273 "commando"

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moparstilldeath

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Just bought a 66 barracuda 273 rebuilt motor but also received another block with the car.
not sure if it's a commando in the car or the extra block I received with it. What if any are the differences between the commando motors and the 2BBl engines? is there any external things like casting numbers, stampings ECT? or other clues??
 
Externally vc's and air cleaner are different for commandos. I would think casting #'s would indicate whether commando or not but I could be wrong.
Pistons and cam internally were different.
More will chime in
 
Intake and Pistons. Should have 920 casting heads. Pull the heads to verify hipo pistons







Externally vc's and air cleaner are different for commandos. I would think casting #'s would indicate whether commando or not but I could be wrong.
Pistons and cam internally were different.
More will chime in
 
The blocks were the same. The pistons and cam were different and of course the Commando/Charger engines had special valve covers, 4 barrell intake/AFB, Chrome air cleaner, and dual point dist.
 
273 block castings are all the same. 273 head castings are the same except for intake bolt size and angle. 273 cranks are same too except for difference at back end for automatic and manual builds. That's the jest of it.
To confirm a Commando 273 you'll have to pull a head and look for dome top pistons.
 
So the jist of it is you can make a commando out of any 273.
Sure can, you just need to find the correct pistons, not an easy or cheep find. And a 4 bbl intake, AND correct valve covers, AND, the hardest to find the Duel point dist. O and the correct AFB. There you are.
 
And add the cam which is different in a Commando
 
273 block castings are all the same. 273 head castings are the same except for intake bolt size and angle. 273 cranks are same too except for difference at back end for automatic and manual builds. That's the jest of it.
To confirm a Commando 273 you'll have to pull a head and look for dome top pistons.

If he doesn't know what to look for while looking down a spark plug hole he should pull a head.
 
Here is mine

10.5:1 30 over trw forged pistons
284/484 Purple shaft cam
bunch of other stuff
oh yea 340 X heads and 340 block :)

Hmmm, 340 looking like a 273/235, except needs to be painted red. Can you say sleeper?
 
not sure why it looks orange in the other picture.
 

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Sure can, you just need to find the correct pistons, not an easy or cheep find. And a 4 bbl intake, AND correct valve covers, AND, the hardest to find the Duel point dist. O and the correct AFB. There you are.

And the 273 head gaskets
and their exhaust manifold heat shields
and I have 100% of it for sale.
 
Intake and Pistons. Should have 920 casting heads. Pull the heads to verify hipo pistons
I think 920 heads were a little late to the party for the 65 Commando, maybe for the 66? . Maybe 315 or 080 heads? Also the commando heads had to be open chambered to clear the pop up piston right? I mean the shim head gasket was like an .020 crush? I see alot of the 273 heads cc's at 63cc and then the open chambered start at 73...? Then the 318 swirl port had a dinky 58cc? so any closed chambered 273 heads would probably not be Commando material. :jocolor:
 
I think 920 heads were a little late to the party for the 65 Commando, maybe for the 66? . Maybe 315 or 080 heads? Also the commando heads had to be open chambered to clear the pop up piston right? I mean the shim head gasket was like an .020 crush? I see alot of the 273 heads cc's at 63cc and then the open chambered start at 73...? Then the 318 swirl port had a dinky 58cc? so any closed chambered 273 heads would probably not be Commando material. :jocolor:

920 heads were closed chamber, and were around from 66-on, including '66/'67 Commando engines. '68 was the 1st year for the open chambers (pistons sat higher in the bore)...same heads that came on the "new hydraulic cam 273/318 for '68" engines. They are the reason the early intakes won't fit '66 and later engines. The '64-'65 heads have the smaller bolts with the different angle.
 
64 and 65 heads were #2532080 (casting number) and had the smaller intake bolts ant a different angle than the 66 and newer heads. The 66 heads were #2536178 early and #2658234 late (casting number) the 2658920 is listed as a 66-67 head and were used on very late 66 produced engines. All the 273 heads through 67 were closed chamber heads with 1.78/1.50 valves and advertised 57-64.5cc chambers.
 
66 dual point I found a couple summers ago under the drivers seat of a 66 barracuda sitting in a yard in utah. Still around if lucky..

An oem 13" rusted out cragar was also in the trunk.. sent the trunk lid to a friend...
 

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