dyera1

The vehicle. 81 dodge, d150 custom, fender side, slant 6 904 transmission.
The swap. 1968 318, bored out 30 over, 3/4 race cam (I understand old term, I do have a cam card to verify stuff for you) 4bbl performer intake. 727 auto transmission. exhaust will be headers.
The questions. Power steering, Will the same power steering unit fit with 318 headers and work for this engine?
The ignition was points and condensers in the 225 what will I need for this 318. I want electronic ign. I have the electronic ign. distributor for it but what else is needed? Exhaust, I have the headers, should it be cherry bomb glass packs? straight back or out in front of one of the rear tires? Drive shaft, will a 904 to 727 need a shorter drive shaft?

78D200

"Cheery Bombs"/"Glass packs" are not legal in some states so you might want to look into it before purchasing them. I'd go for a flowmaster muffler (50 series) and 2.5" pipe with a x-over pipe and have it exit behind the rear tires somewhere as that will give you a little more backpressure. The x-over pipe will help balance the two sides and the 50 will still give you a good rumble.

The power steering unit will work, you just need the right/stock brackets.

I'm not sure about the ignition but I would imagine that it should be a plug and play for most of it. As for the driveshaft, I'm not sure if the slip yoke will fit between the two. Length wise it will depend if you have a long or short tail housing.

What are you doing for a rear axle?

TVLynn

Power steering Need the V8 brackets
Drive shaft you need a yoke to fit the trans and a shorter drive shaft
Ign stock elect distributor You need a ballast resistor and an ign control box. you 81 should already have it..
rear end should be fine..

dyera1

v8 brackets Rog. Correct, the ballast resistor and coil I do have but for the sake of discussion when does an "ignition box" apply and what is it? I do have the 727 yoke and glad to hear everything else will work out. The drive shaft length i guess we will just have to wait and see. thank you guys

dyera1

what about my radiator and alternator (no a/c)?
Am I going to need a larger capacity/ better one?

78D200

A/C should fit, you just need the V8 brackets. You'll have to watch your intake with the A/C as some intakes do not clear A/C units.

As for the radiator, I believe that they are a single core. I'd look for a 2 or 3 core unit, they shouldn't be that much more. My 78D200 had a 2 core radiator in it with the 318.

dyera1

So the truck runs great with the new engine but was seriously lacking in the top speed department. speed is around 50 at 2800 rpm. I am looking to decreas the 3.55 ratio to a 2.94. Opinion? The truck currently has a ten bolt rear end, (7.25 weakling). Anyone know of a donor vehicle I can look for that has a 8.25 that will fit? I found a 72' satelite sebring and the owner said the inside width was 63 inches. I measured my width and it was 56 inside hub to hub. does this sound correct? or am I measureing it wrong? help.

TVLynn

A properly built 518 trans would be the way to go-- OVERDRIVE