Weekend Big block swap

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dadodgekid

dadodgekid

When in doubt... floor it
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
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Location
Palm City , FL
Heres the plan. 383 power!
-leaning tower of power out today
- clean up engine compartment
- 187 pan swap
- clearence K-frame drivers mount
- test fit headers ( b body 1 3/4 headmen)
- bolt it all up and leave it in!
Im going to get a new gas tank, and 3/8” pick up next week so that wont be quite done. But im going to try and have it done by monday! My 3 yr old son will be helping me along the way. Lol its his car anyways ( so my wife thinks)

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Good luck.

I've done 2 and it took me.......... lets say longer than one weekend, :popcorn:
 
dadodgekid said:
What do you see sir? Any input is appricated!
Click to expand...
the blower motor, the wipers and powersteering. All those are known areas where MOST 440s hit. Some have gotten away without it hitting. The power steering box and the blower motor are the two most common interference point. What exhaust headers will you be running?
 
Ok. Im swapping in a 383.
Hedmen 1 3/4 b-body headers. Theres a whole article i read on big block dart that they will fit with sone hammering. They were $215 to my door. Ill try to make them work
 
dadodgekid said:
Ok. Im swapping in a 383.
Hedmen 1 3/4 b-body headers. Theres a whole article i read on big block dart that they will fit with sone hammering. They were $215 to my door. Ill try to make them work
Click to expand...
AH i missed the 440 part. my bad, interference points are going to be the same mostly, except being that of the wiper motor, should be fine there. Blower motor being the AC one might interfer as well. Easily fix though. Expect to hammer a LOT on the headers. 215 isn't a bad price at all. Where'd you source those from? New/Used?

Are you using the schumacher kit?
 
Yes schumacher mounts.
I got the headers from amazon. Even if i have to cut them up, im ok with it. Lol thanks for the input!
 
I will be swapping in my 400/452 in the spring already got the 318/904 pulled got all winter for mini tub spring relocation and subframe connectors. Good luck with your swap this weekend take lots of pictures and post them up.I will be watching.
 
Hallzy said:
I will be swapping in my 400/452 in the spring already got the 318/904 pulled got all winter for mini tub spring relocation and subframe connectors. Good luck with your swap this weekend take lots of pictures and post them up.I will be watching.
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TTI and Schumacher headers require no hammering.

never had an issue with the wiper motor. I did away with the heater and AC on both of them. Using a master cylinder offset kit works really well and isn't needed but you'll be happy you did.
 
I did a mock up install of my 400/470 with eddy heads and stock valve covers, the A/C motor left plenty of room to remove the valve cover so I tried a mopar cast cover which also cleared. The stock location manual brake booster wasn't even close to the valve cover on the drivers side. I don't know about the headmans, but the shummy' tri-y's cleared the power steering easily. The only tight spot is radiator clearance, I had to desolder and relocate the stock 3 core brass radiator side supports to allow the radiator to sit 3/8 inch closer to the radiator support and use the jaguar fan clutch.
 
roccodart440 said:
TTI and Schumacher headers require no hammering.
Click to expand...

Very true. Let me know where you can buy a new set for $215 :poke:

I think unfortunately you're going to have problems with a PS box and the B-body Hedmans though.

They fit nicely with just a few dings when ALL the following are true: low deck, mini-starter, manual steering, and column jacket shortened back to the firewall. I did all those things on my '72, plus a Flaming River coupler to replace the bulky pot-joint (and I needed it anyway since my column was for a PS box and too short). Very little hammering needed then.

The other advice I can give is that a swap like this NEVER gets done in a weekend. There is always something missing and the "real" parts stores aren't open Sunday, and you're tempted to reuse an old part you know you shouldn't, etc. Take your time and do it right :)
 
Drill holes through the pass fender well to change out the plugs. Trust me on that one!
 
With the B-body headers (if you end up being able to use them), they're all reachable from above on the left bank, and on the right only #6 is really impossible even from below unless you have two elbow joints on one arm :rolleyes:

I used a holesaw to make one neat 1-3/8" hole directly opposite #6 and filled it with a metal hole plug. A plastic one will melt quickly. Guess how I know.
 
4 and six on mine (RB) have to be wrenched 1/8 on top then 1/8 on bottom. Sucks!
 
I believe that my son and I could do the swap in a weekend IF all parts were procured beforehand and the car was clean enough to just do the swap. If somebody wanted to slip us a few bucks we'd give it a try as ours are taking longer due to cleanup and paint work...
 
You can do it! The only real problem I can see is your choice in headers. Your son will learn many new four letter words.
 
Jim Lusk said:
I believe that my son and I could do the swap in a weekend IF all parts were procured beforehand and the car was clean enough to just do the swap. If somebody wanted to slip us a few bucks we'd give it a try as ours are taking longer due to cleanup and paint work...
Click to expand...

Wish you were closer.... My checklist says I have everything and it would be interesting to see if you could actually get the car to where you could drive it by sunday evening...

I use to do a bunch of Ford Big Block swaps in trucks and by about the third one and I knew the parts needed it was a weekend project.... My experience has been making exhaust work until it got to a shop or whatever for something permanent.....

JW
 
Alrighty, update for sunday night. Engine has been test fit with drivers header.... not too bad! A few dings around the steering box, column and pitman arm and drag link. But i do believe these will work! 187 oil pan fits great, and the scumacher swap mounts are working out good to. I did remove the blower motor for swing the engine to the passenger side. Ill get more pictures tomorrow! Pictures - drivers motor mount clearence cut, engine ready to drop in, and engine test fit the swap mounts.

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Looking good ! I love it when a plan comes together. I did the swap when the headers were 99 bucks before the article, way back when, but that's what we did. and now your doing it.
 
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