Building my 273

[my66fish]

I have just pulled the drive train from my 1966 Barracuda and I'm trying to figure what I should have done to the engine for this build. This 273 is a two barrel / 180hp engine, and I'm looking to give this engine a mild build. Nothing over the top because I want to keep it towards the stock side but give it alittle get up and go at the same time. I have gotten a edlebrock 600/1604 carb. I have a factory steel four barrel intake, Mopar performance electronic igntion.
I'm planning on having the heads redone, a mild cam, and all new rings and bearing along with a new timing chain and gears.
Am I missing anything?
Any suggestions with regards to the cam size or head work or block work?
Some people have said a 600 edelbrock is to large for this engine.

 

[1969Valiant273]

G'day. I too am rebuilding a 273. I am in Australia. If you can help me in locating a reputable USA supplier I would appreciate. See my query to the forum Administrator. Cheers, Buddy

Hello,



I was wondering if you can assist me with reputable engine sellers. I need an engine from the USA. I am based in Melbourne Australia, and with the high dollar can afford to buy an export motor.



Preferably a fully rebuilt 273 ci LA engine or if these are rare, as they are in Australia, advise on a 360/5.9L engine that would suit the same mounts as the 273 A Frame Chrysle Valiant VE model. The car has the originl engine but I need a replacement. If someone is willing to swap a rebuilt 360 I will trade them the tired but daily driving 273. Suit Dart etc.

Please pass on my details. Your help would be appreciated.



Buddy

 

[1969Valiant273]

Hello,

I was wondering if you can assist me with reputable engine sellers. I need an engine from the USA. I am based in Melbourne Australia, and with the high dollar can afford to buy an export motor.

Preferably a fully rebuilt 273 ci LA engine or if these are rare, as they are in Australia, advise on a 360/5.9L engine that would suit the same mounts as the 273 A Frame Chrysle Valiant VE model. The car has the originl engine but I need a replacement. If someone is willing to swap a rebuilt 360 I will trade them the tired but daily driving 273. Suit Dart etc.
Please pass on my details. Your help would be appreciated.

Buddy

 

[chewy]

I have just pulled the drive train from my 1966 Barracuda and I'm trying to figure what I should have done to the engine for this build. This 273 is a two barrel / 180hp engine, and I'm looking to give this engine a mild build. Nothing over the top because I want to keep it towards the stock side but give it alittle get up and go at the same time. I have gotten a edlebrock 600/1604 carb. I have a factory steel four barrel intake, Mopar performance electronic igntion.
I'm planning on having the heads redone, a mild cam, and all new rings and bearing along with a new timing chain and gears.
Am I missing anything?
Any suggestions with regards to the cam size or head work or block work?
Some people have said a 600 edelbrock is to large for this engine.

Once you get into it, you might end up needing to bore and replace pistons. I thought mine was just tired on the bottom end, but had a fairly thick ridge at the top and ended up haveing to bore it out .030 to get it smooth. If you have to bore it, you may just want to upgrade the pistons to the Commando Pistons (From Egge) as well as balance the rotating assembly. Then you'll watt a little hotter cam... etc. etc.

One thing for sure, when 'refreshing' while its out, put a high volume, standard pressure oil pump in, New freeze Plugs, etc.

Just my .02.

G'day. I too am rebuilding a 273. I am in Australia. If you can help me in locating a reputable USA supplier I would appreciate. See my query to the forum Administrator. Cheers, Buddy

Hello,

I was wondering if you can assist me with reputable engine sellers. I need an engine from the USA. I am based in Melbourne Australia, and with the high dollar can afford to buy an export motor.

Preferably a fully rebuilt 273 ci LA engine or if these are rare, as they are in Australia, advise on a 360/5.9L engine that would suit the same mounts as the 273 A Frame Chrysle Valiant VE model. The car has the originl engine but I need a replacement. If someone is willing to swap a rebuilt 360 I will trade them the tired but daily driving 273. Suit Dart etc.

Please pass on my details. Your help would be appreciated.

Buddy

Buddy, If you have machinist down under that can prep the block, you could order most of the parts from the states and have them shipped down for you could assemble your original 273 and put her back noto her car.

