Should I move up to a 360?

[Scatterbrain]

I just spoke to the guy who posted this add.

http://austin.craigslist.org/pts/699961661.html

He wants $250 for the 360.  He has no specs on it.  Doesn't know when it was rebuilt.  Doesn't have any numbers from the heads, gotta be truck heads.  He says he just picked up the truck a couple of days ago.  It wasn't running because of a crack in the electric fuel pump.  He replaced it and got it running again.  It doesn't knock, ping or overheat.  It should be an easy swap from my 318 shouldn't it?  Any gotchas I may run into?

[Chryco Psycho]

the 360 is externally balanced with either balanced converter or flywheel , the left engine mount if different on the 360 , the 360 uses a different oil pan then the 273 ,318, 340, & the truck pan is different from the car pan so you will need an oil pan for a 360 car

[72bluNblu]

I'm not positive, but I think '87 was the year they switched to the magnum block. Shouldn't be a problem if you get everything with it, but you'd need to know that if you wanted to swap heads or intake manifolds etc...

[Scatterbrain]

I assume my accessories / bracket should just change over correct?

[Chryco Psycho]

I assume my accessories / bracket should just change over correct?

Yes they will
 the Magnum block was introduced in 93
 the 308 heads used from 88-92 are the Best 360 production head

[72bluNblu]

Oops. Maybe it was the heads I was thinking about...

[MJS73]

I assume my accessories / bracket should just change over correct?

New brackets are pretty cheap at Summit.  If you're painting the engine and putting it into a clean engine bay it makes sense to get new brackets.

Mike

[Scatterbrain]

New brackets are pretty cheap at Summit.  If you're painting the engine and putting it into a clean engine bay it makes sense to get new brackets.

Mike

I've got a sand blast cabinet, cleans em up like new.

[Moparal]

I've got a sand blast cabinet, cleans em up like new.

The late model brackets from the truck may not be the ones you want for your e body. I don't know

[Scatterbrain]

The late model brackets from the truck may not be the ones you want for your e body. I don't know

I'll be moving the ones I have on my 318 over to the 360.

[Rob C]

The late model brackets from the truck may not be the ones you want for your e body. I don't know

Screw new beackets! Everything is swapable, but, it would be best to swap entire set ups to avoid belt alignment problems.
It doesn't matter if the engine came out of a truck, car or pick up, there all the same inside and out.

I have a '79 318 in a '74 Duster. All fits right in and works fine, no problems. There is one issue many might want to look after and that is the Alt. is a higher powered unit well over the earlier ones.
Many deleate the Amp gauge in favor of a battery Volt gauge. Not a bad idea.

Chyro stated the Magnums use date. The 318 was a year earlier. Before that, it was all standard "LA" useage. The 308 head is a "LA" head.

[Scatterbrain]

Sigh, looks like it isn't meant to be.  I changed out the front shocks this morning and took a drive around the block.  The car was acting very bouncy and it seemed like something was really wrong.  I pulled into my garage and looked things over and saw this...



Guess I'll hold off on the engine until later.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Scary picture!!         

[Chryco Psycho]

while that is bad it still is a $40 fix & shouldn`t stop you swapping an engine , if the budget is so tight that $40 throws you off cars shouldn`t be your hobby 

[Scatterbrain]

while that is bad it still is a $40 fix & shouldn`t stop you swapping an engine , if the budget is so tight that $40 throws you off cars shouldn`t be your hobby 

Ordinarily I'd agree, but those are air shocks.  If I replace one, I gotta do the other and I don't want air shocks again, which means I also have to get my leaf springs arched so I can clear my tires with normal shocks.  cha-ching...  I'm in the same boat as most folks with the economy the way it is, only so much fun money for the car