Im in the process of turning my plymouth into a gasser and as of right now Ive got a small block chevy I'm rebuilding and will drop it in, but I really dont want to. Id rather drop something in that comes from the plymouth blood line. What would of got swapped in back in the day?Im looking to get around 350 horsepower nothing insane. thanks in advance.
The Ramchargers first drag car was a 49 Plymouth coupe with a 354 Hemi. Other than that I can't think of a single gasser made out of a flathead six Plymouth. A Chev 350 is as good as anything. If you wanted to keep it all Mopar a 400 or 440 would be nice.
I have a built 318 and 904 tranny in my 52 coronet and it sounds like armageddon!...scares little children and animals...
Personally, I would install a 400 c i Eng. and make it a stroker. They can Haul the mail, if done right ! I have one that I was going to use ten years ago with 727 Tranny. It was a running Engine when i took it out. Check the Stats on building a 400 B B . My next choice would be a 440, up to 1971, most had steel crank with 4 bolt main. My Son has a few of them. He is a Mopar Nut. He built a Mud runner with a 572 HEMI with F. I. & Nitro. I have a lot of the parts for 440 speed parts still in box, never opened, I got them from PAW back in 2002. He sold it in pieces, then bought a Harley Roadking. First thing he did with it, is tear Eng. down, to find out ways to make it faster, along with adding all kinds of Billet Stuff. A good fit would be a 340 if available, but very scarce. I built a 70 & a '71 Cuda with 340's back in late 70's & early 80's. Made him do majority of work, so he would learn. Ha picked it up dern quick.
Best bang for the buck is our own Don Dolmetsch's Old Reliable Chrysler 440 build. Can also be built as a 383 or 400. 11 second quarter mile times in a 4150 pound door slammer from 530 - 550 genuine HP for around $4000 http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/oldreliable.html Junior size 383 version, easy 13s from a streetable 383 http://www3.sympatico.ca/big-d/383s.htm
No, cheap and easy isn't what you're about. That's not why anyone builds a Plymouth gasser. Your opinions may vary, but congrats on your first few days of being strong. Just take it one day at a time and keep saying no to bellybutton. Wish we could be like AA and give little medallions to carry in the pocket and every time a HAMBer felt the urge to cheap out on a SBC in anything other than a Chevy, he could call a sponsor for support. Yes, the 383", 400", 440" Mopar is easy and inexpensive, however, my money would go for any of the '50s hemis; Dodge, DeSoto or Chrysler. Second choice, as previously suggested, would be a Mopar Polysphere. Don't forget, there were also low, slow gas class cars. A Plymouth flathead 6-cylinder gasser would have had a place to run back in the day. Maybe, figure out your budget and figure how to stretch for the right stuff. jack vines
put the Chevy in it, it will be the smartest thing you ever did. they are not the most popular motor in hot rodding because people like orange, as for bellybutton.. people who think that way most likely are only trying to impress others with thier coolness.
Its hard to beat a 3118/904 swap there still out there and more then fair. Mine was stock and would run I-5 all day at 80MPH and got a good 22 MPG
If you really want to be period correct,look for a chrysler industrial flat 6,& vintage speed stuff.They came in 230,250,& 265 cubes.They were used in fire trucks,generators,water pumps,ag equipment like combines,etc.
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