318 build for light weight BCuda 4 speed car

[j par]

I have couple 360s but they are external balance which would mean me flywheel clutch bellhousing zbar clutch fork and my custom headers would then need redone as they tuck tight to the floor and bellhousing. So to go to the larger bellhousing for the external balanced flywheel for a 360 would be rather costly and lot more work. I'd be better off with a stroker cost wise. I dont see 18 ci less than a 340 and a bore .06 smaller than a 360 not capable of making power with head cam and compression. Plus I got this 318 machined block and 360 heads and all machined and ready for couple hundred bucks. I want to see what it will do as everyone building 318s is always a budget deal or a daily driver and most all are auto trans.

Eventually my 72 360 block will make its way in but not for awhile

A larger bellhousing for an externally balanced 360 flywheel? Because something is balanced different it needs a bigger bellhousing?..

 

[abdywgn]

doesn't the early A-body V8 use a 9-1/2" clutch? that may be the reason for the smaller bellhousing. or that the tunnel is tighter. or is it the same size as the 6 cylinder?

 

[j par]

doesn't the early A-body V8 use a 9-1/2" clutch? that may be the reason for the smaller bellhousing. or that the tunnel is tighter. or is it the same size as the 6 cylinder?

I think you can take a neutrally balanced flywheel and drill holes in it to make it off balanced..? ..

 

[toolmanmike]

The 273's had a 9 1/2 in. clutch and a cast iron bellhousing. The later 318/340/360 went to a aluminum bell and a bigger clutch. (10 or 10 1/2") You can put a 10" clutch on the small flywheel with a scalloped pressure plate. Parts stores have them if you look up a slant 6 truck or you can get the set up from Brewers.

 

[my68barracuda]

The 273's had a 9 1/2 in. clutch and a cast iron bellhousing. The later 318/340/360 went to a aluminum bell and a bigger clutch. (10 or 10 1/2") You can put a 10" clutch on the small flywheel with a scalloped pressure plate. Parts stores have them if you look up a slant 6 truck or you can get the set up from Brewers.

The 10 inch clutch with the scalloped pressure plate will explode if rev’d as done in drag racing. I would not want to give an actual safe rpm limit, but I would be uncomfortable taking a 10 inch scalloped pressure plate above 6000 rpm. A couple of slant six drag racers have had those truck pressure plates explode, not to mention that they don’t have much holding power. Even if the rpm’s are limited, a good slant will scorch a slant truck pp in a few passes.

 

[toolmanmike]

The 10 inch clutch with the scalloped pressure plate will explode if rev’d as done in drag racing. I would not want to give an actual safe rpm limit, but I would be uncomfortable taking a 10 inch scalloped pressure plate above 6000 rpm. A couple of slant six drag racers have had those truck pressure plates explode, not to mention that they don’t have much holding power. A good slant will scorch a slant truck pp in a few passes.

Good point. I could see there isn't a bunch of strength there. Racers would need a scatter shield and probably a bigger clutch. If you are restoring a car you don't have much choice. Use the cast bellhousing with the small clutch or modify the build with the aluminum bell and the bigger flywheel/clutch.

 

[yellow rose]

The 10 inch clutch with the scalloped pressure plate will explode if rev’d as done in drag racing. I would not want to give an actual safe rpm limit, but I would be uncomfortable taking a 10 inch scalloped pressure plate above 6000 rpm. A couple of slant six drag racers have had those truck pressure plates explode, not to mention that they don’t have much holding power. Even if the rpm’s are limited, a good slant will scorch a slant truck pp in a few passes.

So true. When my dad was running an F Stocker with his 66 the fight was always with the clutch. He ended up with a scatter shield from I forget who and a Scheiffer clutch that was a nightmare.

I also helped him slick shift his gearbox in 1968. I held the light for hours and hours while he ground on that crap. Eventually he went to the bigger clutch and can, but on the early A's everything is horribly tight.