350 Chev engine and tranny in a '49 Chrysler Windsor 4 door

[DanielB]

Hello all. Does anyone know the ins and outs of swapping a 350 Chev engine and a 350 transmission into a '49 Chrysler Windsor? I know Chevy engines have found there way into many other cars -just not many old Mopars. I'm thinking about Chevy due mainly to the availability of parts and my personal experience in repairing them. The wheel wells and space under the hood make me believe that this will be a difficult task. I am open to other engine/tranny combos, especially ones that fit easily.

[fred]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hello all. Does anyone know the ins and outs of swapping a 350 Chev engine and a 350 transmission into a '49 Chrysler Windsor? I know Chevy engines have found there way into many other cars -just not many old Mopars. I'm thinking about Chevy due mainly to the availability of parts and my personal experience in repairing them. The wheel wells and space under the hood make me believe that this will be a difficult task. I am open to other engine/tranny combos, especially ones that fit easily. </div></div>How about a Chrysler flat head 6, with dual carbs, headers dual exhaust, mild cam, if you don't want a fluid drive set up that came originally, you could go with a Wilcap adaptor plate and add a turbo 350 trans with this setup,this would work well with a 3.54 diff, if thats what you intend to use, or you could go with a 3spd standard with overdirve, and a 4.10 diff, lots off the line and the OD to keep the rpms, down after 60 mph. I know someone that was going to put a SBC and Turbo 350 in his 49 Chrsler Coupe, but he went back to a flat head 6,I can relate I have a flattie in my 48 Chrys Coupe, and love these engines.

[DanielB]

Fred I like the idea of an adapter plate. That would surely simplify things. I checked the website for wilcap adapters and it looks like they have what I will need.

[Guest CutNChop]

Mount kits are available from PlyDo. Flathead Six performance parts are used by some guys at P15-D24.com Forum

engine belonging to blueskies

[Guest imported_billmeyer]

My '50 Dodge had the Chevvy engine & tranny in it when I purchased it. This is way too much power for the suspension & brake systems on these cars. We hauled out the Chevvy engine, rebuilt the original 6 and restored the car to its original specs. To install the V-8, you have to cut out the main support beam that held up the back of the engine & transmission and fabricate one for the V-8. You also have to cut out most of the interior wheel wells. What a mess! We were able to locate a replacement cross-beam which we welded into place to support the ol' six. But I'm still missing part of the interior wheel wells ( I try to keep it out of the rain as much as possible). Again, if you've driven one of these cars, they are not designed for that kind of V-8 power. The steering is no where as sharp as with modern cars, and the brakes, by today's standards, are mediocre as best. They were designed for an age when 560 MPH was considered highway speed.

[Guest CutNChop]

Steering and brakes are the same design used on Hemi powered cars up to '54.

Disc brake conversion kits is available to address poor brake issue.

They are all reversible should a subsequent owner desire to.

New front end parts are available to address that area.