has/ does anyone run a chrysler 318 polysphere engine?

Old men are like that. I've spent the last three years trying to tell my old man that you just cannot get a 32 roadster for $5000 any more!!!!!!!

If Darby doesn't take those covers, I'll see if my mate Azza wants them for his dodge. He's only got chromies at the momment.

Cheers, Jimbob

 

Maybe you meant there were A and LA 318s. The A is a poly and the modern LA is more of a wedge head.

 

Opps, yeah that's what I meant. Sometimes I type too fast for my brain.

 

The LA 340(?) crank is almost a direct bolt in stroker for the 318 Poly's. A 401 CI poly is easy to build off a 318 base.

 

poly 318, 273, LA 318, and 340 share the same stroke. Pretty much the same crank.

 

the a and la blocks all look the same where the ****** mounts,regardless of year,but 56-61 has a longer crank whith 8 bolts,like the older poly/hemi,so it´s the crank that determines wich trans you could use,any trans manual or auto from a la engine will fit any a engine,as long as the crank is a six bolt post 61 crank.
you can use a stroker kit for a la 318 in the poly,and just machine the proper valve dishes for the poly head.
the 59 dodge 326 is exactly the same as an 59 plymouth 318,just being bored 040,wich actually makes 324cui,but dodge already had the poly 325 in 57,so replacing the 325 whith a 324 was out of the question,therefor the 326 label.
if you have a good poly 318 block,it´s possible to bore them to 4" just as the a360,and the 360 crank can be used when turning down the mains to 318 size,making a cheap sleeper 360 poly engine.
mopar performace,a**** many others,have a cast iron stroker crank that makes a cheap 4" stroke,combine that whith 4" bore and we´re at 401+ cubic inches,yiihaw!
tip:the aluminum camcover and waterpump of the later a´s fit the poly 318 whithout modification,they also share camdrives,bearings,and distributor=electric conversion is a bolt on mod too,well,anyone need more info,just ask,I have a brain desease called moparitus maniacus ;0)

 

Just occurred to me I never posted these in here, in case folks wanted more info! This thread was when I was "lurking" and I never posted 'em!

Join the Yahoo Group at the top of the page here:
http://www.geocities.com/polyman64/

You may also check the forum out here:
http://www.diamondbackengines.com/forums/index.php/board,6.0.html

The Victory Library guy is on the HAMB here, and goes by the name "panic". He's got TONS of great info. Check it out: http://victorylibrary.com/POLY.htm

~Jason

 

Yeah, it seems like a hundred years ago now but it was the first car engine i raced with . July 1966 Cedars Drag Strip.
Did a test port for someone last year and was involved with a 318 come 355 ( 2x4bbl) in 07 for a friend.
Don

 

I got yer Poly **** right here...

Back Seat Betty!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185390&highlight=back+seat+betty

 

Easy now we are getting some mis info.
The old dude's roadster is a 318 Poly, The Car in the magazine article despite the caption is not. It is a poly but a 270 or 325 but is NOt a 318. You need a 360 crank (with mains turned down to 340 size mus ch the same as the chevy guys turn down a 400 crank to make a 383) Been there done that. Silvolite makes a piston that works. We go .060" which these blocks dont even feel. if you use the 360 crank you must use the 360 balancer and converter or flywheel as it is an externally balanced crank.
Momma Mopar now offers this 360 stroke crank with 318 340 main size as well as a long stoker with a 4 inch storke . The blocks will take even 4 inch bore but we whimp out at .060" The guy who wrote the 402 stroker article is Gary Pavlovich. he did the work of getting it done and pushing to test it all then wrote the article and yes I am proud to say he is my friend. He is currenty working on an even stronger version with some serious port work , more cam and 2x4s. Proabalby will push the 500 HP limit. Gary can be found by searching his name in your search window. He is a California boy. The engine is a very good design and the basic block casting and bottom end is the same as the 273 318la 340
except the head cooling holes are different for the poly engines. You cannot put Hemi heads form a stock hemi on a 318 but you can on the other polys ie the 270 325 331 354 etc providing the hemi heads are from the same size engine as the poly. There is a small issue with the upper pushrod notches but it is not insurmontable.
All 318 poly covers are the same except some use two bolts and some use three but they interchange just fine. many engines with fourbarrels found their way into marine use and ares till running all over the world. I recently got an email from Germany about a set of manifolds for a pair of these in a cl***ic boat. Some of these marine engines had werd intakes with two side draft carbs as well. Often they had a full chome package too. Greavette the Muskokas built launches with these good old motors for years. If you search DOn DulmaGE you will see my other website from years ago (which is no longer accessable by me due to a server error. (someone elses p***word accidently ***igned) Click on "55" scroll to the bottom and you willsee one of those 318 Poly powered boats there. I always check out marinias when looking for 4 bbl manifolds and chrome for these engines. Boats are often repowered with La series marine units and the last time I asked the guy gave me two for cleaning up the mess the guy left. If it was a mahogany Maskoka type launch there was usaully a chrome dress kit too. Also someone said they were hydraulic cams , Not so all were solids till the last year of production. Power was 230 (2bbl) 260 (4bbl) 290 (2x4bbl) I dont know the marine hp ratings. These are the car ratings. People often go on and on about the 2X4 290 hp cam and yet when I check the parts books and maunauls all cams were the same part number for 2bbl 4 bbl and 2x4 bbl. Tis possible too but it makes ya wonder. There is a lot of renewed interest in these engines If anyone ever made an updated performance head for them like Vic E for instance they would be super popular. May never happen though. They are though a real fun motor. Don
Don

