nothing wrong with a 400 in a street car. It was built as a torque motor, work horse with a cast crank.. It will wake up with a few mod just like any motor. You will need a BB trans too. Lokar makes a nifty kick down stainless cable for the trans to replace the carb linkage. Go to Shumacker for the engine mounts. The 400 has conventional motor mount lugs like every Mopar motor. The block with threaded bosses was special for the 383 Dart.
A good exhaust, rebuild the heads and remove/surface .050 from the head & a little off the intake side. Something around 268-270 degree cam Edelbrock/Carter 625 AVS type carb or 750 vacuum secondary Holley. A lot of them in cars came with a thermoquad carb, don't count it out if it is in good condition.

 

so basically what you guys are telling me is that all i really need is $$$$?



totally different trans from SB to BB?...huh. Any adapters worth a hoot?(if there even is such a thing!?) The trans i have will about break your neck when it shifts(quick and solid), but the 318 i have is about on it's last leg. I just don't think it's worth it to rebuild it. I've seen the "400hp" 318 build-ups, but it seems like small gains for the amount of money spent when a big block STARTS with so much more power, and seems(from what i've read) to respond even better to the little upgrades...headers, intake, ect.......
what to do....what to do....?

 

What you could do Is take your trans and install it's innards in a BB case.
Personally I would just rebuild another trans as there are some differences. maybe 3 pinion planetary in the 318 trans. and BB has in the HD version 5 pinion, hemi trans has a wider bands & extra clutches
The 440 and 383 are expensive because of what they are for restoring your prized Mopar. the 400 was a smog motor. For high HP it needs to go the stroker route to get a steel crank if the budget allows

It's about as easy a swap as it can be. just expensive

 

You will be miles ahead to find a 360 to replace the 318. More torque and more cubes. It will make a huge difference as your 318 is tired any way.
It will just drop right in where the 318 came out. Your 65 should have the poly block so you will need all the linkage and accessories from the doner 360 car.

If you must go big block the 400 will still be miles ahead of the 318. The 65 big blocks did have a different mounting set-up than later units so the Dart comment (The block with threaded bosses was special for the 383 Dart.) is wrong for this application, you will need a block with the mounting lugs for the 65 frame. I doubt 400's were equiped as such.

In any case the 360 would be the cheapest and easiest way to go. Done in a single week end with a couple friends.

 

I won't argue the fact, I could be wrong. But I think you are wrong on the motor mounts. I put a 361/ may have been a 383 in a 67 Coronnet back in the 70's I did not need any special motor mounts

 

the 318 in my car is a rebuild....if i'm recalling correctly it's a '72 casting(LA block) date.....now as for the 360, isn't that externally balanced(318 internally)...what would THAT involve?

 

Quote (But I think you are wrong on the motor mounts.)
Yeah I could be wrong, it happens all the time. A 67 Coronet B-body was different from the 65 Fury (c-body). The 65 motor would go in a later body but not always the other way around. I thought I read several times that the 65 big block in the c-body had a one year only, oddball set-up and needed it's own motor mount to work right. I think shumacker makes a kit for this, or special mount, not sure. Some big blocks had 'em (correct motor mount boss, drivers side) and some didn't. I would think the 400 would be too new for the mounting boss needed. Might want to ask over at the "c-body dry dock". A lot of folks with this type of swap over there.

As for the 360. The simple thing is to just match your converter to your motor by year. I beleive they have a different oil pan on the 360 as well but one from any c-body should be the ticket.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

 

The correct converter for the externally balanced 360......providing you got the complete motor...

 

Try checking out the builds they do on the poly motors. They make serious torque and horsepower. Polys are easy to come by and cheap. Even a set of headers, intake, and cam can maake them impressive. Its not a BB but kind of cool in my book. And like every car...gears and motor builds have to match. I have built enough cars with mild motors but good gear match and so on, and they were alot of fun to drive.

 

check out the photos i posted of the tork converters "big time swap"

 

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