• 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.

What would be needed????

Red63440

Well-Known Member
Local time
5:29 AM
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
3,807
Reaction score
3,115
Location
NY
361 engine.jpg
If I was going to do a minor upgrade to my 265 HP 64 361 engine what would you suggest I add? Intake, carb, cam, already has electronic ignition and dual exhaust. Not racing it but would like to get about equal to a HP 383, suggestions?
 
Last edited:
I have duals and "magnum" exh manifolds on my 64 Plymouth's 361. I found an intake and AFB carb from a 65 Chrysler 383. Rebuilt the carb and put it on. The biggest problem I had, and you will run into, is that the 4 bbl carbs are wider and the stock bracket for the throttle cable and kickdown will not work with the 4bbl. The correct pieces for the early B body 4 bbls are very hard to find. i was lucky enough to score the bracket from a 64 Imperial in a junkyard, and was able to modify it to work.

DSC00876.JPG DSC00877.JPG DSC00863.JPG
 
Red, I had the same questions for our car. What to do with the original 361 and still maintain the car's originality. I contacted Hughes Engines and the guys there were Extremely helpful. Their first shot out of the cannon was "why not put in a 383?". I explained I wanted to keep it as original as I could so I stuck with our 361, 2 barrel but had them get me a nice rumbly cam, went to dual exhaust (I know it was not original, but...), then bored it out 30 over, because it needed it (159K miles). I have yet to have it on the road, but those types of guys can help, I suspect. The 361 has an "odd" sized piston, as I remember it, but by going out 30 over the choices of pistons got better as I remember it. I love the sound the engine makes and frankly that gives me a Smile every time I hit the key. I wish you good luck finding your way. I do not remember if my old 64 Sport Fury had a 4 barrel or not. It was a 4 Spd car. Too many beers (and north of 40 years) under the bridge to remember that one. Best, B.
 
At 70 I am way beyond wanting to race, just want to cruise now. Probably shouldn't even be concerned but the kid in me needs to tinker but not go crazy. Dad, A big 500 CFM Holley 2 barrel may also work but I would think that the intake wouldn't flow well at all even if you reworked it so another option may be a Lokar throttle linkage system.
 
Last edited:
At 70 I am way beyond wanting to race, just want to cruise now. Probably shouldn't even be concerned but the kid in me needs to tinker but not go crazy. Dad, A big 500 CFM Holley 2 barrel may also work but I would think that the intake wouldn't flow well at all even if you reworked it so another option may be a Lokar throttle linkage system.
A cam swap would help! A 484 274 hydraulic Purple Stripe will give you some lope at idle! If it's a 2bbl engine it might have the open chamber low compression heads! If you want to get into it a little deeper I'd change to a pair of 516 casting heads That will boost your comp. but still use low lead gas! Also get an alum. 4 bbl intake dual plane style!
 
Hi Steve, it already has 516 closed chamber heads, taking .025 off them would raise compression half a point which would help a little along with the intake carb and cam, the compression that year was 9.0
 
Last edited:
You can get the Mopar Performance aluminum copy of the 4bbl intake and paint it so it wont stand out.
If you dont mind the intake standing out, and you swap the cam, then go Edelbrock performer RPM intake.
Also ditching the manifolds for headers, (first do the intake) should get you at least 15-20 HP and torque.
Any 4bbl carb will help,I like the Carter/Edelbrock style, with air valve secondary.
Maybe even go FI tech, in place of the carb.

It is your car, and I totally get wanting it keep it original, and, in my opinion, bolting on parts to improve the 361 is GREAT!! But, once you start changing the cam and heads, I think you will get WAY more bang for your buck, going to a 383.
Either way, it is your car, and ENJOY it!!!!!!!
 
Convert the throttle valve on the trans to a cable, and the bracket issue gets easier, also helps with header install on some cars.
I am not knocking a 361 at all, for me, being a guy who doesn't have a ton of cash, if I am going to get into shaving the heads,(got to shave both sides so intake will fit correct) and cam shaft upgrade, I would go to 383.
If you have the money, and you do not care, then all the stuff that works for a 383 will work on a 361.
I would think a Magnum/Roadrunner cam, may be a great option.(so you can use stock valve springs)
For carb just watch you do not go to big, it is still a smaller displacement big block.
If you can change or modify the bottom plate, and keep the top of that air cleaner housing, I think that would be a cool move!!!
 
64 2bbl should still be high CR.
4bbl with a modern 600cfm carb would raise hp a little more than the factory 4bbl for the year.
The heads are not good, but that gets to be a lot of work. Cam might give you a few ponies. But that's tearing a ways into it.
If you just want a little fun put the 4bbl on it and some duals with a little louder mufflers
 
Did this last year. Exactly the same thing. I ultimately built a 426 wedge and put that in but I woke up the 361 in the mean time.

I wanted it to look original so I put on a year correct 383 4bbl intake and a ‘63 AFB, still fit the factory air cleaner that way. Swapped out the cam for a magnum / roadrunner (valve springs too of course). These can all be had from Rock Auto for dirt cheap. New timing chain while I was at it. This all helped quite a bit. I bent up a new downshift bracket that did the job and wasn’t too ugly.

