Thanks for the opportunity to show off my beast.
I picked this up at a car show in Grand Rapids, Minnesota a couple years ago. There was not much known about it at the time other than it looked and sounded good. It had a
sweet running 383 with 4 bbl and appeared to be original except for
paint.
Last year I thought maybe we should sell it and look for a 440 powered something. We attempted to sell at a couple car corrals to no avail. At that time I decided that the beast needed a built 440. If it were to remain in the family, it would be a sweet merge-mobile. (I just call it a merge-mobile cause it really does....)
This car has only power steering and power trunk opener; no disc brakes or power anything else. It is really a stripped down model; that in itself makes it kinda neat!
Last Fall I found a 1968-300 with a 440 that was needing to find a junk yard so we extracted all that was good, and skidded the rest to its final place. When I pulled the 440 apart I found it was a J block, bored .030 and had low compression pistons, and all other components with about 90000 miles.
Time to go shopping.
I ordered a Comp Cam kit with springs, pushrods,and the whole ball of wax. They were helpful folks. I found a rebuild set with 10:1 pistons, rings, bearings etc. but had to bore again, this time its .060 over. The heads were 452's with hard seats and excellent valves. The engine shop did a touch up on them along with putting the block together
after they machined it. We added some chrome to it, painted it Mopar orange, had the 727 rebuilt and decided against the shift kit. I found a pair of 1969 hi performance cast iron headers, made the left front motor mount because Mopar didn't have anything that fit. I had to fabricate little spark plug wire holders because of the headers; (that rubber dip you can
buy for your tools works great for coating like the originals are.) I bought a Mopar electronic ignition and installed it, 8mm super wiring and 2-1/2 inch exhaust on both sides thru a pair of flow masters. It has the Holly carb that came on the 1968 engine and it needs to be replaced with something else. I've considered a electronic injector setup but I'm
not ready to spend the money on that yet.
This Chrysler is a fine sounding, not bad running, merge-mobile, just like I intended!
I need to get some dependable tires as I love to put a little pressure on it on the highway, (we live about 30 miles from town.) The wife likes her 360 Durango much better, she has air conditioning. I like the looks and thumbs-up the beast brings each time we're out with it.
Next will be a Charger or Challenger, after we've finished the '32 Nash that's being rodded. Might be a good home for a orphan 383, huh?????
As you know, there is nothing quite like a big block Mopar on the Interstate -- or merging into fast moving traffic!
Great job with your Chrysler!
You have discovered what even many Mopar fans don't realize: the BIG Mopars are awesome cars!
A 383 powered Nash sounds like a winner to me! Nash --> AMC --> Chrysler: hey, isn't a Nash now sort-of a Mopar anyway? :-)
A Charger or Challenger is cool, but, of course, you know I'd find a '62 to '65 B body and go for it! :-) If you want a head turner and "what the!" reactions, nothing quite matches a big block powered '62 Dart or '62 Plymouth! Heh, heh. But I admit I'm biased. :-)
Gary H.
October 5, 2000.