Poly Parts

[1966D100]

Ok, I found Kanters website again, seems their prices haven't changes since the last time I checked them.

Things I need help with finding or looking for sugestions on:

1. Aftermarket Cam shaft. Something mild, still good for street use, but also has a nice sound to it.
2. Pistons. Kanter has stock ones in all flavors of bore sizes, but along with milling the heads, I want to bump up the compression. But its still going to be a mild street cruiser, not a drag car, so a piston with a giant dome is out of the question
3. Stock valve springs ok? Obviously change out the ones in there for new ones, but would they still be fine with a different cam shaft than stock?
4. Oil pan. This is going to be a T-bucket, so clearence of a cross member shouldn't be an issue. Whats the best one to use? Car or Truck?
5. Lifters. Stock ones alright too? Or should I go with something a little better that will eventually save me headaches in the long run.

Otherwise, since I know the beast has been from a hard farm life, I'm thinking of a .030 over bore, nothing big and fancy. Plus I plan on having the rotating assembly balanced as well. I hope the crank and the mains are still good, but if I have to, I'll have those ground and straightened too.

I'm debating on doing a tear down after I get home since I'll have a few weeks off before classes start up again. We'll see if my dad put the heater in the garage this year or not.

I'm open to sugestions and parts places to look up. Not looking to buy just yet, but it would be nice to know where and how much these parts will be when I get the cash and time.

 

[68R/T]

The rumor is that the poly and early hemi blocks share the same casting. I have never verified this, but if you can, it may be easier searching certain parts for an early hemi listing than a poly. :huh:

 

[1966D100]

The rumor is that the poly and early hemi blocks share the same casting. I have never verified this, but if you can, it may be easier searching certain parts for an early hemi listing than a poly. :huh:

You are correct to a point. The 301 and the 331 Poly's had the same block casting as the Hemi's of the same size and year and those can be interchangable with heads and other such parts.

Sadly, the 318 has no such ability to do so, the only thing I can go off of is the bottom end is the same as the later LA 318, but my top end is Poly-specific and can't be changed out with anything else but Polysphere parts, mainly, other 318's.

 

[69.5CUDA]

oilpan id wait on till you know where your sticking the engine in the frame in relation to the suspension..odds are you will want a truck pan..or better yet a scratch built pan to carry ALOT more oil

since the engine will be exposed i sugjest looking for some old school aluminum extrenal parts off ebay..aluminum VC's maybe a pan(if they made em) ect

 

[1966D100]

I know a place that sells polish aluminum valve covers for the Poly, but last time I checked I could get the frame and body and still have money left over from what that guy wanted for a set of valve covers. Yeah they looked awesome (all shiny and ribbed) but I don't feel like blowing that kind of cash when I can put a nice coat of red on mine and maybe add a white "Polysphere" on them.

But I won't turn down a deal if I can find some. I want to keep the chrome down a bit, just enough so it's tastefull and not overbearing, plus I don't have much money to spend at the moment either, so parts like those can be bought at a later time when I can pull more money in, but for now, I'll stick to painted parts unless something comes my way at the moment.

Though your sugestion is well noted...it could use some more shine to it since it will be mostly Olive Drab in the first place.

 

[69.5CUDA]

i just ment you should keep an eye on ebay..never know what might turn up that you like

 

[1966D100]

True, I'll keep an eye out. And if I can, I'm going to try to attend Iola and some other swap meet/car shows next year. That is if I don't get that internship this summer. We'll see.

 

[MOPAR MARV]

Okay,I am going to show just how old and odd I am now but here goes,

A lot of people don't know it but the poly 318 shares some parts with the newer 318. Its been a long time since I played there[like 25 years] but if my memory serves me correctly,they use the same oil pumps,water pump,transmissions,carbs,
distributors,fuel pumps,and I'm sure there are a couple of other things I'm forgetting.I'm not totally sure but for some reason I think they even use the same timing chain and gears and possibly valve springs and retainers,so you might be able to adjust things a bit and be able to use some 340 valve springs and such.I think they even share timing covers.

While I can't remember the exact specs,a stock poly 318 makes more torque at a lower RPM than a stock "68 to "70 340 does.

Thanks to the local government crush cars incentive programs its nearly impossible to find a good poly 318 around here now but in my opinion they were one of Ma Mopar's best all round engines!
They only had two real weaknesses,crappy exhaust manifolds and the intake manifolds are famous for warping if the engine is overheated at all.

If I had to take the big block out of my truck["76 400 hp]I'd rather replace it with a poly over any stock 318 or 360 2 barrel carbed motor.As a matter of fact,I've had a buddy that travels a lot watching for a good poly 318 for me,just in case gas prices get any crazier. :doh:
I'm betting , it would drop a few jaws when folks saw a poly 318 sitting in a "78 Dodge heavy half engine compartment.:toot:

Oops,I almost forgot. The last company that I know of that still had aftermarket cams for the poly 318 was Isky and Edelbrock was the only company that still made intakes for them and Hedman was the last outfit to offer a header kit for them.So that is where I would start looking.

I don't know if any of them are still around now but the poly was available with a factory two four barrel setup in like 1958/1959 and I'm told they were a real strong performer in the day.

Anyway good luck with your project and keep us posted on how it works out.

 

[69.5CUDA]

ill dig up a old set of mopar rags...i know they did a 318/318 build up to compare out a wide block to an LA and gave a hell of a list of good parts and interchange info

 

[MOPAR MARV]

ill dig up a old set of mopar rags...i know they did a 318/318 build up to compare out a wide block to an LA and gave a hell of a list of good parts and interchange info

Sounds good. Its been a long time away from the polys for me so I could probably use a refresher course.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Read this thread, and if you can, get in touch with Gary Pavlovich himself. This guy eats, sleeps, and breathes Polysphere. If he can't tell you, nobody can... get it from The Source personally. Or check out this site.

As far as the pistons, the stockers are over 9:1, if memory serves. A mild head shave would have you right in the ballpark for a pump-gas engine, I would think.

 

[MOPAR MARV]

Very cool! thank you Dr. J.

 

[1966D100]

Ohhhh....now I'm getting power hungry again...

Initially, I was going to stroke it with the 360 crank along with the .090 overbore to yeild a 360 Poly which is documented by Bill Richardson of RAM Racing Engines, Lynchburg VA (an avid & knowledgeable 318 Poly builder) to produce from 350-500+ HP depending on your intent and budget.

Son of a bitch...that would be one hell of an engine in a T-bucket...though I think I would have to move to alcohol if I run that kind of set up...but then again, the price gas is going, I'm better off fermenting my own fuel out back in my parents barn :shifty:.

But in all seriousness, the engine is (at the time) just a planned cruiser, but it would be cool to show people that the Poly is more than just an old 2 1/2 Hoda civics steel paper weight. Its just the matter of money I'll have to do it with.

If I were to go performance, I might do a five speed, but for now, a simple cruiser will work with an auto. I've been spotting used 727's for damn near free on the net, which is close to my kind of price (free). Need the acessories to make it though (flex plate, torque converter), and it would need a rebuild (I have no idea what I'd be doing there). But I think for now this T-bucket street cruiser idea fits the current budget. But if I land a nice job with a comfy paycheck, things may change, or the planned vehicle for this engine may change (might put it in something different), who knows.

 

[gomopar440]

I don't know.:huh: IMHO, I usually prefer the auto's, but I wouldn't use anything else but a manual trans (with a TALL shifter of course) in a bucket .:shifty: