The Doba is getting an upgrade

[Bruceynz]

Hi Guys,

My 83 Cordoba is a 318 car, I didn't have any intentions of doing much to the engine, I have a cam and some of those 302 type heads for it but then plans changed, my friend had a 360 block, pistons, rings, crank etc with some J heads with 2.02 valves I was going to buy from him as he has decided to go 5.7 hemi is his 68 dodge dart (valiant in New Zealand) anyway the wheels fell off that plan when the block was missing its main caps and to get caps machined to fit was going to be big dollar! Not to despair I kept on track with the 360 scheme of things and really not sure why as 318s are a good engine, so I was on the list the mighty craigs list and I came across a 1972 Block 360 rebuilt with 500miles on it in a car that has been pulled off the road 4 years ago for a full restoration, the 360 got yanked out in favor of a 440 so I bought the 360, trans, headers, carb, etc a whole turn key package. Engine has performer intake, holley street avenger carb, a cam that is 340 type grind or a slight step up above that, tq has a bit higher stall, so that is now in the process of being picked up today and shipped over to NZ! I will team this up to my 3.21 rear end and I should have a Cordoba that is quite a performer!

I noticed that my 318 has the oil filter pointing the other way, is that just an adapter I can swap over to the 360?

Anything I need to look out for in the change over, is it best to pull the trans and engine out as one unit?

See You
Bruce

 

[80mirada]

There is a right angle oil filter adapter, it is held on by one large bolt, or there is the oil filter mount plate, it is held on by the center threaded pipe. very easy to swap, but the gaskets for the right angle adapter can give you headaches.

Pulling the engine and trans together is one way to go, and can make for a much faster job. It would also give you an opportunity to see any difference in the linkage alignment. Pull the distributor before pulling the engine there is very little room between the distributor and the firewall.

If you are getting a 727 with the 360 you will need to get a correct drive shaft yoke, and have you drive shaft shortened. The cooler lines for the trans will also need tweaked. Depending on what car the engine and transmission were set up for you may need to swap over your kick-down linkage, B and C-bodies many times had one piece kick-down rods.

360 motor mount ears are different on the driver side I think, hard to remember when mine is 1000 miles away, but a small spacer can easily be made for the rear bolt from some washers. The 360's manifolds are larger than the 318 ones, but the outlets are in the same place as the 318 ones. All of your pulleys and brackets will bolt right up. Pull the distributor to keep from smacking it into the firewall, you can make a mark under the cap for rotor position and use a sharpie to mark a wittness line to line up the housing to the block.

 

[Bruceynz]

Ok, question for the gurus, can you get the engine out by itself or do you have to remove the engine and trans together? I can see how to get to the top bell housing bolts. hmmmm The engine is real close to the body up around the distributor.

 

[Joe12459]

It will come out without the tranny. Just support the trans with a ratchet strap or similar under the bellhousing. You can get to the top bellhousing bolts from under the car, with a long extension and a swivel 9/16 socket, or you can lay across the top of the engine and use a box wrench. It is a pain in the ass, but it will come out.

 

[80mirada]

What he said