273 - Basic changes to increase performance

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DartGT1967

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I am from Peru (South America) and new in this forum site

Recently I bought a Dodge Dart GT 1967 with a 273 engine and automatic gearbox, imported from USA in 1967 with dashboard in miles... this information is important because in Peru in 60's and 70's we had a Chrysler Assembly Plant, Peruvian Dart came with dashboard in kilometers, engine 318 and manual gearbox.

My car is in mint condition with original parts (exterior / interior / engine), but after almost 50 years need some tweaks.

I want to improve the performance of my Standard 273 LA engine, but is very important take in mind that it will be a street car, I think to do the following modifications:

- A new 4 barrel 600cfm carburator
- Change Manifold
- Change camshaft (Street and strip)
- Headers and exhaust line

I will appreciate your help, please let me know if this basic changes sounds good for you and please recommend me brands about the pieces I want to change, if tou know the name of the website and part number would be cool and awesome... a brand and model would be great to.....:)

Sorry for my english, i wil try to do my best....

Attached is a picture of my car and the dashboard

Thank you and best regards
 

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Welcome to FABO!

For the 67 273, I would recommend using an Edelbrock LD4B intake manifold. These are no longer made, but are perfect for what you want to do.

There are a few versions of this intake. The D4B, LD4B, & LD340.

The D4B has the smaller ports to match the stock 273-318 heads, but has the special intake bolt pattern for the unique 64-65 heads. In 66 they changed to the "standard" intake bolt pattern. The D4B will only work with the early heads without modifying the holes.

Next you have the LD4B. It has the small ports to match the 273-318 heads, but the standard intake bolt pattern for all small blocks from 66 and later.

the last one is the LD340. It has the larger ports to match the 340-360 heads (and the standard bolt pattern).


I would recommend finding a used LD4B for your application. We installed one on my son's 71 Valiant with a stock 318 and dual exhaust. It ran great with no hesitation off the line and pulled very strong.


For a carburetor, I recommend using the Holley 80457. It's a 600 vacuum secondary carb with electric choke and is calibrated for a late 60's era engine. It's similar to the standard Holley 1850 600 vacuum secondary, but better calibration and electric choke and is cheaper than the 1850. The 1850 has a manual choke and you would have to buy the electric choke conversion kit for it. I like the electric choke, as when you hook it up properly, you can drive it in cold weather. I had one on a daily driver 318 and could go out on a 20° F or colder day, pump the gas twice, start the engine, and put it in gear as soon as I reached full oil pressure , and drive away without any hesitation, stalling, or dying.

Here's a link for the 80457 Holley:

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/homo41noflca.html


Here's the Holley 1850:

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/600cfmfobast1.html


If you want to run headers, do your homework. I used to run the Hooker super competition headers on my 68 Barracuda on the street, but they have a pipe on the driver's side that goes under the steering linkage and hangs lower than the k-frame. I ended up crushing that pipe to were it couldn't flow very well. Not to mention starters can be an issue.

I like to run the 68-70 stock 340 exhaust manifolds, as they are the best flowing small block manifolds that came out of the factory. They pull good money now and sell for $400 - $500 used.


As for a cam, I would recommend using something with more than 260° duration, but less than 280° duration. There are many different cams that you can use. You have to decide if you want to stay with solid or hydraulic cam and lifters.


Here's a picture of the Edelbrock LD4B intake:

View attachment LD4B Silver C01 B.jpg
 
There are ways to get more from it, make it a lot more fun to drive, for pennies. Raise the hood and it still looks untouched to the novice.
Seems the path marked Header Hell has been chosen so no need for me to continue. Good luck with it.
 
Great recommendations guys. Headers, intake, carb, and cam will make your 273 a nice runner. If you don't want to mess with headers, the 340 manifolds that krazykuda mentioned would be a good second choice. Because you have a automatic transmission, I wouldn't go too wild with a camshaft without adding a higher stall torque converter. I used a Isky E-4 in my 273 and like it very well. Schneider also makes a nice solid lifter street cam. You can easily view both cams on the Flatlander Racing website link here: http://www.flatlanderracing.com/ Just click on "camshafts" in the left hand column.
You can see my 273 build and hear the E-4 by clicking on my engine build thread below.
Welcome to FABO
toolmanmike
 
For availability, I'd use the Edelbrock Performer intake, it has the smaller 273/318 intake ports. It will also accept any carb including a Carter Thermoquad. I like toolmanmikes suggestions for cams. I'd also add a double roller timing set. I prefer Edelbrock carbs over Holley, even a 500 cfm carb will work for you. I'd add a fast curve distributor also. If you decide to stay with stock exhaust manifolds you can either run custom dual exhaust or a 2.5 inch single exhaust with a straight through muffler and a straight through resonator in line. Both will wake up your exhaust nicely.
 
