Early A exhaust manifold questions

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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1. Will 67+ 318 or even 360 exhaust manifolds fit and work in an early A (65 valiant)??

2. What's the difference between 273 "super commando" and regular 273 exhaust manifolds?

3. Would any other car line exhaust manifolds fit an early A car (65 valiant), example, I have a pair of 318 ex. Manifolds from a 68 coronet. Would they fit the 65 valiant?

Any other facts and info on early A v8 exhaust manifolds?
 
Well, yes. I do not know however, if the 318 or 360 manifolds will fit with power steering. The early or late 340 manifolds drop in, but they are tight, may require shifting the engine around a tad and they do NOT fit with power steering. The smaller 318/360 manifolds might , though. Does that help any?
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
1. Will 67+ 318 or even 360 exhaust manifolds fit and work in an early A (65 valiant)??

2. What's the difference between 273 "super commando" and regular 273 exhaust manifolds?

3. Would any other car line exhaust manifolds fit an early A car (65 valiant), example, I have a pair of 318 ex. Manifolds from a 68 coronet. Would they fit the 65 valiant?

Any other facts and info on early A v8 exhaust manifolds?
Click to expand...
 
If my memory (71 plus years) serves me correctly the early V8 A bodies have two different configurations for the drivers side. The 64-66 valiants and barracudas have an odd looking crook to clear the steering gear. The 64-66 darts do not have this since they have a 111 inch wheel base where as the valiants have a shorter. The passenger side is the same for both the valiant and dart............Mike
 
My 65 Dart Magnum swap 4 speed, MS, I am temporarily using early 273 manifolds that go under/around steering column and barely room to get a flex pipe under Zbar.
Passenger side points down towards driver side. Fine if your going with single stock exhaust. I welded 90 degree fitting directing pipe down passenger side for future
dual exhaust.
Believe you might have a few options with auto trans.
 
I don't know about all the other questions about fit but I will answer #2. There has never been a "Super Commando" 273
and all 273 manifolds are the same whether 2 or 4 barrel for early A bodies.
 
toolmanmike said:
I don't know about all the other questions about fit but I will answer #2. There has never been a "Super Commando" 273
and all 273 manifolds are the same whether 2 or 4 barrel.
Click to expand...

Correct in Plymouth it was called the 273 “commando” and in the Dodge it was called a “charger” 273. I know that they used 2 styles of driver side 273 exhaust manifolds, one is longer and snakes through the bottom a little bit more and points towards the rear, that one also has two brackets that secure that end to the engine better...The other style is a lot shorter, I’m not sure which years used them, there might be a commando style exhaust manifold for the driver side but the passenger side was the same and both had the same size exhaust ports.
 
66340SEDAN said:
Correct in Plymouth it was called the 273 “commando” and in the Dodge it was called a “charger” 273. I know that they used 2 styles of driver side 273 exhaust manifolds, one is longer and snakes through the bottom a little bit more and points towards the rear, that one also has two brackets that secure that end to the engine better...The other style is a lot shorter, I’m not sure which years used them, there might be a commando style exhaust manifold for the driver side but the passenger side was the same and both had the same size exhaust ports.
Click to expand...
I'll look up part numbers in a bit.
 
toolmanmike said:
I'll look up part numbers in a bit.
Click to expand...

I believe you’ll find that Valiants/Barracudas used the same driver’s manifold as the Dart. The 65 Barracuda I parted out last year used the same manifold as a 65 Dart I also parted out.
 
Here is a picture of the one that snakes down in towards the back, maybe all 64 to 66 273 Used this style?

DA4D10C9-31CB-404C-B250-859E390368F3.png
 
Here's what I found.
toolmanmike said:
I don't know about all the other questions about fit but I will answer #2. There has never been a "Super Commando" 273
and all 273 manifolds are the same whether 2 or 4 barrel for early A bodies.
Click to expand...
I added "for early A bodies to my response to clarify.

