Unknown Commando...

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snate66

snate66

We're done here...
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Well folk, browsing parts adds on line I found a 66 Commando pulled from a S Barracuda that I will be driving down to look at tonight. Not knowing the history of this other than "it spins". was looking for advice on the pitfalls and things to look for that would prevent me from buying a worthless block. I'm gonna count to 10, go eat a burger. then check back here before I drive down.
 
It would be nice if they would pop the heads to let you inspect the cylinders for pin grooves or cracking
 
Not likely there would be anything fatally wrong with the block, if it turns over. But there's no knowing how much work it would involve, either. Bores? Crank? Those would be the big issues. Heads would need doing no matter what. Those head castings are pretty notorious for cracking at the corner (near either #1 or #8). Maybe you could knock out a lower freeze plug on the side of the block and see how much crud is in there, as a general indicator of condition. If there is oil in the sump that is also very diagnostic.
 
I took my 100,000 mile HP273 apart years ago . It had little ridge and very little taper. Mopar small blocks are high nickle blocks and don't wear much. The crank in that 273 is forged and not cast and don't wear much either. They're pretty tough although grinding and polishing doesn't cost a bundle. It really depends what you want out of the engine and how much it will cost you to buy. Heck the valve covers, intake, carb, and dual point all have value.
 
Yeah, when I tore mine down at 125K it wasn't very worn. But I had to bore .030 because that's all I could get for pistons. 010 would have taken care of the ovalling. But what I meant in this case was potential disasters from abuse -- a deeply scored crank or bore. I agree it's not likely -- not a lot of people raced these motors until they broke.
 
Commando 273...check the bores for 2 brow pistons with a flashlight through the spark plug hole. If you can make out a hard line across the top of the piston, you got a 4bbl. Hard to see but worth looking. 4bbl Pistons are still expensive
 
Well, I have to go back with a little more light and time. Guy claimed to not be a Mopar guy and was not sure about many things and did not have a history on the car.

Could very well be a clone...or the real thing with modifications throughout the years... I confirmed the year, B-273 block stamp and a 66 4brl C.A.P. intake but the distib is missing, carb is wrong (L4200s big block...'64 383?), rockers have been changed with non adjustable. Only got one partial head number... and was an odd number (24653**) that I think others have found before after doing a thread search. The tools and time were not available to pull the head or get a plug out.

I didn't have the time I wanted cuz I slid off the icy road on the way there and got the Saturn stuck! 20 min of diggin with a ice scrapper and rocking back and forth I freed myself.
 
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Pull the dipstick, open a valve cover cap and check for water in the oil. That's about all you can do.
 
If It is still there on the weekend I will got back in the daylight to let me have a better look at the head numbers and convince him to let me try to eyeball the pistons through the plug hole. He was not keen about pulling the head.

He had the 66 FS with factory air all striped down and on a lift. I got a nice tour of the shop and the project. I let him know I would pass on his info if I am not interested in his bits and pieces.
 
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