Thanks a lot for all your help, I appreciate it.

Unfortunatelly I can't buy used parts and import them to Peru, is prohibited by law, all must be new, so my first problem is the manifold because the items recommended by krazykuda are no longer made, do you know another aftermarket manifold that I can obtain new by internet and works great..?

Performance parts chosen according your comments by the momment are

- Holley 80457. It's a 600 vacuum secondary carb with electric choke

- Summit Racing Camshaft Street anf Strip 272/272 duration (http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/sum-1789/overview/make/dodge)

- Edelbrock true roller double roller

Please let me know what do you think about the Camshaft selected

PS1: toolmanmike, very nice your engine build thread

PS2: krazykuda, 66fs, toolmanmike, RedFish, thanks for your time....!!!!

Regards
 
Wow! Prohibited by law! Wow! That's a tuff one. Whew!

The Edelbrock Performer is your best bet then. Otherwise, I agree with all the other advice given. Keep the cam reasonable.no need for a big duration or lift numbers. That Summit cam will do well in the lil'engine.

By the way, your English is very good. Better than some home grown people.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Wow! Prohibited by law! Wow! That's a tuff one. Whew!

The Edelbrock Performer is your best bet then. Otherwise, I agree with all the other advice given. Keep the cam reasonable.no need for a big duration or lift numbers. That Summit cam will do well in the lil'engine.

By the way, your English is very good. Better than some home grown people.
Click to expand...

Do you have any Camshaft in mind to recommend me..?

My idea is made a street car (dayly driver car).... I have other modern car but I want to use my dart at any moment without problems........

Thank you rumblefish360
 
66fs said:
For availability, I'd use the Edelbrock Performer intake, it has the smaller 273/318 intake ports. It will also accept any carb including a Carter Thermoquad. I like toolmanmikes suggestions for cams. I'd also add a double roller timing set. I prefer Edelbrock carbs over Holley, even a 500 cfm carb will work for you. I'd add a fast curve distributor also. If you decide to stay with stock exhaust manifolds you can either run custom dual exhaust or a 2.5 inch single exhaust with a straight through muffler and a straight through resonator in line. Both will wake up your exhaust nicely.
Click to expand...

Edelbrock Performer is a good Chevy intake. Stick with the LD4B. as as a cam, the old Isky E4 grind was good. It was a soldid cam however it required no maintenance. you can talk with any cam grinder uch as comp and they can duplicate the grind.

I'm not a big Holley fan unless it's a race car. The Carter Competition series 9636 is a excellent carb. 625 cfm will run just fine with headers, intake and electronic ignition.
 
dart4forte said:
Edelbrock Performer is a good Chevy intake. Stick with the LD4B. as as a cam, the old Isky E4 grind was good. It was a soldid cam however it required no maintenance. you can talk with any cam grinder uch as comp and they can duplicate the grind.

I'm not a big Holley fan unless it's a race car. The Carter Competition series 9636 is a excellent carb. 625 cfm will run just fine with headers, intake and electronic ignition.
Click to expand...


One question DART4FORTE, what kind of electronic ignition do you recommend for my project, I heard about MSD, do you know wich model would be the best..?

Regards
 
Dad n I put in comp cams 270-s in his 67 cuda. The kit I believe was K20-246-4. Very.streetable and it sounds awesome with 2" dual exhaust.
 
DO NOT LISTEN TO "dart4forte" BECAUSE HE IS NOT LISTENING TO YOU!

The reason is simple dart4forte, (and no ill will is ment, but) in his country, BY LAW! He can not import used parts and since the parts you recommend are used.......

Also calling the Performer a Chevy manifold is pretty poor.

He is faced with purchasing new parts.

Of all the dual plane intake manifolds that are produced "NEW," today, give your opinion to him and use on what he should purchase.

The same goes for the Carter Comp Carb, which is no longer made.