 

You are SO my hero, Don.

~Jason

 

Gary got run off the HAMB - they weren't very nice to 'em. He hangs out at the Yahoo Group nowadays.

I've talked to some of Vic's minions, and they're not going to be doing anything new for a while, especially with the 318 Poly. I'd talked to them about offering my P600 3x2 up for them to pull apart to reproduce 'em (as long as I got a replacement), and they still weren't interested.

~Jason

 

Did someone say Poly ****...

 

Yeah re vics minions so i heard. Casting aluminummthough is not rocket sceince. maybe this needs to be the original back yard deal. There are lots of old patttern makers around. i know cause I know two. They worked in the weapons industry and hardware industry. Probably wouldnt want to do the job themselves but would have no trouble giving a bit of guidance. once there is a pattern then foundries exist all over. Even where I live I know of two specializing in aluminum within 20 miles. I have talked to pol guys about cutting a head in half along the original parting line and adding material in the thin areas. (around the intake seat and along the top of the intake port . In fact I have a cutaway of a 318 head hanging right in front of my big square head as i type. Why dont I they ask. Well because i dont have a poly thats why. I dont know where to cut they say. I even drew it on a head for a guy once. I dont know how to do it. Heck a reciprocating saw and a box of blades would get it done . It wouldnt be pretty but it would be a start. In most any plcwe we live there is a shop with a metal band saw or water cutter that would cut one open in a hour. How bad would that be in cost? Couldnt be even $100 but still no one has done it. After that material is aded inthe right places a new sand core could be made from the two halves of the head. And an outer core as well Surely someone on Gods green earth knows how to do that and could give it a shot. So far ir hasnt happened. After that a real serius orting job. The intake ports could now be raised long and tall eliminating the big curve at the entrance these ports have. Straighter is always better. A 2.02 valve cold be installed properly and by that I mean the valve pocket could also be opened up so it gave some real decent flow. The head design is a very goood one and was more than adequete for its intended use but a bit more work and these heads could be world beaters. I made some port moldsfrom silcon when i did a sample port fora fellow. The shape is good. It needs little to go from good to great!
manifolds are not hard at all. They can be hand fabricated as in one offs or a wooden core box can be made for casting. think what is lacking is the desire because I know for sure people are reading this right now who know how to do this be it the way I described or much better methods. I madeafew manfolds in my day. I now think nothing of making one when i need it. The math is easy and rules of thumb aleeady well established. It is not my baby though but if it is yours go for it. What is the worst that could possibly happen.? You might learn something you did not know before. What is the best ? You may be come the father of the modern Hp Poly.
Don

 

Ah, fortune and glory, kid... fortune and glory!

I actually have the foundry Charlie Price at Vintage Speed uses right under my nose, locally. Damn good idea about the sawing a 318 Poly head at the line, by the way. Ray Bell and his nephew Ben might well be into that one as well (from the F1 board in Oz and from the Yahoo Group). This entire time I've been into the intake push, which transformed into the thought that a early Hemi to 318 Poly intake adapter might do the trick and open up some possibilities, but the construction of a valley cover that actually seals well is where the rub lies - even when running U-Fab log manifolds.

Then I hit upon something everybody wants, that are easy to make - valve covers! I thought that I could talk Edelbrock into a "Factory Authorized" repop of the finned aluminum ones, where a small royalty was paid to them in order to use their name on 'em, but they'd actually be cast elsewhere by another company that would also retail them. Vic's guys wouldn't even have to touch the product, but they said no (even to making them themselves).

So. aluminum heads might not be that much of a pipe dream after all... hell, it would be nice to see a Hemi head variant for 'em, too.

~Jason