The Mopar small block part 1| The 273 V8 “the origins of greatness!”|

[@Kale-Lopaka]

This really takes me back. In 1983 my senior year of high school, my friend bought a 1966 Dart for $500, as is. It was a complete body/chassis painted interior unfinished and the engine was disassembled completely, with many new components that had been purchased. He came to me because I’d been working on cars since age 11, my father was a master mechanic and he taught me. So with my knowledge, a Motor manual, and my brain I dove into rebuilding this unknown engine. I had never heard of a 273 v8, and my dad even thought I made a mistake, but it was right. There was no internet, the library was all I had and the motor manual. But I realized I had something special in this engine. A specifically build small block high performance engine. I learned all I could about it and was fascinated. As my friend worked on his interior I was putting together what I needed for the engine. Had block and crank checked by machine shop and they were in great shape, so I went looking for more. He had a budget so I had to keep everything within reason, but I had a cousin who owned a junkyard and access to it all. I found a 70 340 barracuda and a set of X heads. Had them checked. Bought a 3/4 cam. Edelbrock med high rise intake, and Carter 4bbl 1150 cfm dual float carb. A great ignition and distributor setup. Then I started rebuilding the engine. I ported and polished the heads, and that engine went together smoothly. We installed the engine and tuned it. It ran so smoothly and was peppy. Had to be careful to not break the tires loose. It has chops. We took it to Ohio Valley raceway just south of us and put it on the drag strip. It would smoke the tires on take off. Ran 1/4 mile in 14.4 at 93 mph. It was a beast. We graduated high school and lost touch. I ran into him about 6-7 years later, found his wife had been using it as a daily driver for a while. With that engine? I said. Turns out he sold that engine alone for $3k to someone and swapped in a slant 6. But I still look back as my first achievement as an amateur mechanic. Great video and information!

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Thank you so much for sharing your awesome story, I’m glad you were able to touch base again with your friend and the car ( which rarely if ever happens). This is the awesome part about these cars, not only their significance in automotive history but their roll in our amazing journeys through life and how they help shape who we are and who we’ll become. Thank you so much for liking my video I really appreciate it

[@bdogjr7779]

Awesome《☆》It's interesting how the pistons have 4 Valve reliefs. I think it served 2 purposes. 1 to lower the compression & 2 would allow for the pistons to be rotated 180° at installation. Mopar didn't offer any 4 valve heads back then. I think Toyota & Honda were making 4 valve Hemi heads for cars & motorcycles in the late 60s early 70s. 273 is a Great under appreciated engine✌🏼😎☯️

[@richardturk7162]

I had a 1965 Barracuda formula S with a 273 V8 and 4 speed. The only weak link in that car was the 7.25 rear end. My brother who bought the car new drag raced it mostly and installed an A body 8 3/4 rear end and a 4:56 ring and pinion. It was always a very strong running car and ran low 13 second 1/4 mile passes back in 1965 -66.in basically stock configuration. He eventually had the engine balanced and blueprinted a healthy solid lifter cam and fenderwell headers. This was the configuration when I bought it off him. The car was a very strong street race car and I street raced it a lot. The main thing is the stock pushrods do not like a lot of RPM so buy a quality set of adjustable push rods. Whatever cam you decide on be sure to upgrade the rocker arms and push rods. I built a 340 and used a Racer Brown solid lifter cam use 273 rockers and RB adj pushrods.

[@saxmusicmail]

The LA engines (273, 318, 340, 360) had the distributor in the rear/driver side. The Hemi and B/RB engines (361, 383, 400, 440) had the distributors on the front/passenger side.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Correct, accept for the earlier hemi’s (331,354,392) which had the distributor in the back like the LA engines did

[@kevinmcguire3715]

273 heads from a two barrel 180-190 horsepower engine are the same as 4 bbl 235 horsepower units. The compression increase from 8.8 to 10.5 came from a pop up on the piston crown. 8.8pistons have double rows of valve reliefs milled into them . I am really enjoying your videos as I built my first "Hot" 273 for my 63 Valiant in 1971 after graduating high school.

[@wakeUPdummies]

Im plotting on putti g a 273 crank in a 5.2 magnum block. Then, boost the destroked roller motor, to build what i will call the Twister. Just plotting, for now. Thanks for the content.