Otherwise, I do like the choices you have made.
 
DartGT1967 said:
Do you have any Camshaft in mind to recommend me..?

My idea is made a street car (dayly driver car).... I have other modern car but I want to use my dart at any moment without problems........

Thank you rumblefish360
Click to expand...

Your welcome.

IMO (in my opinion) there are several choices to select from. None are bad and the differance is always small. You'll need a dyno or a 1/4 me track to see the seperate on of performance.

On the carb, a max size of 600 is all you'll ever need. Your choice on the Edelbrock or Holley. In this particular case of the 273, I would use the Holley.
(Do note that I'm more of a TQ or AVS by Carter fan more so than a Holley.)

On the intake manifold, the 2 choices I would consider are the;

Edelbrock Performer or Weiand Action Plus. (Summit racing has there stage 1 version made by Weiand for less money.)

On the cam, I would look at what your gear ratio and tire size is (not rim size! Actual rubber tire size. Often seen as something like... 215/75/14) before makng a recommendation. However, as a general rule, IF your not going to change your torque converter. I would limit the duration @ .050 to 228-ish on the intake.
More exhaust duration is a plus as it helps engine breathing and there by helps the engine to be more efficient. It also extends the RPM range a little bit as well.

As far as ignition goes, I have always used the MP distributor and Chrome box module.
Contact Don @ 4secondsflat.com for an entire ignition set up that will perform great for you. It's based off the Chrysler electronic ignition but more powerful.
He will customize it all for a honest & fair price.
 
Is your 273 a 4-barrel engine from the factory or a 2-bbl engine you're converting to be a 4-bbl?
The reason I ask is the pistons are different. If it's a factory 4-bbl engine it has +/- 10:1 compression w/semi dome, otherwise it has +/- 8.5:1. This is a factor in deciding on a combination that will best benefit you. I would also pull a valve cover and verify you still have the adjustable rocker arms or if it has been converted already to hyd camshaft..
 
rumblefish360 said:
Your welcome.

IMO (in my opinion) there are several choices to select from. None are bad and the differance is always small. You'll need a dyno or a 1/4 me track to see the seperate on of performance.

On the carb, a max size of 600 is all you'll ever need. Your choice on the Edelbrock or Holley. In this particular case of the 273, I would use the Holley.
(Do note that I'm more of a TQ or AVS by Carter fan more so than a Holley.)

On the intake manifold, the 2 choices I would consider are the;

Edelbrock Performer or Weiand Action Plus. (Summit racing has there stage 1 version made by Weiand for less money.)

On the cam, I would look at what your gear ratio and tire size is (not rim size! Actual rubber tire size. Often seen as something like... 215/75/14) before makng a recommendation. However, as a general rule, IF your not going to change your torque converter. I would limit the duration @ .050 to 228-ish on the intake.
More exhaust duration is a plus as it helps engine breathing and there by helps the engine to be more efficient. It also extends the RPM range a little bit as well.

As far as ignition goes, I have always used the MP distributor and Chrome box module.
Contact Don @ 4secondsflat.com for an entire ignition set up that will perform great for you. It's based off the Chrysler electronic ignition but more powerful.
He will customize it all for a honest & fair price.
Click to expand...


This is good advice. ^^^^^^ :cheers:
 
just a short note ... please lift your valve cover and have a look whether it will be a solid valvetrain with adjustable rockers or a hydraulic valve train with stamped rockers (not adjustable) before you allready start to order your cam

(when i bought my 65 b´cuda it comes with the original engine and heads, but someone had changed the valve train in the past) therefore better check this issue
 
:coffee2:
65Val said:
Steve...have you posted a vid of Dad's Cuda idling? I'd love to hear it.
Click to expand...

I did on boobtube. Sound quality sucks I will try taking another video.

Rocky_JS said:
Is your 283 a 4-barrel engine from the factory or a 2-bbl engine you're converting to be a 4-bbl?
The reason I ask is the pistons are different. If it's a factory 4-bbl engine it has +/- 10:1 compression w/semi dome, otherwise it has +/- 8.5:1. This is a factor in deciding on a combination that will best benefit you. I would also pull a valve cover and verify you still have the adjustable rocker arms or if it has been converted already to hyd camshaft..
Click to expand...

Lil Johnny said a bad word!!
 
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