And so it begins! 318 Poly to 360 LA Swap

[deppmobile]

Ah, the joys of aftermarket headers!

Engine needs to be tilted to get the nearside fitted, and if I ever want to change the rear spark plugs, it will have to come off

And the drag link fouls it enough for some 'relieving' to be required.....some subtle mods in the area between the tape

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But in better news, the 'swap the left to the right and the right to the left' Poly mount trick does work on the 360 LA (with a little bit of jiggery-pokery.)

[Pete]

No surprises there.

Try a big block or a Hemi if you really wish to enter a world of pain.

Most of installation is learning the sequence of installation, where most often the Pass side header goes on first due to less clearance as a result of the engine off-set.

[deppmobile]

The good news is that the newly 'relieved' header fits perfectly, coupled with the fact that although the Hedman fact sheets said I may need to modify the transmission linkage, it actually all fits with no modifications

Then the annoying news - didn't spot that someone has mangled the brass fitting into the tranny, which basically stripped the whole thread from the case That has slowed down the next stages.....

And the longer water pump on the 360 is going to give me some radiator clearance issues

[Pete]

Stick with it!!!

[deppmobile]

It's given me huge respect for people who do full-on engine swaps - this is just Mopar to Mopar!

[Pete]

Just try a Big Block or Hemi swap....

[Blue]

The thing with headers is the engine needs to sit in the car level side to side. Often the position it naturally wants to sit is on the tilt, a certain amount of jacking about is often needed to force it the sit straight before you bolt the mounts up.

[deppmobile]

More progress, but the list of jobs is never ending

Engine in for hopefully the last time, headers now clear everything they should. The job I dreaded was making up a temporary header exhaust fix. The Belv had a gorgeous 2.5" stainless system with cut outs, but of course the 360 headers exit in different places, and aren't symmetrical.

A couple of feet of stainless flex and lots of adjustment and measuring and it's in. Not pretty, but more than good enough to get everything running and then visit a proper exhaust workshop to get some new sections made up.

All the front of engine ancilliaries next, and then the remade wiring.....No. 356 on the list.....

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[Blue]

Its progress that's all that matters!

[deppmobile]

Getting close!

Hopefully my rad will be back tomorrow having had the bottom spigot moved, which means I should be ready to start the thing on Thursday!

Been ploughing through an interminable list of things to get it ready, highlights of which:

• Ran the oil pump off a drill, but no oil flow to left bank of rockers. Felt like I'd turned the engine over ten times and panic was setting in but at last the holes lined up and flow was a-gushing

• Despite copious numbers of photos, the one I didn't take was the wiring to an aftermarket alternator regulator - hours of googling required

• Throttle pressure/kickdown linkage from the Poly actually fits! I did have a 360 bracket, but the Poly one could have been easily modified of necessary

• A Poly bypass hose doesn't fit a 360 (big assumption on my part at the time) which necessitated a high speed 48 hr delivery

Plan is to start it, run in the cam, change the oil and filter and then tidy up all the wires and hoses etc. Bit weary of all the hours spent on it at the mo, so need the win of it starting!

Fingers crossed.....

[Dave999]

run the cam in Outside.... have a hose or fire extinguisher


everything gets quite hot and it sure finds the oily rag that fell down and is wedged between the headers and the chassis rail....

or it illustrates that the power lead to the starter motor is resting on a pipe.... smelly and sparky in equal measure if not spotted sharpish

Dave

[deppmobile]

Thanks Dave!

Unfortunately never got that far

No.5 and 7 plug leads need converting to right angled to fit under the header tube , a water leak that needs investigating, and a quick check showed no spark - turned over nicely though.

Tired and fed up so walking away for a few days.....

[deppmobile]

YESSSSS!

Some troubleshooting, and it started on the first turn of the key! Scared the life out of me as I wasn't expecting it, so turned it off quickly

A few jobs round the edges to finish off, then cam run in at the weekend

Dull picture, but I'm smiling and wooping in the driver's seat!

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[Pete]

Well done!

Hope the Cam run-in "Pucker Time!" goes well!!!

[cadboy]

Good result