If you're truly looking to have a US machinist build a 273 and ship it on a boat down to you, I can recommend one to you from Las Vegas area, but you'd probably want someone from the coast who has a dock he can go drop it at. This machinist did all the block prep work for my rebuild. Probably the best machinist I've found. He builds quite a few race engines for some of the pro's at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I'd bet with a base engine block, he could assemble something together for you and not break the bank too bad.

I dont know if Mopar Performance will ship an engine that far, but they do have crate engines that they build at the factory that will probably bolt right in.

Just a few thoughts

 

[cudamark]

Unless you just have to drive around with the original block, find a 318 block and build that instead. All your 273 parts will fit into it and unless someone checks the casting number, nobody would notice the difference from the outside. Easy way to get more cubes and horsepower plus the pistons are cheaper and easier to find. Save the original block in the garage for when you want to do a platinum restoration.

 

[66fs]

I have just pulled the drive train from my 1966 Barracuda and I'm trying to figure what I should have done to the engine for this build. This 273 is a two barrel / 180hp engine, and I'm looking to give this engine a mild build. Nothing over the top because I want to keep it towards the stock side but give it alittle get up and go at the same time. I have gotten a edlebrock 600/1604 carb. I have a factory steel four barrel intake, Mopar performance electronic igntion.
I'm planning on having the heads redone, a mild cam, and all new rings and bearing along with a new timing chain and gears.
Am I missing anything?
Any suggestions with regards to the cam size or head work or block work?
Some people have said a 600 edelbrock is to large for this engine.

Is this a daily driver? What gas do you want to feed it? 2 barrel pistons are fine if you are planning to use pump gas. You will probably have to run premium as it is now. Does the 600 Edelbrock open all the way on the stock manifold? Check it now. Since you have a 600 carb I'd run it. Since you have solid lifters, I'd use something close to an Isky E-4 grind which is close to a stock Commando cam. The highest I'd go a solid cam about 268 duration and about .450 lift, with a set of 340 valve springs and Viton valve seals. Use a double roller timing chain, Windage tray, HV oil pump, High Pressure oil pump spring, Ductile iron moly rings (Speed Pro), a new distributor drive and bushing from Mopar Performance, mill the heads .020 block side and .019 on the intake side, Good valve job, stainless exhaust valves. Tune it to perfection and you will be happy and be able to drive it anywhere, anytime, and afford to drive it.

 

[ZooKypr]

This is my setup that I did in 2001 and 8,ooo miles later it still runs strong.
'66 Barracuda Formula S
Commando 273 - 4 speed
swapped in:
Edelbrock Performer Rpm Intake
Holley 600cfm 4bl double pumper
dual exhaust with h-pipe
port & polished heads
Mopar elect. ignition (orange box)
NGK VR-5 plugs (mid-heat)
Lunati cam .518/.528
4.10 sure grip rear

Never took her to the track but she feels like a high 13sec. car. She's only a weekend cruiser and gets 10 - 12mpg.

Good Luck, Zookypr

 

[pishta]

I would seriously consider modern 302 closed chamber casting heads before you spend the cash for the 273's original 1.50 heads. They are tons better in flow and are inexpensive. A Carter/brock 500 would be very close to the original sized carb. And AVS would be best of both worlds as they are forgiving in total CFM's needed

 

[pyp1000]

In 1997 I rebuilt my 273 doing the following:
.040 over,
standard pistons
shaved the heads to obtain a 9.0 compression
3 angle valve job
windage tray
270 duration, .440 ????overlap reground solid lifter cam (it's too much duration but it was free)
MSD ignition
hi-po commando single exhaust
small afb four barrel on a factory cast iron manifold
Car runs 9.98 @ 70 mph in the 1/8th and 15.50's @ 88 in the 1/4. Way better than it ever ran new

 

[dart4forte]

I would seriously consider modern 302 closed chamber casting heads before you spend the cash for the 273's original 1.50 heads. They are tons better in flow and are inexpensive. A Carter/brock 500 would be very close to the original sized carb. And AVS would be best of both worlds as they are forgiving in total CFM's needed

Lets see some flow charts