Restoration woes

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highwaystar50

highwaystar50

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Rowland Heights, CA
I’m restoring my 67 Barracuda back to stock. Unless I can find a 273 Commando engine (original was destroyed), even a short block, I will be forced to turn a 318 into a “Commando” version, complete with domed pistons and a suitable solid lifter cam. I haven’t read about anyone doing that on this site so my question is, will the stock commando cam be optimal or will I need a grind that corresponds to the additional displacement of the 318? I haven’t actually shopped around for pistons yet (would rather have another 273) but they will be good for between 10 to 10.5:1 compression ratio. I’ll be using stock 318 rods, heads and exhaust manifolds, plus the 273 4-barrel intake and carburetor and an Accurate Exhaust HiPo single exhaust. The car has an 833 manual and 3:23 sure grip gears. Thanks!
 
Just find another late 66 273 and use what you can from the other engine.
 
Don't rake yourself over the coals so much man. It ain't got to be perfect, because no one really cares.. Accept you. It isn't like your gonna get your money back out of it or something..
 
Sedanman said:
Just find another late 66 273 and use what you can from the other engine.
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I haven't had much luck finding one and I've been looking for months. I figured I'd keep looking but in the meantime I'd build this engine so I can drive the car again. Who knows? Maybe I'll like it with the 318.
 
highwaystar50 said:
I haven't had much luck finding one and I've been looking for months. I figured I'd keep looking but in the meantime I'd build this engine so I can drive the car again. Who knows? Maybe I'll like it with the 318.
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agree w/ woods74. build it the way u want it, but original ain`t worth any more to me pricewise.
 
I'm sure there are a few 66-7 273's in CA somewhere and reasonable. They also don't have vin's stamped on them to worry about it being #'s matching. The 318 would probably be a better choice with the bigger bore and better head options.
 
highwaystar50 said:
I haven't had much luck finding one and I've been looking for months. I figured I'd keep looking but in the meantime I'd build this engine so I can drive the car again. Who knows? Maybe I'll like it with the 318.
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Do this. You can quickly put together a decent 318 with affordable money that won't drain away your 273 fund.

My 340 Duster had a 318 in it when I bought it. Since it was a running car, I was able to drive it and be patient while I collected all of the stuff I wanted and needed to put a 340 together.
Now I just need to put the 340 together and put it in the car.
 
I just went through this with my 1967 Barracuda. It had the original 273 Commando but something was wrong with the block. I developed an oiling problem I never was able to find. I rebuilt that engine three times, first time I got 2,000 miles before a rod bearing was knocking. Second time 800 miles and a different rod bearing completely disintegrated, third time it broke the crank on the interstate, locked up and trashed the block.

Like you I wanted to keep it "somewhat" original. I bought two 273's only to find out later they were both junk, cracked main journals on one and three cracked sleeves on the other. I decided to find a 1967 318. I rebuilt it pretty much stock, put a Hughes cam in it along with the 273 4-BBL intake, carb and valve covers from the 273 and you can't even tell the difference......... until you step on the gas!!!
 
I know this isn't a car restoration site per se and that originality isn't necessarily the first thought on everyone's mind but I do appreciate all of the replies. This car was stock when I got in in 1969 and I had my fun with hot rodding it all through the 70's and 80's and now that it has been sitting in my garage for all the intervening years, it's time to get it back on the road, hopefully as close to as it was when I got it as possible. I've only done internet searches for another 273 so perhaps I'll have to start scrounging bone yards. Meanwhile it looks like I'll proceed with the 318 build. I'll probably document the restoration when I finally do get started so stay tuned!
 
You cannot have been looking very hard for a complete engine. There are more than a couple that have been mentioned in various posts here. Before you drop coin on the 318, find a 273 that runs within driving distance and buy that. They ARE around.
 
I bought a 67 Barracuda off eBay that was listed as "all original" and it had a 318. I didn't think much about it, but later found out that a 318 was not a factory option in the 1967 Barracuda. My first thoughts were to restore it to original -- like you.

I got over it pretty quickly and it took some pressure off so that now every nut and bolt doesn't have to match. What was more important was that it started right away.
 
you can make the 318 look just like the 273, no one will bother poking around under your car, a little more cubes, or better yet just build a 360. same deal. no one will know but you???!
like said, there are running 273's around Ca for sure. many times cheap as the owner went with a 360 or magnum no doubt.
 
moper said:
You cannot have been looking very hard for a complete engine. There are more than a couple that have been mentioned in various posts here. Before you drop coin on the 318, find a 273 that runs within driving distance and buy that. They ARE around.
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As they say, timing is everything. Each time I have checked, there have been none - at least none nearby enough to go and inspect before buying. As far as any posted on this site, that it true. I have read posts back 60 pages and found a few. Even found some in the for sale section. But none, "right here, right now." I should have been looking in all the years the car has been none operational. If I'd had the time, I would have gotten another 273 when I bought the 318 that's in the car now but I had to get it on the road in two weeks for a cross country drive. Yes, timing is everything.
 
You wouldn't be the first to dress up a 318 to look like the 273 Commando. The quieter hydraulic lifters are a plus In my opinion.
 
Find a mount road test engine 318 out of a 71-72 They are the best. It will have a chome sticker on the left valve cover. They have a higher Comp due to deck hieght. Install a 460 lift solid lift cam. no smaller as solids are always larger then Hyd. and end up being the same lift after 2000 rpm. You won't need pistons just a hypo intake or a LD4B .I have a 1971 low mile ount road engine and the adjustable rockers but your to far away.
 
Karl, I got a 65 core 2bbl motor with heads, and a 273-4 intake. PM me. I was saving it for an EFI Turbo project but might part with it. Im in Tustin 5/55 fwy area. Your 4bbl intake is the late one to fit 318 heads? condition unknown, I got it about 4 years ago and have not even popped the heads yet. I was just going to build it as is. turns over fine.
 
pishta said:
Karl, I got a 65 core 2bbl motor with heads, and a 273-4 intake. PM me. I was saving it for an EFI Turbo project but might part with it. Im in Tustin 5/55 fwy area. Your 4bbl intake is the late one to fit 318 heads? condition unknown, I got it about 4 years ago and have not even popped the heads yet. I was just going to build it as is. turns over fine.
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Yes, I had a 67 engine so the intake should match up to the 318 heads. I say should because I think I recall that the LD4B manifold I have wouldn't bolt up to the 318 heads but would bolt up to the 273 heads. When I was using the 1970 318 that's in the car now, I used the 273 intake and heads on it so I was sure everything would match up. It's been about 30 years since I did this so I might not be remembering accurately.
 
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