V8 in a 63

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1963dartgt said:
Well that looks fantastic,but im not a welder by any means so a BFH might be my only option. I live in california so i could just do away with my wipers altogether. If i do that though im sure we would get the longest rain spell here ever.
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Where in California has it been dry lately? I'm East of Sacramento and we are above 200% year to date normal rainfall this season!
 
FWIW, here's the 360 that I installed in my '62 Valiant. I used Schumacher conversion engine mounts, and didn't have to modify the firewall at all. I should think the same would apply to the '63.

valiant_firewall.jpg
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Does anyone have a picture of a LA small block V8 in a 63 A- body??

I keep hearing that 63 is different than later years and there is something with the firewall

no idea what I am looking at that makes the difference ???

View attachment 1715016283
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i don't see an issue with that firewall.. its the ones with the heater box where the distributor needs to go that are the problem ones..
 
as RustyRatRod might add, the B motor" ie 383 has dist in front, not much wider or heavier than SB, ..but, exhaust is always somewhat a problem??
 
60, 61 & 62 are not too big of a deal if you remove the heater. The 63 has the large protrusion where the windshield wipers mount. The lump has to go away and another option for wipers, like from a 64 to 66, installed

62 Valiant.jpg

1963-Plymouth-Valiant-Engine.jpg
 
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Grimreaper wrote: "The 63 has the large protrusion where the windshield wipers mount."

I wasn't aware of that, Grim. Thanks for telling me. You learn something new every day.
 
A guy i know put a 360 in his 63 and he didn't have a problem with anything but the centerlink and he fixed his oil pan,Reason i know i'm puttin a 273 in a 63 and talk to him about everything he had to do and he said he didn't do anything to the firewall said his disb.was close but it didn't hit and his was a 360 4 speed and he used dougs headers #d-450, his name is Rick Parker.
 
I put a V8 in 63 Valiant twice now and it isn't as hard as you guys I think it is. I never cut out any sheet metal and never replaced the wiper motor assembly. I did have to move that section of the firewall backwards about an inch to an inch and a half, but it wasn't that difficult.
 
Valiant63 said:
I put a V8 in 63 Valiant twice now and it isn't as hard as you guys I think it is. I never cut out any sheet metal and never replaced the wiper motor assembly. I did have to move that section of the firewall backwards about an inch to an inch and a half, but it wasn't that difficult.
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What did you have to do just beat it back,But Rick Parker said he didn't have to do anything he even used the slant 6 centerlink he just modified his oil pan for that.
 
You can bend up the oil pan a little bit so that it clears the center link so you don't have to get the V8 drops center link for it.
You might be able to get the V8 in there without modifying the firewall, but I don't think you ever be able to change the distributor cap or pull the distributor out if you need to. I took off the wiper motor and then use the studs that hold the wiper motor on to attach a chain and then put a come along on a little chain, and I cranked the come along to pull firewall in in the area while slightly tapping on it with a rubber mallet to help push it backwards an inch or so. Then I put the wiper motor back on and it seemed to work fine. I had attached the come along too a bolt that I welded to the frame connector on the left rear side, and then when I was done I cut the bolt off.
 
Valiant63 said:
You can bend up the oil pan a little bit so that it clears the center link so you don't have to get the V8 drops center link for it.
You might be able to get the V8 in there without modifying the firewall, but I don't think you ever be able to change the distributor cap or pull the distributor out if you need to. I took off the wiper motor and then use the studs that hold the wiper motor on to attach a chain and then put a come along on a little chain, and I cranked the come along to pull firewall in in the area while slightly tapping on it with a rubber mallet to help push it backwards an inch or so. Then I put the wiper motor back on and it seemed to work fine. I had attached the come along too a bolt that I welded to the frame connector on the left rear side, and then when I was done I cut the bolt off.
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Cool that sounds easy enough but i got me a v\8 centerlink for mine ,And i'm goin to use the small HEI dist.to and Dougs headers with a mini starter.Thanks for the Info.
 
Valiant63 said:
You can bend up the oil pan a little bit so that it clears the center link so you don't have to get the V8 drops center link for it.
You might be able to get the V8 in there without modifying the firewall, but I don't think you ever be able to change the distributor cap or pull the distributor out if you need to. I took off the wiper motor and then use the studs that hold the wiper motor on to attach a chain and then put a come along on a little chain, and I cranked the come along to pull firewall in in the area while slightly tapping on it with a rubber mallet to help push it backwards an inch or so. Then I put the wiper motor back on and it seemed to work fine. I had attached the come along too a bolt that I welded to the frame connector on the left rear side, and then when I was done I cut the bolt off.
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I'm gettin ready to put a 273 in my 63 and you sound like you have the easiest to fix it ,Everybody else want you to cut it out the hump and not put the wipers back but i like my wiper sometimes it does rain once in awhile,And does the wipers bolt back up like before i mean the motor and work alright,I have the motor and everything out of the car.....THANKS
 
hippy 60 said:
I'm gettin ready to put a 273 in my 63 and you sound like you have the easiest to fix it ,Everybody else want you to cut it out the hump and not put the wipers back but i like my wiper sometimes it does rain once in awhile,And does the wipers bolt back up like before i mean the motor and work alright,I have the motor and everything out of the car.....THANKS
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I'm looking at the 273 also but I'll do the drop link and something like Prorac1. That is going be a clean firewall transplant.
 
Valiant63 said:
You can bend up the oil pan a little bit so that it clears the center link so you don't have to get the V8 drops center link for it.
You might be able to get the V8 in there without modifying the firewall, but I don't think you ever be able to change the distributor cap or pull the distributor out if you need to. I took off the wiper motor and then use the studs that hold the wiper motor on to attach a chain and then put a come along on a little chain, and I cranked the come along to pull firewall in in the area while slightly tapping on it with a rubber mallet to help push it backwards an inch or so. Then I put the wiper motor back on and it seemed to work fine. I had attached the come along too a bolt that I welded to the frame connector on the left rear side, and then when I was done I cut the bolt off.
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I was getting ready to do that to my 63 Valiant and would like to get a little more info.from you if you don't care about pullin it back and how the distb. fit after you done that if you can get to it and so on,Did you have the motor in it when you done that or just pulled it back,Ad how the wipers worked and so on.Thank's so much for some help.
 
I put the engine in the car without the distributor in it but I had the distributor whole blocked off or covered up. then I worked on pulling the firewall area back that was intrusive to hitting the distributor and I would test fit it by dropping in distributor in to see how much more I needed to go. Partial bump was still there and wipers still hooked up and worked fine.
 
Valiant63 said:
I put the engine in the car without the distributor in it but I had the distributor whole blocked off or covered up. then I worked on pulling the firewall area back that was intrusive to hitting the distributor and I would test fit it by dropping in distributor in to see how much more I needed to go. Partial bump was still there and wipers still hooked up and worked fine.
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Cool i was just wanting to find out before i started working on mine,Did it mess up the paint or anything like that i just didn't won't to cut that out and have to fix it.Thank's very much.........
 
No cutting needed. Just push the fire wall back a little bit
63 with a 360 4 speed

fullsizeoutput_1861.jpeg
 
Damn makes me wanna pull my slant but that motor just wont give up yet and i dont think it will for a long time.
 
yes and the wipers still work. Or use something else to push it in.
 
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