273 Commando or Not?

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leonard

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I bought a 65 Cuda last spring when we removed the trim and glass we found the factory stripe. I really don't much about these cars but I learned that it is a Formula "S". How can I tell if my 273 is the Commando motor without taking it apart. I did find some #'s on the driver side of the block on front below head , A 273-9 2 then below the is an A stamped. Then on pass. side of block there is a D N and then 7 3 64.m It does have a 4brl carb.
Thanks Jerry
 
No other 273 had the 4BBL with the stock intake manifold from Chrysler.........As far as numbers, there must be something........but the guys will have to chime in.......Finned valve covers are also a definite clue.....
 
Welcome to FABO leonard. Check your fender tag. Plate is located under your hood on drivers side inner fenderwell close to radiator support. Will have stamped alphabet (A thru Z ) on third line. If you have a 31 stamped under the AB it is commando engine. 30 under AB would be a 273 2bbl. engine. Also if car is a formula s it will have a tach on dash(left of steering wheel), formula s badges on front quarter panels, front sway bar and 14" wheels and front disk brakes.

Oldschoolcuda
 
Welcome to FABO! All Formula S Barracudas in '65 came with a 273 Commando engine. If you're curious as to whether yours is original and commando, put it on a dyno and see what the horsepower is compared with the specs for a 2bbl or measure the cam lift at the rocker. Short of pulling a head, I don't know any other way. There is nothing stamped on the outside to designate a 4bbl engine. If the engine has been rebuilt sometime in it's life, it could have anything internally. If you're going to rebuild the engine, it really doesn't matter what it has now. Both engines used the same block, head, crank, etc, castings/forgings. Build it to run on the fuel you choose to use and the purpose for which you will put it. There are no numbers matching drivetrains in those years so the best you can do is get casting dates 2 weeks to 4 months before your production date.
 
Oldschoolcuda said:
Welcome to FABO leonard. Check your fender tag. Plate is located under your hood on drivers side inner fenderwell close to radiator support. Will have stamped alphabet (A thru Z ) on third line. If you have a 31 stamped under the AB it is commando engine. 30 under AB would be a 273 2bbl. engine. Also if car is a formula s it will have a tach on dash(left of steering wheel), formula s badges on front quarter panels, front sway bar and 14" wheels and front disk brakes.

Oldschoolcuda
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It would be pretty rare to have the disc brakes that year. It was only a dealer installed option in late '65. A Formula S will also have 6 leaf rear springs and heavy duty torsion bars along with all the dress-up parts on the engine.... black krinkle paint valve covers, chrome air cleaner, chrome PCV valve holder, and dual point distributor.
 
It has a 30 below AB 14" wheels no sway bar but came with 2 other K frames I will have to look at them.It came with 4 dashes some with gauges and some with out. I found the original build sheet under the back seat mostly chewed up but you could read 4.63 gear ratio 2 tone paint silver and black. There are holes in the fenders for the formula s emblems but no emblems. I bought the car as a grocery getter for my wife but as usual I have gone over and am know try to get it back to as close to original. I am attaching a couple pics
 

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wheels are not correct, but they look nice
engine looks like a commando 4 barrel intake and finned black wrinkled valve covers were only on commando, non commando engines were 2 barrel and had valve covers painted same color red as engine
distributor looks like a new replacement
car looks really nice
 
Is there a notch formed in the rear valance where the tail pipe comes out at? Could you post a pic of that area?
 
First off, the "A" stamped on the block indicates that it is a 1965 motor, and the 9-2 is the assembly date of the motor. Of course the 273 is the displacement. The casting date of 7-3-64 is just about right for the big production push for the 65 model year. On the drivers side there should be a 7 digit casting number, that would also help identify the motor.

Now, the 463 is not the rear end ratio it is the rear end code, although I don't have the 64 Production Option Code book here to decode it. I'm assuming it is the original 7 1/4 though, as the 8 3/4 wasn't available until 66 in an A body. Geof
 
leonard said:
It has a 30 below AB 14" wheels no sway bar but came with 2 other K frames I will have to look at them.It came with 4 dashes some with gauges and some with out. I found the original build sheet under the back seat mostly chewed up but you could read 4.63 gear ratio 2 tone paint silver and black. There are holes in the fenders for the formula s emblems but no emblems. I bought the car as a grocery getter for my wife but as usual I have gone over and am know try to get it back to as close to original. I am attaching a couple pics
Click to expand...

If you look at the upper part of the Build sheet you can see P4X = black interior and 30 in field 35 which indicate 273 x 2bbl. That is a proof that your car was built with that engine. However the Hustle stuff catalog that Chrysler came out with in September of 1964 included all the parts to build a car like a formula S. You could have the engine with all the godies incl the exhaust system , HD suspension, sure-grip etc. As chryslerfat mentioned you can check out your rear valance panel to see if there is a call out for the resonator. Good luck with your great project!
 
