340 intake on a 273???

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65Cudafix

65Cudafix

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FABO,

So, there I was all fat, dumb and happy sitting on Craigslist eating pork rinds, when what to my wandering eyes should appear but a 1964, 273 engine with a 340 4 barrel intake for $100. It's like Christmas in June I thought!!! All I have to do was drive across the state and part with a Benjamin... So, why not?? I've never even heard of a 340 intake on a 1st Generation 273, but I figure there could be an angle to it...

Anyway, here's the picture:
IMG_0764.JPG


As you may recall, I'm a rookie and have no knowledge or experience, but I believe the PO (prior owner) wasn't lying cause the intake is Blue and the engine is Red...

Here are the numbers for the intake:

FullSizeRender-7.jpg


I'm guessing the build date is the 3-28-83.. Not sure hat the 8ZC and DND refer to below it... Then theres the firing order and I guess the intake or part number is 4173915 and is that a sideways heart or a 3??? Other intake markings include the DIST ROTATION direction... and random numbers and such.

Didn't see the build date on the engine but came across 2465330-2 :
IMG_0775.JPG




If someone can let me know where to look for the build date on the engine, we can see if it "really is a '64"... Am I reading these numbers right? Are there other clues printed on the engine that will reveal even MORE of the story? (If so, please let me know, I bought a can of degreaser just in case...)

I'm sure you have all seen more remarkable stuff, but does anyone think this could work??

My plan, unless someone tells me a better one, is to pull the intake and see how it's been jerry-rigged on, and if there's been significant damage to the intake as a result (can someone tell me what should I be looking for). Then I'll pull the heads and see what kind of shape they are in, maybe get them ported out and the valves hardened. If the intake hasn't been ruined (how would I know?) and the heads are good, maybe then I'll start thinking cams and pistons... Maybe frost plugs, what the hell are frost plugs?? is that even a real thing or are the voices in my head leading me astray again... Course I'll need to consider a carb (suggestions)... I've never done anything with engines (I did check the oil on my lawn mower once) Hell, I'm still trying to figure out how to get the engine out of the back of my pickup, guess it would be easier if I took it apart... (I actually know a guy with an engine lift, or I'll drive across the state, in the other direction, to harbor freight..)

I've only got $100 into this and can probably part it out and recoup most of that (I think -maybe), but regardless, I don't want to go overboard and throw good money after bad.

Please let me know if any of you have 'Frankenstein-ed' your rides in such a manner and how it worked out. One last picture, of what I suspect is the fuel pump - because, well why not...
IMG_0781.JPG


Thanks I'm looking forward to your advice and comments FABO.

65Cudafix
 
65Cudafix said:
If someone can let me know where to look for the build date on the engine, we can see if it "really is a '64"... Am I reading these numbers right? Are there other clues printed on the engine that will reveal even MORE of the story? (If so, please let me know, I bought a can of degreaser just in case...)

I'm sure you have all seen more remarkable stuff, but does anyone think this could work??

My plan, unless someone tells me a better one, is to pull the intake and see how it's been jerry-rigged on, and if there's been significant damage to the intake as a result (can someone tell me what should I be looking for). Then I'll pull the heads and see what kind of shape they are in, maybe get them ported out and the valves hardened. If the intake hasn't been ruined (how would I know?) and the heads are good, maybe then I'll start thinking cams and pistons... Maybe frost plugs, what the hell are frost plugs?? is that even a real thing or are the voices in my head leading me astray again... Course I'll need to consider a carb (suggestions)... I've never done anything with engines (I did check the oil on my lawn mower once) Hell, I'm still trying to figure out how to get the engine out of the back of my pickup, guess it would be easier if I took it apart... (I actually know a guy with an engine lift, or I'll drive across the state, in the other direction, to harbor freight..)

I've only got $100 into this and can probably part it out and recoup most of that (I think -maybe), but regardless, I don't want to go overboard and throw good money after bad.

Please let me know if any of you have 'Frankenstein-ed' your rides in such a manner and how it worked out. One last picture, of what I suspect is the fuel pump - because, well why not...
View attachment 1715054717

Thanks I'm looking forward to your advice and comments FABO.

65Cudafix
Click to expand...

To decode the engine markings, read here:

How to ID a Small Block Engine Block:


The 64-65 273 heads have smaller diameter intake bolts at a different angle from the standard 66-91 LA small blocks... They should have opened up/wallowed out the intake bolt holes to get the '340' intake to fit... Maybe consider swapping a set of 66-67 273/318 heads on it for the updated intake bolts which would allow more choice of intakes...

Frost plugs are aslo referred to as: freeze plugs, core plugs, they go in the block and heads. They rust out with age and would be a good idea to replace...
 
So what's the plan: use the entire pkg in your chassis? Or just the intake on your engine?
The pictures kindof show the smaller bolt-heads and the bolt at the back in the very first picture seems to show the bolt not sitting fully supported by the intake casting.

Me personally, I would not bolt that onto a low-compression,small-port headed 273, especially if it has a bit of a cam. I would find me a small-port aluminum intake. But there are other things I would do before I would bolt a 4bbl on.
 
Last edited:
Wow! Ummm, whew!

Well, that intake is the early 80's type. (1983) It is a good intake. The heads, if it is an early 273, have the above mentioned smaller intake bolts. (5/16) which could be reused on that initake. The hole for the bolts would still need a little work. Like KrazyKuda said, later year 273 or (most likely cheaper) 318 heads would swap right on and use a wider verity of intakes. It is an excellent idea. A suggestion for a carb and is 600cfm max! Holley or Carter. A small carb would be better. It is hard to find small Carters used but Edelbrock does make them in a 500 cfm size. Holley has a 570.

The intake looks OK on the outside. It may have been milled to fit the possible odd angle. Look for machining marks on the intakes face. Where it bolts to the heads.

Scrape the dirt and grease away on the front of the block just under the cylinder head on the drivers side to reveal the engine size and other numbers.
 
Get a casting number off of the heads to determine if they are original or someone swapped a later set on there too. It didn't look like it, but couldn't really tell if the intake bolt holes were modified.

It's been mentioned here several times, but the early 273's have a small register in the crank that takes a small nosed converter, which doesn't interchange with in the trans. Late model trans/converters won't fit. Lots to find out before committing to bigger plans.
 
I could SWEAR (this was 1976 or so) that I once tried to fit a 340/360 intake to a 273 and the ports would have leaked. Maybe using 273/318 gaskets would have worked. In other words the 360/340 intake ports were too big in the valley area

Yeh. I'm old, and I might'ha forgot. But I ain't senile YET
 
I used an Edelbrock 340 "Tarantula" on my 1965 273 Valiant with stock cylinder heads, did a little gasket to port matching. Never knew about the different angled bolt holes at the time, just took a little wiggling to get all the intake bolts started. Ran a best of 12.72 ET at 108 MPH which tells me it did not leak any.
65 Valiant4.jpeg
1965 Valiant Effort.jpg
 
AJ/FormS said:
So what's the plan: use the entire pkg in your chassis? Or just the intake on your engine?
The pictures kindof show the smaller bolt-heads and the bolt at the back in the very first picture seems to show the bolt not sitting fully supported by the intake casting.

Me personally, I would not bolt that onto a low-compression,small-port headed 273, especially if it has a bit of a cam. I would find me a small-port aluminum intake. But there are other things I would do before I would bolt a 4bbl on.
Click to expand...
An/formS,
I felt getting a 4v intake on a "65 for $100 was like Christmas in June.. what would you do first??
I figure that I can use heads either on 'new build' or on my current engine, along with the intake. Not sure if they can handle larger valves or not or if I even would want to do that on a 273..
I'm probably need to get valve seats hardened at a minimum.
What do you think about 'porting' the heads? I've never even pulled heads off an engine before but I've a dremmel. Machinist didn't sound enthusiastic about it. At what point am I putting lipstick on a pig?

Thanks for advice!


65Cudafix
 
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