Mystery 360.

Diplomat_Wagon

Hiding In The Bushes While
I just spent the night tearing down my unknown 360 short block that was the running engine in the old Power Wagon originally when my brother bought it.

Original engine for that mutt of what originally was a '79 W-150 but is now a '74 W-100 due to a cab swap after not one but two roll overs, I very much doubt it. :D

From what I can tell with the help of my engine instructor is it has standard pistons, rods, crank, and bearings.

But as for exactly what year of 360 we could not determine, and seeing that there is so much taper in the bores of this old girl it will be needing AT LEAST a .040 overbore, there is where the casting date needs to be determined. A TSB I have from 1996 states that '71-'76 are up to .080 over but '77-up are max .040 over. I need to know.

I think at one time someone had replaced the bearings in it with standard size bearings as the mains are full groove on the top side and not one single connecting rod/piston assembly was in the right spot. #1 was where #7 should be etc. :doh:

Here is literally the only things I have to go by. The casting number. Google came up empty handed.

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I cannot make out 100% what the date code is. It looks like 2-73-76 but could be 78, it's hard to tell.


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The engine ID pad on the top left bank is blank.

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As is the vehicle ID pad above the pan.

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Of course when I'm at school right? :doubt:
 
o.0..weird one....course the "318" turned out to be a 273 with similarly blank pads.....but its blue and FACTORY painted....
 
All Chrysler LA engines are a maximum .040" overbore. Yes, most will live at .060" over, but the thinwall design of the block will cost you ring seal and therefore efficiency and power. .080" over is pure insanity. I've sonic-tested a number of 360s and other than core shift in the major-thrust direction, they're all the same.

Obviously, both this 360 and the 273 are service-replacement engines. In the case of a '64 273, though, there would've never been any numbers to match as VIN stamping didn't start until 1968. The replacement theory on the 273 makes sense, since that engine went out of production in 1969, and starting in '70 standard-performance small blocks were painted blue... including replacement engines.
 
We are hoping .040 will clean this one up as it has in excess of .022 taper in a couple of holes.

Should start rough punching it within the next couple of days, depends on what my instructors evenings are like.


We will set .040 as the limit and see what happens.
 
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Looking at the casting date, and the casting numbers, I'm pretty sure the motor is a 78, not a 76.
 
I'm going to have to rip to the farm and get another one then. It's needs a minimum of 0.40" and it might not clean up.

It's junk.
 
:Hmmm:

That's a cool idea!!! Wonder how much 1/2 tempered glass would cost...



Runs out back to make sure the teener is still there
 
:Hmmm:

That's a cool idea!!! Wonder how much 1/2 tempered glass would cost...







Runs out back to make sure the teener is still there





Now if you knew me really well, you would know for a fact that I will be buying a sheet of Lexan for this coffee table. :D

(I'm the one with the bucket.)

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My friend with the cone on his head has this 318 in his basement man cave.

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He's got this above his entertainment center too. :giggedy:

He's a big demo derby guy and he one three derbies with that car. So it's like a trophy. :D

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:D nice!

I think the tempered glass would work better for me, I'm slightly calmer in my older years. I thought about using wood, but that kinda defeats the purpose of using something like this.

I'm thinking about using it on my back porch. Now I just need to screen it in, stain the concrete and get some furniture... :hmmm: gotta get on my wife's honeydo list :doh:
 
That's cool!!!

I showed my wife and she said, and I quote "that's pretty cool, paint it the right color and you can put it in here..."
 
Let me tell you, Howie is CALM compared to Kailyn!!! That girl is hell on wheels! :burnout:

I've never seen any kid as dedicated to getting into trouble as her. Take the dog food for instance, she'll reach into the bowl while looking at us, we'll say "no" and move her away, she comes back, we'll smack her hand and move her away again. Once more she comes back we'll tell her no again so she'll sit back and put her foot in the bowl while staring us down and daring us to do something. Now mind you this has gone on pretty much since she could move, 6 months or better and I don't see it getting any better.:huh:

Oh, and after "dada" her next word was "bow" as in :hail:"bow before Kailyn" :doh:
 
I knew a little girl like that. :D

All I'm saying is with that many kids passing through the place (eventually, meaning all your kids' friends too), I would avoid tempered glass. One good strike with a hard object, and you're going to have a big mess to clean... and your wife will say, "It was your idea, which makes it your mess." :D
 
True, but with tempered glass injuries would be help to a minimum. I could make a nice wooden frame to protect the glass from the kids though :hmmm:

:D
 
I'm going to make wood frame with the lexan sandwiched in between.

Probably going to go with something nice like maple.
 
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