First of all thanks to everyone and what an awsome forum. I am leaning towards not a formula S but I am still confused about stripe and the tag says 2 colors and then finding it in the places we did really looks factory. We are puttinig in air right now to inspect the rear end to try and deterime ratio. I also have a couple questions about the stereo equipment, there is a little box mounted to the dash to left of steering wheel and there are speaker boxes mounted to the rear seats as well as what looks like an amp. mounted inside the right quater panel. Were these factory options or A/M, I am attchinng pics. Okay 41teeth on ring and 14 on pinion I think that would make it 2:93?
Thanks Again
 

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leonard said:
I bought a 65 Cuda last spring when we removed the trim and glass we found the factory stripe. I really don't much about these cars but I learned that it is a Formula "S". How can I tell if my 273 is the Commando motor without taking it apart. I did find some #'s on the driver side of the block on front below head , A 273-9 2 then below the is an A stamped. Then on pass. side of block there is a D N and then 7 3 64.m It does have a 4brl carb.
Thanks Jerry
Click to expand...

This is probably a rallye pack car- Had Commando engine but not normal formula s stuff- sway bar- tach in dash- -- had 13 inch wheels
the stripe could be opted for by the buyer===
 
cudamark said:
It would be pretty rare to have the disc brakes that year. It was only a dealer installed option in late '65.
Click to expand...

My "66" Formula S had 10 in drum brakes from the factory. Same on the "67" Formula S I parted years ago. My Disc set up came from a 340 Duster.
 
Either way it has been a fun project and can't wait to get it back on the road. It does have 14" wheels were as the parts car I bought has the same looking wheels but they are 13". This was a car that I had just run across when I going to store picking up stuff for my daughter's grad party. It was originally from Wash. state and had been sitting in a barn for almost 25 years. I opend the door to look at it and the floor was rotted so I laughed and shut the door. The I started to look at the underbody and ther wasn't any rust still silver, torque boxes, frame rails, rockers, not ever a scab or blister.I bought because my wifes Dad had one when she was little. I wish I would have taken a pics before I started because the guy I had gotten it from got a gallon of yellow implement paint and spayed everything. We scraped that off with razorblades to discover that someone had painted it blue. Then we pulled the molding behind the back glass and that were we found the first stripe. Thanks for all of the input and please keep it coming.
 
If it is not numbers matching original formula s like my 65 you can do anthing with it to make it a good driver. Mine now has 318 dressed up like a 273 4bbl. Looks original but runs much better than 273 ever could. It is much easier to build a 318 and much more available hp. Most people who look at mine cannot tell difference unless I tell them! I have black wrinkle valve covers and 4 bbl intake, engine painted red. Looks great and runs great! Lots more build options for 318, cams, heads ect! I have converted to electronic ignition, which your distributor looks like and dual exhaust. No formula s stripe yet but when body gets finished I plan to put stripe back on it, mine was originally blue as it will be again with white stripe I do like your silver color however. It should have a tach left side of dash if it was an s car. Mine also now has dual brake cylinder and front disc brakes, much safer to drive. Still manual steering and brakes but not an issue as it handles very nicely with front sway bars which are original for this car. Mine had a 273 but was not original so we made the change to 318 for hp and future possbilities at strip. I want to be street/strip eventually. I also have nice rally wheels to put on when I can afford the rubber, I have seen some others with this and it looks very cool with the ralley wheels!
 
leonard said:
I bought a 65 Cuda last spring when we removed the trim and glass we found the factory stripe. I really don't much about these cars but I learned that it is a Formula "S". How can I tell if my 273 is the Commando motor without taking it apart. I did find some #'s on the driver side of the block on front below head , A 273-9 2 then below the is an A stamped. Then on pass. side of block there is a D N and then 7 3 64.m It does have a 4brl carb.
Thanks Jerry
Click to expand...

Try and look in a spark plug hole and see if you have the domed, 10.5:1 pistons. That would denote that it is a Commando engine. 2 barrel pistons have 4 valve reliefs in the top.
 
If the build sheet says 2bbl carb, no Commando, and also if there is no tach, no "S". Stripe was option and didnt go past the hood latch, I had the same "amp" in my "S" but it was laying in the trunk, I never knew where it was supposed to go. Car looks great in Raider trim, looks just like mine! (My stripe is in the near future) have fun!
 
Im pretty sure what I have is probally just a 273 that has a 4brl intake. As for the stripe it did run the entire length of car. The first spot we found it was under the rear window molding and the were the roof meet the the back glass. then it was under windshield and on front valance. Do all 273's have solid lifters?
Thanks
 
Still a very nice looking cuda original commando car or not leonard. Yes all 273's had solid lifters until 68 when they went with a hydraulic cam on 273. Engine got phased out of production for the 318 shortly after.

Oldschoolcuda
 
I don't know much about Barracudas but I don't think the mid 60's Mopars tell you on the VIN or fender tag whether the motor is a HP 273 or not. Please correct me if I am wrong. There are a lot of strange combo's Mopar did that don't make sense. I would pull a plug and peek down with the hole and see if you can see domed pistons. That's the only way to tell except to pull a head. If you have a Mechanic friend that has a boroscope he might jump at the chance to show it off and demo it to you. If I was close I could help you out there. The notched bumper filler panel is a sign of a HP motor along with the valve covers and 4 barrel intake. Looks like the dual point is gone but a aftermarket
dist. is a good sign. As posted before, I think you could order a HP engine in a regular Barracuda just like the Darts. I had a 65 270 model post car with a HP-273 and a three on the tree. Go figure! (I wish I still had it) LOL toolman
 
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