#2465769 64-68 A&B body 273&318 LA Right hand
#2465847 64-66 A body 273 Left hand
#2780945 67-69 A body 273&318 LA Left hand
#2843953 67-72 A,B,&C 273&318LA Right hand
 
I have used 340 exhaust manifolds on a a 64 cuda and 64 dart. both 4 speed cars. Yes they are a tight fit, but they fit. You could also use headers. Doug's will fit with power steering and auto trans, or manual with no power steering. As far as I know , there are no differences with the commando vs non commando manifolds.
 
If youre looking for a 64-66 set of manifolds
Rainy Day Auto said:
1. Will 67+ 318 or even 360 exhaust manifolds fit and work in an early A (65 valiant)??

2. What's the difference between 273 "super commando" and regular 273 exhaust manifolds?

3. Would any other car line exhaust manifolds fit an early A car (65 valiant), example, I have a pair of 318 ex. Manifolds from a 68 coronet. Would they fit the 65 valiant?

Any other facts and info on early A v8 exhaust manifolds?
Click to expand...



Jake
 
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If you find some of the early A body exhaust manifolds that use those two "supports", they are tubes with the ends smashed and drilled, do NOT cut them. Seems they are like hens teeth. I'm guilty of making it even harder to find them, doh! Didn't realize they were a rare commodity and had a real bear getting them out of the rusted our hulk they were in, so we "had" to cut them.
 
I forget if the Parts book calls those “supports” supports or braces. I guess they thought they were important since they support the end of that longish early A manifold. Possibly there was an issue of the end cracking?
 
65 Dartman said:
I forget if the Parts book calls those “supports” supports or braces. I guess they thought they were important since they support the end of that longish early A manifold. Possibly there was an issue of the end cracking?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that's exactly the issue. The cross section is only about 1.5 inches where it "flattens" out to clear the steering column. I'll be making some sort of support for sure.
 
65 Dartman said:
I forget if the Parts book calls those “supports” supports or braces. I guess they thought they were important since they support the end of that longish early A manifold. Possibly there was an issue of the end cracking?
Click to expand...

This.
1965 Valiant Exhaust Manifold Brace.jpg
 
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Hey fellas, let's not turn this into a sale thread. If you have a part for sale send a PM. Thanks
 
Cuda416 said:
I'm pretty sure that's exactly the issue. The cross section is only about 1.5 inches where it "flattens" out to clear the steering column. I'll be making some sort of support for sure.
Click to expand...
Plus there's only 2 hangers on the whole exhaust system. The first one is behind the muffler and the second is on the back of the tail pipe or resonator.
 
I will bet the 273 xh. man. will be the ticket. We know the 340 ones will be plenty high $$. If going on a pretty much stock SB, I bet their will be fine for a driver car. Like said, in an early A and a stick all the room there you can find is needed.
 
barbee6043 said:
I will bet the 273 xh. man. will be the ticket. We know the 340 ones will be plenty high $$. If going on a pretty much stock SB, I bet their will be fine for a driver car. Like said, in an early A and a stick all the room there you can find is needed.
Click to expand...
You could try the 72-4 manifolds. Not quite as smooth as the early ones and smaller outlet by a quarter inch but they do flow better than the early ones do.
 
64-66 A v8 ex manifolds will work with any stock transmission in a 64-66 A 67 and up not so good.They are for an engine bay that is a couple inches wider than the earlier 64-66 .I set my 65 Barracuda up with a 318 and a 4 speed A833 64 -65 transmission .Had bo problems at all and yes,I used the little pipes .If you can't find them make some.

DSC03252a.jpg
 
Mopar shouldda done some things differently. That's all there is to it. These are 2" primary pipes in a first generation Camaro. Needless to say it's a big block. I love Mopars, but damn, the price you have to pay for bein different.

FAT MOTOR CAMARO.JPG
 
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