As I said I changed direction after that. I have the carb and intake and bracket kicking around if you’re interested.
 
Hi Red. My wife likes getting me and I like receiving, Vintage Car Mags. Here is one that she got for me some time ago. I finally found it and thought about your adventure with your 361. In Feb of 1959, Motor Trend did an article about "Big Three Road Test". That is Chevy Impala, Ford Fairlane 500 and Plymouth Fury. In the test, they used a 59 chevy that had the 348 with 3 duces, a ford with a 352 FE 4 barrel, and our fav a 59 Plymouth Fury with the 361, (Golden Commando 395). The 361 was a 4 barrel. Here is the shot of the front cover and then an Advert for the Golden Commando.

IMG_4583.jpg
IMG_4584.jpg


I do not know what they did to make the 361 into the Golden Commando, but it might be a place to look to see how they woke it up from the factory. best, B.
 
Oh, if you are interested in the Car Specs and Performance stuff, here is that info. Vintage Cars, gotta love them.

IMG_4587.jpg
IMG_4588.jpg
 
Did this last year. Exactly the same thing. I ultimately built a 426 wedge and put that in but I woke up the 361 in the mean time.

I wanted it to look original so I put on a year correct 383 4bbl intake and a ‘63 AFB, still fit the factory air cleaner that way. Swapped out the cam for a magnum / roadrunner (valve springs too of course). These can all be had from Rock Auto for dirt cheap. New timing chain while I was at it. This all helped quite a bit. I bent up a new downshift bracket that did the job and wasn’t too ugly.

As I said I changed direction after that. I have the carb and intake and bracket kicking around if you’re interested.

Nate, with what you did to it how much do you think you gained?
 
The 64 361 was/is 9.0 compression and was the lowest horsepower 361 at 265 with the two barrel intake and carb. Dual exhaust was installed with Flow Masters and the gear ratio was increased to 3.55 open rear end. A factory or aluminum 383 intake with a small 4 barrel would look fine, the interesting part is that the PO sent me the original air cleaner which has dual round snorkels instead of the normal single snorkel. I have found a set of factory 361 valve covers and there is also an electronic ignition system with the orange box installed.
 
Nate, with what you did to it how much do you think you gained?

Woke it up a fair amount. Not amazing or anything but certainly noticeable. Probably took it from 0-60 in 10 to 0-60 in 8. Those aren’t exact numbers but about right.
 
The 64 361 was/is 9.0 compression and was the lowest horsepower 361 at 265 with the two barrel intake and carb. Dual exhaust was installed with Flow Masters and the gear ratio was increased to 3.55 open rear end. A factory or aluminum 383 intake with a small 4 barrel would look fine, the interesting part is that the PO sent me the original air cleaner which has dual round snorkels instead of the normal single snorkel. I have found a set of factory 361 valve covers and there is also an electronic ignition system with the orange box installed.

Couldn’t have been the original air cleaner then. That was a single round snorkel affair.
 
I think the easiest thing to do that will get more power without going into the eng is change the intake to a nice aftermarket 4 barrel intake and a good 4 barrel carb. I would go with the Performer RPM and about a 650 to 700 cam carb. I would also add a set of headers as them two mods right there should help a good bit and none of it is major eng work. Ron
 
At 70 I am way beyond wanting to race, just want to cruise now. Probably shouldn't even be concerned but the kid in me needs to tinker but not go crazy. Dad, A big 500 CFM Holley 2 barrel may also work but I would think that the intake wouldn't flow well at all even if you reworked it so another option may be a Lokar throttle linkage system.
I just turned 74 yo ( had a mild stroke a few years ago ) so at 70yo, you're just a kid. What I can't do myself, anymore, I farm out with the understanding that I know what's going into it. (440 backed by a 727 ) I've added an MSD ' plug and play ' billet distributor, a Quick Fuel"Brawler" 750 carb, electric fan behind a BeCool radiator... and had a local shop with a lot of experience redo the rear suspension with 440-Hemi springs ( 6-drv, 7pass) new front spring mounts, etc. and Cal Tracs. It also has 3" exhaust front-to-back, with Granatelli electric cutouts. Regardless how many Challengers, Mustangs, Camaros at a cruise night, still wakes everyone up ! Keep playing...

PA030045 - Copy_LI.jpg engine2.jpg
 
I'm just going to go with the intake and carb for starters, not interested in a race engine, just want to add a few ponies to what I have and to keep it as original as possible. I don't need to impress anyone no matter what they drive.
 
The intake on the car now is the cast iron 2 barrel intake with a 500 CFM Holley. I have purchased a used Performer intake and feel that a 4 barrel 600 CFM Holley would be a better choice than the Edelbrock. The 2 barrel 500 CFM Holley is pretty near the same width as the 600 or 625CFM Holley 4 barrel. I'm not sure what the difference will be as far as performance when you consider going from the cast iron intake and a two barrel to an aluminum intake with a 4 barrel. I realize there are better intakes but when you consider the change between the stock set up and the improved set up that difference alone should be huge.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top