Blueprint 408 in '63 Dart?

[RustyRatRod]

Very true and and a fun swap. Did exactly that in 1968. Ruined the 225 in 1963 Dart, so went to the wrecking yard and got a 383 w/833. Fit pretty good. Had to fab motor mounts, but that was not too bad. Only big problem was the headers. No room for exhaust manifolds or headers without cutting the fender wells, so had to go through the fender wells with custom headers. Bummer because I wanted to run B/MP, but the fenderwell cutting put the car into B/G, so not competitive. Got an off-the-shelf fiberglass tunnel kit from somewhere. Had to cut a hole in a fender well to access one of the spark plugs. I remember paying only $9.95 for the hydraulic clutch kit, master and slave. Didn't even widen the radiator opening, and the engine ran in the normal temp range. No steering mods needed. Great engine--bulletproof.

Yeah and now Schumacher makes mounts. Exhaust has never really been a problem, as the 68-69 HP manifolds fit with little modification, as to the C body HP manifolds. But you can preach it from the mountain tops and no one listens.

 

[360notch]

Another question. Will the transmission crossmember from later A bodies fit the '63? The '63 is notched on one side for the exhaust. If I recall there is clearance on both sides of the later crossmembers.

You can easily modify the '63 trans cross member. No problem with exhaust clearance, but need to relocate the trans mount backwards some. Use a hacksaw or sawzall to notch out a center piece of the back side of the crossmember and bent it backwards flat, then drill a new mount hole and weld in gussets.

 

[360notch]

Yeah and now Schumacher makes mounts. Exhaust has never really been a problem, as the 68-69 HP manifolds fit with little modification, as to the C body HP manifolds. But you can preach it from the mountain tops and no one listens.

Maybe I should have tried harder to get the stock exhaust manifolds to fit.

 

[Gator]

You will have to beat the firewall where the wiper motor bump is to clear the distributor. '63 was never thought about to run a small block. Other than that you will need to make custom motor mounts out of rare 273 mounts. Also the 408 is external balanced so you need to think about flywheel/converter. V8's in the early A's are a pain in the *** for working on them.

Also may want to add an External Harmonic Balancer. All the three is what I had to add to my 408 Stroker after going from a Internal Balanced 340.

 

[junkyardhero]

Yeah and now Schumacher makes mounts. Exhaust has never really been a problem, as the 68-69 HP manifolds fit with little modification, as to the C body HP manifolds. But you can preach it from the mountain tops and no one listens.

the catch being hunting down a set of them manifolds in good condition at a reasonable price. then finding a machinist willing to angle mill the one side.

all of a sudden a small block starts looking like the easy button.

 

[360notch]

Big block.

Just a caveat, I know a low deck like you suggested earlier clears the original hood. High deck probably won"t.

 

[MMissile]

A friend just finished a 6.4/8-speed in his early Dart. Did it all himself. To say it's fast, is a bit of an understatement.

 

[85glht]

A friend just finished a 6.4/8-speed in his early Dart. Did it all himself. To say it's fast, is a bit of an understatement.

I'd love to see pics of that car...

 

[RustyRatRod]

Did I mention a big block? lol

 

[junkyardhero]

Did I mention a big block? lol

no. no, i don't think you did.

 

[340six]

I must be the odd man out. I want a clean slant car. And leave it slant, do just a little to it. If it's a nice car why change it. Maybe at most put in breakerless ignition upgrade brakes if small. Most after that a Super Six or Small 4bbl and Dutra Cast Exhaust ( no tube headers) and small cam swap.

 

[340six]

Did I mention a big block? lol

I see your Big Block and Raise you 2 gen Hemi. Oh wait this is not Poker never mind I was bluffing anyway.

 

[85glht]

I see your Big Block and Raise you 2 gen Hemi. Oh wait this is not Poker never mind I was bluffing anyway.

