Morgans 68 Charger. Engine #3...

[morgan]

This is the box.
Went off looking manky. At minimum its ow black with some copper grease on the splines

Hopefully, this should cure it - we'll see. New high pressure hose to go on. Old pump looks fine - no sign of leaks. We'll see...
More new bits coming tomorrow.

[Pete]

Looking good, Morgan.

Why would you want a Linelock if you don't intend going racing???

[morgan]

Anyway... big gap as I have had one of those weeks where to move one step forward you take 3 or 4 back... but we are moving now.

So -
- Gearbox is back. Leak found. Ready to go in with shiny new torque convertor in place. (3 clunks and seated )
- Steering box is back and in; just needs column reattaching etc.
- Line lock is in.

The problem has been with sumps.
So the new engine had a racing sump on it - about 2" deeper than stock. Great when you are ragging a daytona down a drag strip. Not great when you are cruising the speedhumps of Herts... A trial fit revealed the truth; it was just too low.
No problem, swap the sumps round and of course the oil pickup. Or so I thought. I hadnt realised that you racy types tend to modify the oil pickup from 3/8 to 1/2" - which would of course render my stock pickup unusable... argh.

This was academic anyway as I needed to get the long one out either way. Turns out you cant do this with it hanging in space the right way up. No problem; I'll have to get a heavy duty engine lift, flip it over, get the tube out.

So I order a 1000lb engine lift. It arrived next day. For £42 I think this is OK. It is not OK. The mounting arms dont go far enough apart to mount the engine. So now I have to work out a way to modify it. I go skip diving in the local metalworkers offcuts and find a couple of bits of bar that are thick enough. I make a makeshift 'step out' solution and this works. Still cant shift the pickup. In the end a 2ft pipe wrench does the job. Yay !

So now I have an upside down new engine and I need the oil pickup from the old engine. Same deal; cant get it out in mid air. So I have to spend another half day borrowing a second engine stand and getting the old engine upside down too. But FINALLY I get a break - the pickups are the same size. In fact it looks like someone has taken a long-tapped-out pickup and just bent it to fit. Which is perfect for me !

So; gaskets here tomorrow, everything is cleaned and ready, pickups installed and sealed. We are finally heading the right direction.

I know this is a rubbish post, and doesnt sound like much but its taken days of mucking about ! Goes like that sometimes...

Pics -

[morgan]

pics -

[Blue]

Progress indeed! I hope you'll be stripping and polishing those lovely finned aluminium valve covers....

[morgan]

Nah... i like the shiny cheap ones. i’m a magpie...

The finned ones have been butchered anyway - see the keith black plate !

[morgan]

7hrs of wresting and box in ( with awesome wood support- ha!) An hours work takes a day on your own - so many jacks and fulcrums...

Problem now is working out where all the bolts, levers and ancills went !! I am hoping photos will give clue! Eek!

[Dave999]

i do a manual trans the other way

motor first bolted in at the mounts and drooped down onto a wood block on the steering cross member
then bellhousing
then slide/fight the box up

but of course a manual box has no bell housing on it when you do this and an auto does so that probably stops this method being used

the thought of a swinging engine trying to line up with the bellhousing and input shaft sounds impossible. i guess it is easier (potentially the wrong word) with a torque converter.

i'd never considered the different methods needed based on type of trans... learn something new every day

Dave

[Blue]

Easy enough with an auto trans, it's a lot fiddlier with a manual transmission. I've done it loads of times although you really need a helper lining things up whereas you can drop an engine onto an auto by yourself.

[morgan]

This is good news! Haha. Its how ive seen it done anyway. Tc and flex all seated and marked up so incr its in should be ok.
The worst bit us the infernal headers ( i HATE headers) which foul/block EVERYTHING. ( like torsion bar out to change starter). I am going to try having them ‘resting’ as i lower engine..

On the upside, almost done swapovers. Today got water pump, new fuel pump, thermo, rockers etc. Getting there...

[morgan]

Thinking of starting a new thread. "Phrases you never hear in mopar ownership".
My opener will be "Oh Great ! Headers ! Everything is easier with headers ! "

Man I hate headers... Still. Tricky side in now.

[Pete]

Try a Hemi.

A Wedge is a walk in the park... even though it may not feel it.....

[mygasser]

Thinking of starting a new thread. "Phrases you never hear in mopar ownership".
My opener will be "Oh Great ! Headers ! Everything is easier with headers ! "

Man I hate headers... Still. Tricky side in now.

''it's so much easier to change the plugs in my dart now i've fitted a 440 instead of that pesky 318''

[morgan]

Well, after hours of fiddling, had to abandon the 10mm shims in mounts. Just didnt have the wiggle. Anyway, back to stock. Will try and adjust in the morrow. About 3mm to torsion bar.

[morgan]

Well; a day or two from fire up. Ignition, fluids, bit of plumbing and we are there. Almost...


Here's a problem though (that some of you anticipated). Air cleaner...
The Daytonas engine has a high intake manifold on it. With a 1/2" heat spacer too. It is visibly higher than before - I *think* too high.

What options have I got chaps ?
I reckon its -
- Drop the spacer (obvs)
- Lower/thinner air cleaner ? (pancake style as we used to call them. Do they still exist ? )
- swap the manifold out for a lo plane (this seems a shame)
- Hole in bonnet not an option. Not my style...

Thoughts ?