383 Magnum/727 Torqueflite to 572 Hemi/4L80E 6xSix-speed swap 69 Charger

[Bandit360]

Hi guys,

I'm just assembling parts to make the big swap.  I'm going to kind of have a problem with space in the garage even before I begin.  The 383 and 727 transmission I'm removing from the car are great original parts, rebuilt to unknown specs by a previous owner once removed from the guy I bought the car from.  I never could get the 383 timing right, I tried the full range but I either got an off idle stumble, or a miss at WOT above 4000RPM.  The 727 is painted up beautiful, and shifts reliably, (too soft into reverse, sometimes too hard into 2nd or 3rd for my preference).  The motor leaks a slight amount of oil from the passenger side cylinder head bank, but I put some new Mopar valve  covers on, and that didn't solve the problem.  A new transmission rear seal and rubber washer on the speedo cable DID solve the transmission leak though.  SO...the motor and transmission run good, maybe even great, but not EXCELLENT!  They both look great.  BUT I NEED THEM GONE!

I'm really not asking for your opinion of the modifications I plan to do to the car at this point.  Maybe some of you would leave the car the way it is.  I understand that.  I'll post some more later, including pictures, but just an alert if you're looking for this kind of original drivetrain, and can pick it up in Las Vegas, THIS WILL BE FOR SALE for a reasonable price (no I'm not giving it away).

Ray

[Bandit360]

Here's some picture of the current drivetrain.  This engine/tranny will be removed and sold the week of Mar 23rd.

[lukedukem]

can you please post your location, so that others interested in the motor or trans can see where they are and if its worth the drive
or shipping. thanks

luke

[Bandit360]

My location is stated in the first post. (OK - kind of buried in there...)

Las Vegas NV 89144

[VegasCharger]

Take it to Mopars at the Strip (MATS) and try selling it there. You'll have a large captive Mopar crowd. Its just after the date of the 23rd that you posted in this thread. MATS is March 27-29 2015.

[JR]

Is that the numbers matching engine to that 68? May wanna hang on to it if so.

[Homerr]

Is that the numbers matching engine to that 68? May wanna hang on to it if so.

Agree.

[Bandit360]

Take it to Mopars at the Strip (MATS) and try selling it there. You'll have a large captive Mopar crowd. Its just after the date of the 23rd that you posted in this thread. MATS is March 27-29 2015.

That's a great idea. I didn't even know about the event until the other day.  I was broken down on the side of the road in my 69 Mustang.  Some guy in a Nissan stopped and offered to help.  We got to talking while I was waiting for the wife to bring the truck for the tow home.  Said he had a 70 Cuda and had I seen it around?  Nope, but I told him I had a 69 Charger, and he mentioned Mopars at the Strip  (MATS) - asked if I was going.  Wasn't planning on it.  Now I am. 

(Fuel pump relay wire came loose, found and fixed two hours after I got home.  Not even my electrical connection work.  Save me the Ford jokes please.  My aluminum 2015 F150 got me home)

Well maybe I'm going.  Let me address the issue that JR and Homerr brought up.  I don't even know if the block and or transmission are matching numbers.  The block has some casting numbers on the passenger side bank, but I've never checked them against anything.  The car wasn't represented as matching numbers when I bought it, probably because a matching numbers 383 isn't that collectible.

There are a couple of sides to this hobby.  One side pits the matching numbers crowd against the guys like me who absolutely couldn't give a damn.  So let me ask for the other sides opinion. Is it worth me tripping over this removed drivetrain every time I go out in the garage for the next 20 years until I sell the car, and perhaps dealing with the trouble and expense of moving it when I move from Las Vegas to Denver next year?  All on the off chance that the original number matching drivetrain will be valuable enough to the next owner to induce him to pay MORE than he would have otherwise?

Remember, this is a 383 SE not a 440 or 426 R/T.  Nobody knows for sure what direction this hobby will ever settle on.  Will the matching numbers guys bounce back against the retro mod crowd which has been gaining steam over past ten years?  Or will I be better off just letting that power plant go, and not having to deal with the wife squeeze her car in the garage next to it for 20 years?  Assuming it is even matching numbers.  If it's not, you can come buy it at MATS Mar 27th.  If it is, I think you'll probably still find it for sale there.

Sacrilege!

Ray

[JR]

I'm not a huge numbers guy either (neither of my cars are #s matching), but it just seems like if the car has made it 40 years with the original engine you may wanna hang onto it. Even being a 383.

But that said, its your car and you're free to do whatever you like with it. Good luck on the build. Its gonna be fun with the new drivetrain.

[lukedukem]

My location is stated in the first post. (OK - kind of buried in there...)

Las Vegas NV 89144

Sorry

Luke