Tomorrow, I am picking up a rebuilt '83 hydraulic lifter 225 to replace the original 225 in my '72 Dart that needs a rebuild.

The intake/exhaust manifolds and 2bbl carb (don't know if it was original or not) were sold separately, so this is just the long block. I will be using my current intake/exhaust/carb (Holley 1920 1bbl). I do want to use the new head though.

I've researched this a bit, and know about the wider head, and from what I gather, the only issues with fitment might be the carb and choke linkages.

First question: Is this going to be the only concern? (Will it affect the kickdown linkage?)

Second question: How big of an issue is this? Meaning... is it just due to the wider head? Is this something I can just fabricate/modify to work, or will I have to look for some linkages, and how hard might this be to find?

I didn't know a thing about the later /6 differences until yesterday, so just want to make sure I'm not creating a bigger issue than I already have.

Anyone with info/experience... thanks!

Do you mean the different valve cover design? The only differences in the 1983 head from your original 1972 head will be the spark plug style, the valve cover, and the rear rocker shaft bolt hole. Otherwise they will be identical. There is no wider head.


The 83 long block will drop right into your 72 and fit exactly like the 72 motor did, so long as you use the 72 oil pan and oil pump pickup. Your 72 manifolds, throttle, and kickdown linkages will bolt up to the 83 block exactly like they did to the 72 block and all the adjustments will be the same. The only difference you will have is that you will no longer have to adjust your valves because the 83 motor will have hydraulic lifters.

While the motor is out I recommend replacing the timing chain and gears (you will have the oil pan off anyway). You should also take the time to degree the camshaft since replacement timing components are not manufactured to very high tolerances these days and often do not put the camshaft in the correct position in relation to the crankshaft.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

There shouldn't be any issues.

Your not mixing hydraulic parts with mechanical parts. Just putting your stack (intake/exhaust) on a running hydraulic engine.

You will want to look at the oil pickup and oil pan. The truck sump may interfere with K-Frame. Use your oil pickup and oil pan, problem solved.

There shouldn't be any differences that will interfere with the swap beyond that, but others will chime in if there are.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Great, thanks for the info. I was reading about the wider head, I can't remember what site it was on, but maybe they just meant the valve cover. I don't know that I've ever even seen a /6 this late, except for maybe many years ago.

The engine is already in a car, so it already should have the correct oil pan.

I am looking forward to not having to adjust the rockers

Thanks for the tip on checking the timing/cam, I will be sure to check that out.

Otherwise, sounds like exactly the drop-in I was hoping for. I knew this would be the place to go.

Thanks guys! Open to any other input of course.

See you around, I'm sure I'll be here more often now that I have a /6 again for the first time since about 1993!

There is no wider head, all slant six heads have the same foot print and can be swapped to any block 1960-1987, the only 'variance' is the evolution and options of: hardened seats, hydraulic vs. mech rockers, the drool spark plug tubes vs. taper chevy plugs, the special head for the early aluminum block, and the combustion chamber.

As per before:

1) Swap your 1972 pan and pickup to the new block.
2) I would also highly recommend the new timing chain since the old one
may be loose and you'll tear it down again to fix it. Degreeing the cam is wanted since the timing gear 'dots' are not accurate enough to line up and hope the phasing is right.
3) Since were unsure that your 1972 "stack" and the 1983 head are still flat, you may want a Remflex gasket just in case to make up for any inconsistencies between the two.
4) All you 1972 accessories will bolt right on, make the swap and the changes and drop it back into your car.
5) Make sure that when you request a valve cover gasket it is for a 1983 as the valve cover foot print is different between the two types of motor 1960-1980 mechanical lifter 1981-1987 hydraulic lifter.

Good Luck,

-D.Idiot

Thanks for the tip on the Remflex gasket.

Glad there is no wider head like I had read. That was really my only concern!

The engine should be a fairly fresh rebuild, but of course while it's out I'll check it over. It's in an Aspen now, so I'm thinking the pan that's on it should be fine (?). It's not coming directly out of a truck. The engine was apparently rebuilt, has few miles, but due to the rust on the car, the owner decided to abandon it and it's being parted out now.

Assuming it's what it sounds like, I think this will be a nice upgrade for the tired ol' '72!

Just so you guys don't think I'm nuts, this is where it was implied (well, actually just incorrectly stated) that the head itself was wider. Someone stated, then no one corrected it, so it had me wondering enough to ask the experts!

I didn't know what they were talking about, but thought the casting may have somehow been different to make it "wider" to affect linkage fitment...

It's not something I just made up out of thin air!!!! (See post #9)

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/sho ... p?t=162948

Aspen/Volare pans will fit in all 1967-1976 A-bodies, just watch the oil drain plug as some are a rear dump and some are a side dump....

So you just have to swap your stack and linkage and drop it in at this point.



That guy is a twinkie, the hydro head is not wider, it has the same foot print as all the other heads (Charlie S explains it correctly), it has a more solid casting like the 1975+ BL heads (aka you now have "holes for the pushrods", not a big opening like the drool tube heads/your head from 1972). The late heads have a smaller rear bolt for oiling starting in 1979 so if swapping a late head onto an early motor, you can swap the shaft and rockers, but the rear bolt has to stay with that head. The valve cover also has a 'jog' in it near the alternator mount compared to the 1960-1980 mech lifter covers that are straight across.

Sounds like it will be easier swap and drop than previously assumed.

-D.Idiot

We are convinced you are totally sane, but the first statement will probably make your family and a lot of your old friends wonder!

Olaf

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Aspenized

Oh, it's entirely too late for that, ha! My wife already thought I was insane, but then when I got a 2nd Dart, she thinks I've gone off the deep end since they're "the same" (the other is a '68 GTS, so, they couldn't be more different!)

Thanks again to everyone for assuaging my fears so quickly, since I'm picking this thing up tomorrow morning.