Thread: Engine swap

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Just picked up a 48 dodge coupe. Runs and drives awesome . All the hard work is done. Problem is it has a 283 vet motor in it. Don't get me wrong it's a great motor and I'm not bashing GM in any way. The easy thing to do is put a nasty 350 in it, it will drop rate in. I just think to be rite the car needs a 383 or 440 mopar to be rite. The car is bad ass and I want it FAST!! Has anyone done a Gm to mopar swap? Anything is possible I know. But I'm not rich and doing the work myself. Any advice would be of great help thanks

I have seen some 40's Mopars with 318-340-360's in them the fit is better than a SBC is,the 383-440 is going to involve a lot more work due to width so plan on some fabrication involving the steering box.

The steering has already bin moved on top of the frame and the fire wall cut back

Welcome aboard. I like your plan on the swap, like you nothing against Chevy motors (hell, I'm currently building a 283) but I tend to like same brand . non-mainstream swaps too.

As Jeff mentioned, the SB MOPARs have a lot less bulk (and weight) to deal with and with some bolt on mods make respectable power and even in stock form would make a bunch more torque than you're getting from the 283. That being said short of a HEMI my choice would also be a BB MOPAR.

I think I would be looking at the low deck engines and would probably actually start looking for a 400.....the couple of inches in height and width you save over a 440 may make life a bit easier and they can always be taken out to 451CI by going the 440 crank stroker route.

In addition to front suspensions and cooling system upgrades you might also want to be prepared for some transmission tunnel mods depending on what the car is currently set up for and what you plan on running behind the MOPAR engine. Going with the A833 (or A833 Overdrive units) may not be too bad of a fit. A Torqueflight may also not take too much in the way of modifications, but the 518 (overdrive version of the Torqueflight) may require opening up the trans tunnel a bit.

I think there may be a couple of guys who have done this swap over on the moparts site that occasionally check in on the street rodder section who might be able to give you some first hand insight into to nuts and bolts of the swap.

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When I was 17 I put a 400 chrysler lean burn with a 727 in my 39 chevy. It fit pretty well. I used that engine combo because I had 2 Cordoba's to part out and had little money.