[@andrewhunley5705]

Thank you for the video. I'm working on a plymouth valiant signet with the 273 in it and I'm still learning about it on how to work on it and fix it.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

That’s awesome, I’m glad it helped

[@cmintsurfer]

Much better overview than I've seen in quite a while on any engine. I had to jump ahead. This one called out "watch me next".

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Thank you I’m really glad you enjoyed it, I tried to hit all the major points that I thought were important about this engine.

[@mopardad3959]

Yup, you never stop learning. Even if it's the hard way.

[@wayneninnemann4490]

I had a 273 many many years ago in a 67' Barracuda. Loved it, always say I will get another someday. Some has not come yet..... My Mopar friends "why would you want that?" "Just pop in a 340 or 360." I'm proud I get it, sad that they don't..... 273's for ever! :)

[@hillbillymechanics1728]

Love that blue point cart/box

[@davidvasko6300]

I was able to tune my 1965 273 in the 65 dart to run very well one point not mentioned is the 273 abilities to rev very high even with the dual points. I was able to rework that dual point to free rev as mentioned. Finding that sweet spot with the solid lifter lash is paramount.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

That’s true, very good point

[@IronHorseGarage]

Awesome sir!!! Good info!! The 273 exhaust manifolds were used a lot on 340's and 360's to put in the early A bodies, although restrictive they work for fitment!!

[@westernblood3732]

This is a great video for non-Mopar gearheads looking to get information on the Chrysler Small block. Good job, sir!

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I’m really glad you enjoyed my video.

[@moparnut6286]

When you said electric I yelled at the screen no no no! I knew better HA HA! poly head wider and block heavier, like the info no one really pays attention unless they are true gearheads like us, glad to see the tensioner off the old 3.9 v6 great idea on a street engine..... you do know the the small block Mopar is an interference engine if the timing chain breaks there is a possiblity of piston to valve contact even more with the pistons that go all the way to the top! cool video thanks for the shout out and putting me in good company Joe!

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

a nice little turbo on a 273 v8 = magic stink vanishing machine - even a rough backyard conversion will scare you !

[@StrokedGT]

I just bought a 273 block, I’m not going to put it in my Dart but it’s the numbers matching block that came in my car. I’m thinking of building it up slowly to put in a car for my wife, or keep it as garage decoration

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Nice these are really cool little engines

[@randyrobey5643]

This is a pretty accurate presentation. It is nice to see younger people learning about the engines I grew up with. Thank you for the video.

[@powerwagon7811]

Nice to see a 273 build, they are the early performance engine post hemi.

[@mrdanforth3744]

You mention some similarities between the 273 and the Chrysler hemi. One thing no one seems to have noticed, the 273 when it was introduced came in 2 versions, 180HP with a 2 barrel carb and 235HP with a 4 barrel. The first Chrysler hemi 331 was introduced as a 180HP 2 barrel and later they got a 235HP 4 barrel. The 273 used the 318 block, crankshaft, rods, bearings etc. with a 1/8" smaller bore. They gave them an extra thick, heavy wrist pin to bring the weight of the piston up to match the 318 piston to keep it in balance without changing anything.

[@ksphysicist]

I loved my 64 273 Barracuda. You might be surprised to know the Viper engine was developed from the LA. Also, early 273 all had forged crsnks. I miss mine so much.

[@jimedwards4973]

Thank you for the idea of the timing chain tension er. I am starting restoration of my own 66 barracuda. A long way to go but enjoying the journey.

[@liveordiecast8604]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing some great information! My grandfather bought a 67 dodge dart gt off the showroom floor. I'm thinking about bringing it back to life and was debating keeping the 273 but I think I may have just changed my mind. Everything looks amazing, I'm sure it will come out 🍒. Very cool build!

[@kpgsx]

Look at all that beef around the pistons!! 273LA 3.65" bore looks tiny

[@lambrokedrc5998]

Poly-sphere💪👍🍺🦅🦅🦅 THNX!

[@mattdale81861]

Excellent info.

[@Winslow273]

66 was the first year for the 'new' angle on the intake manifolds.

[@dumpsterchicken6287]

Great video, thank you.

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

Thanks for the info. Just bought a 66 Belvedere 2. Seller told me it had a 318 in it. I just went to do a tune up on it and discovered it is a 273. So trying to learn as much as I can about this motor.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

I’m glad you enjoyed my video and the info you got from it, please feel free to ask me anything you want about this engine and it’s family of engines and I’ll tell you all I know

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

@@tailsfromthejunkyard1023 Will do, thanks.

