• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

The Creep Wagon is done for the season

Timmayy

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
6:20 PM
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
1,832
Reaction score
5,799
Location
Tiverton RI
So yesterday my buddies and I went to a concert a little over an hour away. It was Anthrax, Black Label Society and Hatebreed. We took the wagon just for the cool factor plus I picked up a stove for one of my apartments. Anyway it was another hot and humid day. Wagon was fine and we got home after midnight. Lo and behold there is a puddle of transmission fluid under it. I jack it up and look, it's pouring out of the tranny plate, thus it has to be a blown seal. I think this may be the time to upgrade from the 273/904 to a more modern 318/360 and auto. I can find them in my area no problem with that. From what I understand in the past there are some differences with the 65 Bs. Can I get a list of do's and don't's? What needs to be kept, modified etc? I already know that I'm going to install an aftermarket floor shift and change out the driveshaft. Your help is always appretiated.

Wagon with rims.jpg
 
Sorry to hear it. If you upgrade to newer 360, also upgrade to tougher 727. Your '65 will have slip yoke, so that is no problem. A 727 from a '65 318 car would be a straight bolt-in for your column shifted cable shift. Newer 727's would require some sort of shifter conversion. A newer A-518 overdrive will not fit under your floor without considerable modification of floor and T-bar crossmember. The driver's side 360 motor mount boss is different than 273/318, like a 340. My vote would be for a 360. They are fairly torquey and can make 300-325 easy horse power. I put one in my 1987 Dakota years ago and it really woke that truck up! I hope this helps.
 
Thanks. If I find a small block 727 I'll use that with an aftermarket shifter. I'll see what a local scrapyard has. I got a 318 from them earlier this year and I know they have more.
 
904 driveshaft too long for a 727 and a smaller slip yoke diameter.

I’d go with a BB
 
Getting a driveshaft done is not a problem. I'm keeping it simple because I drive it a lot. A BB is too thirsty and another small block is easier for me to find locally. My hot rodding days are done.
 
Sorry to hear it. If you upgrade to newer 360, also upgrade to tougher 727. Your '65 will have slip yoke, so that is no problem. A 727 from a '65 318 car would be a straight bolt-in for your column shifted cable shift. Newer 727's would require some sort of shifter conversion. A newer A-518 overdrive will not fit under your floor without considerable modification of floor and T-bar crossmember. The driver's side 360 motor mount boss is different than 273/318, like a 340. My vote would be for a 360. They are fairly torquey and can make 300-325 easy horse power. I put one in my 1987 Dakota years ago and it really woke that truck up! I hope this helps.
Will the Mancini conversion motor mounts work with the 360?
 
Good news. I found a pretty decent 360 from a 1979 Dodge pickup. It was in better condition than I thought. Now for more questions. For a rebuilt A727 does it matter if it's a truck or B-body? Having a driveshaft made is not a problem. We have a local shop to take care of that.

Also, are the Mancini Racing conversion trans mount good to go? I would order that along with the new engine mounts.
 
When going from a teen to a 360, I used the same MM brackets and just used a spacer or a couple of thick washers to take up the extra spacing.
 
The 360 Dodge engine will work fine. You do know the 360 is external balance, right? Also, the truck oil pan won't fit the car. The truck pan is rear sump. Also the the main caps are bigger on the 60 so the pan from the other small blocks won't fit.
 
Some truck transmissions might have heavier duty internals. Although some of these have a different design tailshaft housing with the retainer clip access cover on the side instead of the bottom, they are the same length as B-body transmissions. When using a 360, remember to use a torque converter for a 360 as well. These have a weight on them to aid with external balance of the engine.
 
Is the pickup donor a 1/2 ton reg cab?
 
Is the pickup donor a 1/2 ton reg cab?
Don't know. The engine was out ready to put in the back of my truck when I got there. I'm not using the trans from this engine. I'm having one rebuilt at a local shop.
 
The 360 Dodge engine will work fine. You do know the 360 is external balance, right? Also, the truck oil pan won't fit the car. The truck pan is rear sump. Also the the main caps are bigger on the 60 so the pan from the other small blocks won't fit.
Yes, I've gotten truck 360s in the past and had to get the correct oil pump tube and pan along with the 360 converter. Why is it that the 360 is externally balanced and not the 273/318/340?
 
360's have a cast iron crankshaft. If not using headers, the free flowing exhaust manifolds from a late '90's 360 pick-up motor are a good choice.
 
360's have a cast iron crankshaft. If not using headers, the free flowing exhaust manifolds from a late '90's 360 pick-up motor are a good choice.
I'm going to go with the shorty headers from Mancini. I already have dual exhaust.
 
Mancini was sold out of the motor mounts I needed. So were a few other sites. I did find them through Jegs. On to the next hurdle.
 
I ordered the trans adaptor mount for 66 up trans in a 63-65 B-body. The oil pan should be getting delivered soon also.
The old 273 is ready to pull. A lot of grime from 50+ years of driving.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top