Stirring up a hornets nest

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In my other life I drive a jaguar, I'm certain the 273 will provide me with plenty of excitement. My neighbor seems to think that everytime he leaves the neighborhood he needs to lay down some rubber. Translation is a lot of neighbors aren't really happy with him. His car is beautiful, but once I finish mine, in my mind will look just as good
 
I was wondering what the actual horse power is on a 273 commando. I know the book says 235
I had a gentleman who worked for Chrysler back in the day tell me it was alot higher than what was posted. He said it was for insurance purposes that it was rated the 235. Just another curious thought.
 
You said yourself that you plan on attending the races ONLY as a spectator. But you would have gotten better advice at a car show. At a drag strip, most people have horsepower and going faster on their minds.

Keep the 273, fix it up they way you want and enjoy it. It's a light car so the power-to-weight ratio is good, plus you'll get better fuel mileage and it's "original".
 
It was a huge Mopar car show, swap meet and drag race. I have no plans to change, just created a little conversation
 
Anybody that doesn't think a 273 can be built to run is stupid.
 
My dad has a 55 Willy's wagon that had a 273 commando in it when he bought it. Drove it for years. Tons of torque and more than enough power for towing all the off road camping, hunting, fishing and other shenanigans he was up to. Go with the 273.
 
What's the saying ? "Opinions are like $%# holes,,everybody has got one."I commend you for sticking to your guns.I'm keeping the 273 in my Valiant.Same as you,just gonna drive it and enjoy it.
 
Ask the guy who's running 10's in his 67 Dart with a 273 if they run or not! And he does it on pump gas!! If I can find that article I'll post it here!!

Keep the 273 Tommy, it's original to the car, dresses up nicely, and will do everything you want it to!
 
I had no intention of changing it
Just creating conversation
it interested me with so many different opinions.
 
A 4.5L V-8 is hardly small compared to current car engines. If you want to see endless "swap that" comments from others wanting to spend the poster's time and money, browse the Slant Six forum. Many BMW "drivers" are very happy they dropped the small V-8 and returned to their inline six recently, so stomach that you 360-only and RB-squeeze-it-in guys. I plan to fool around with my 273 without making any reversible changes. I got a junkyard Magnum beer-keg intake to try MPFI, and an old 4 bbl alum intake. Yes, I know about the intake bolt angles in 64-65.
 
Well said my friend. I have a friend who has changed his over to fuel injection. Starts easy and runs really nice. I'm just not that smart mechanically to do something like that
 
Is this a 4 speed or automatic? If it's an auto then more cubes is an easy path. With a stock small clutch you start having issues when torque goes up.....
 
Mine is an automatic, but I really have no intention of taking the Commando out of it
it came with the car new and runs really strong
 
Just my 2 cents worth, I have a 66 Cuda with a 225ci and I'm in the process of doing a v-8 conversion now with a 318, 904a and a 8.250 rear and 3.21 gears.
Its your car and just do what feels good to you. If you have a lot of time and extra cash convert to a larger engine. If time is short and you just want to get out there then run what you brung. Honestly - do what you honestly have the time, money and energy for. Don't weight yourself down with huge tasks and cost if you do not have the time to get it done to enjoy it. There are hundred of guys around the world with a car "almost" done for the last 5 years still sitting not being enjoyed because they took on more than they could handle. Enjoy the car and get it out there! They were never made for show pieces "not to be driven". Heck to get 1 hp per cubic inch is pretty good. pump it up to 1.5hp per cubic inch is REALLY good.
Good luck on your journey. keep us posted with pictures. Joe
 
Thanks Joe. I am not planning on any changes.
 
If I had a 273; I would keep it as a LC 2bbl, I would gear it really hi,(Like 2.45s) and put like a sub 2000TC in it.(maybe lower). Then I would put a big single exhaust on it with a mellow muffler. Then every time I leave, I would floor it. So it would rev at stall for a bit.Then when the revs started climbing,I'd slam it into second,and watch the speedo slooooooly climb on it's way to 60mph/65.Then I'd hit Drive.Maybe I'd keep the factory TC in it.
This never gets old for me. To hear a lil engine at WOT working, working,working,stuck at or near 2000 for three and a quarter minutes; wow, I love that! Well maybe not 3.25 minutes, but you get the idea.
I would stick the pipe out the passenger side, in front of the rear wheel and point it up a tad. Then when I fly by some slowpoke with my foot in the carb, maybe that old person will wake up. Hey I can so say that cuz I am old.
Back in '69,I had a 57 BelAire with a 283-PG, and hi-way gears. I think 1st went to about a baZZilion miles an hour, and it took all of last period to hit 80 . Or so it seemed. I was barely 16 and in grade 9.Wow; that was 47 years ago........

Wait! I do have a 273. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
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My commando is a 4 barrel carb that comes from the factory with a hotter cam, domed pistons with a compression of 10.5 to 1
I believe that will be strong enough for my little fish
Won't be like my neighbors hemi road runner. But enough to make me smile
 
Early A Bodies have a huge weight advantage over later ones don't need nearly as much power to have fun. I'd follow toolmanmike's build it probably exactly what you want.

The biggest hurdle with a 273 is torque most engines produce around 1.1 to 1.2 lbs-ft per cid which put you a hundred lbs-ft under a 360.
Of course you could drop in deep gears to compensate but tranny is the best way either a 904 from the 80's with deeper 1st and 2nd or even better the overdrive version of the 904 which will give you deep gears and the O.D gear so you can go a little deeper in the rear too.
 
If you look at toolmanmike's build it's far from a race car build. And gears don't make your car a race car just more pleasurable to drive. A deep 1st gear 904/3.23 or 500/3.55 or 3.73 is like putting 3.91-4.56 without the hassle of too much rear gear. That why newer cars went that way.
 
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The only swapping I would do.......is freeze plugs! :D Pull the motor out, pop all the freeze plugs out, pressure wash the whole motor....including every which way it will squirt into the freeze plug holes, and the install new BRASS freeze plugs. Especially the ones in the back of the block. Install a new input shaft seal on the 904 while the motor is out, paint the motor and sock it right back in there. Cheap way to insure those 51 year old freeze plugs don't leave you on the side of the road, and spend maybe $30 tops.
 
Some people think everybody has to have a race car, especially when it's not their money and labor in it.
If you asked him to help you he would probably tell you there is nothing wrong with that 273 for a driver car.

It's the same way with computers.
People ask me all the time if they need a new computer because their Grandson, Daughter, Son, whatever said they need a better one.
I ask ONE question "Does it do what YOU need it to do?"
 
first thing to realize, IF you want more "pep" change out the gears/ it will multiply your torque and snap, but of course, will affect mileage! sounds like to me the 273 will be all you personally need. IF a rebuild is in the cards, sure that are lots of arguments to build a 360.
i'm no racer. never had a wish to build a car just to tear it up and have to rebuild it again, work and $$$$$....... and then ya always want to go faster!! speed costs $$$$$! more work and more $$$$! ha
 
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