[@kevinsmith5885]

Love your style of presentation and content. Have recently purchased a Dart 68 4 door here in New Zealand.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. And congratulations on your purchase!

[@stevekagi]

nice video! only correction is that the A engines came in all mopars prior to the LA through 66. no LA in chargers or full size till 67.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Thanks for the correction I appreciate it

[@alanfitzgeraldsr2201]

Had a 61 Dodge Phoenix with a 273 from the factory 😊

[@troynov1965]

I once saw a slant 6 Mopar running with a rod sticking out its side. I was amazed it was still running, sounded like shit but it was running.

[@garthkolbeck8674]

I had a 76 duster Bondo special slant 6 ran two quarts low and I eventually found out that the wrong dipstick was in the motor... Oil was filled with with and brown froth from a leak into the block but it kept running... Just rusted away... The automatic transmission was fantastic!🤣

[@darlingxluxii7977]

Nice video ♥️

[@lw216316]

MY first car was a 66 Dodge Dart GT 273cu in 4 speed 4-bbl. dual points Do you know what the stock rear end would have been? 3:91 maybe? I never raced it. Do you know what the 1/8 mile and 1/4 mile time and speed might have been ?

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Most 66 darts came with 7 1/4 rear with either a 3:45, 3:21, or 2:91 gears. If it’s a true 4 speed 4-bbl v8 car, then usually those came with the 8 3/4 rear end with either a 3:55, 3:23, or even a 2:96. It all really depends on what was optioned on the car and if it’s been modified from stock

[@frankcastle5294]

Millions of American car owners needed a strong reliable fuel efficient lightweight V8 in the 60's, as opposed to what is believe to be the case today. SBC's were fine...little 221 and 260 Fords decent...but the Chrysler LA 273 was a dynamo and game changer. Revved to the moon and unGodly easy to work on and tune. The Polys first surfaced in the late 50's but during the course of their run, they just werent' all that great. And way too heavy for the A body that surfaced in April of 64.

[@barbershoppodcast]

It's about the exact same size as my 1997 BMW V8 (4.4 litre M62) - and I've always wondered what it would take to make it have the same power (300/300) with one of these classic babes....

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

It’s actually very easy! All you would need is to balance the crank and pistons, install a cam with a profile slightly bigger then the one used in the 340 TA engine and use the heads out of a Formula S 273 engine, port and polish those heads, use a 318 specific Eddelbrock dual plane intake manifolds, then add your choice of headers and that should be it. That combo is probably worth 300+ hp and torque

[@351classic-ez3]

By any chance anyone knows how to remove the engine sleeve #4 from these 273 engines? I have to replace piston sleeve #4 because it has rust damage and I don't know how to remove it

[@redemptionsznproductiontv5699]

How do I make more power in my 1966 dart gt with 273 pls modifications to wake it up

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

On a 273 your best bet is use the cam from a Formula S, port and polish the stock heads, add headers and free flowing exhaust, and a dual plane eddlebrock intake with a 600cfm carb. Get that combination and then add 10 degrees of initial timing with 35 degrees total timing and you should be looking at anywhere from 275 to 280 hp and about 300 torque. That will really wake that thing up!

[@ClassicAutoBrkrSvcs]

Can you link the tensioner you used? I'm rebuilding a 273 out of a 65 Cuda 4 bbl commando. Thanks.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

Hey there sure thing here’s a link to the Summit page for the tensioner. It says it’s for a 3.9 L V6, but it fits perfectly. www.summitracing.com/parts/clo-9-5387

[@ClassicAutoBrkrSvcs]

@@tailsfromthejunkyard1023 Perfect, thank you. Seems to be a lot of different opinions on rather to use a tensioner.

[@tailsfromthejunkyard1023]

@@ClassicAutoBrkrSvcs​​⁠ from my experience the tensioner work just fine. It’s absolutely 100% not really necessary, but it does keep the chain from rattling when it does eventually stretch out a little bit and it keeps the timing on point which is nice

[@calvincrews3885]

The 273 is actually the next cheapest V8 engine for those who want to a budget performance motor build

[@jesusnunez1807]

When can u work on my 1967 dodge coronet 318

[@747fixr]

They put 383 and 440 in these cars also

[@carpballet]

Is the “tails” about your ponytail?

[@carpballet]

Seriously, I’d like to know what “Tails from the Junkyard” means.