I'll see your Gen2 Hemi and raise it to a Gen3 and just be done with it. With an HP70 8 speed transmission

 

[63Dart170]

This project is definitely on. Engine is on order, 727 is in hand. Picking up an 8-3/4" on Friday and bits and pieces are either here or being delivered. Waiting on TTI headers, and will be ordering a torque converter next month.

I cut the center section of the firewall from a '65 out of a car at the local boneyard.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I must be the odd man out. I want a clean slant car. And leave it slant, do just a little to it. If it's a nice car why change it. Maybe at most put in breakerless ignition upgrade brakes if small. Most after that a Super Six or Small 4bbl and Dutra Cast Exhaust ( no tube headers) and small cam swap.

Well you know me, I'm the same way, but Lord knows nobody wants to hear slant. lol

 

[RustyRatRod]

I see your Big Block and Raise you 2 gen Hemi. Oh wait this is not Poker never mind I was bluffing anyway.

I'd endorse that too, cause the skribbidy is in the front.

 

[63Dart170]

Getting torque box to play nice with subframe connector. This is just where I left it for the night.

 

[TXOval]

Mine is a 66, but I wanted to show you how tight the TTI’s are on the left (drivers) side of the 904…adjusting shifter cable or detent is next to impossible.

I eventually switched to Sanderson DD9 short headers

This is a 340 block, now 416

 

[MMissile]

I'd love to see pics of that car...

I'll try to get some... He had it at breakfast last Sunday morning.

 

[MMissile]

 

[63Dart170]

Mine is a 66, but I wanted to show you how tight the TTI’s are on the left (drivers) side of the 904…adjusting shifter cable or detent is next to impossible.

I eventually switched to Sanderson DD9 short headers

This is a 340 block, now 416

View attachment 1716483368

That does look tight. The dual exhaust on the /6 in the car now is super tight to the transmission as well. I could barely get in to adjust the shift cable.

Does yours have power or manual steering?

 

[jbc426]

I am interested in swapping a Blueprint Engines fully dressed 408 into a 1963 Dart which currently has a 170. Has anyone done this? My concern is clearance for the low mounted front accessories. I would like to retain power steering.

Chrysler Small Block Compatible 408 c.i. Engine - 465 Horsepower - Deluxe Dressed - Polished Pulley Kit - Carbureted

Didn't see all the previous posts before posting. Looking good!

Do you already have an 8 3/4 or Dana 60 and disc brakes on the car? Have you swapped in stiffer suspension? Which transmission are you going to run? Have you figured out how to upgrade your fuel and cooling systems?

Are you planning on adding subframe connectors, torque boxes, under fender braces and tying the front frame rails together under the radiator?

It takes a symphony of parts to end up with a package that works well together, and those upgrades make all the difference in performance and safety.

 

[TXOval]

In that picture it had power steering…I have since removed it. I wanted it as simple as possible. No PS, AC, or heater hoses.

That does look tight. The dual exhaust on the /6 in the car now is super tight to the transmission as well. I could barely get in to adjust the shift cable.

Does yours have power or manual steering?

 

[63Dart170]

Didn't see all the previous posts before posting. Looking good!

Do you already have an 8 3/4 or Dana 60 and disc brakes on the car? Have you swapped in stiffer suspension? Which transmission are you going to run? Have you figured out how to upgrade your fuel and cooling systems?

Are you planning on adding subframe connectors, torque boxes, under fender braces and tying the front frame rails together under the radiator?

It takes a symphony of parts to end up with a package that works well together, and those upgrades make all the difference in performance and safety.

I picked up a reworked 8-3/4" with alloy axles, 3.54 on a Suregrip carrier. Just finished with the subframe connectors and rear torque boxes. I also have a 727 with a bunch of upgrades. Reverse pattern manual valve body, steel front drum, Supersprag, etc. I ordered a new fuel sending unit with 3/8" lines, and will be upgrading the fuel line from the tank to the carb as well.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Now I'm just spitballin here...but...if you could find an engine whose distributor was say...in the front...