Projects Should I buy a back up?

Found a 230 flat head with a 2 speed auto trans from a 55 Plymouth for sale nearby and the seller wants $300 for the pair. I'm considering going to look at it all this weekend. I figured for the price, I would have a back up motor, should I have problem from my original one. The other option is to build the newer one, ( split manifolds, dual carbs, etc), while I drive my stocker.
Will the 55 model 230 have more power stock than my 48 model? I'm thinking the compression may have gone up some between the years. Accelerator linkage may be different, but can be worked out.
In regards to the 2 speed trans, are they worth having, or, of any value to sell? Would it have the park brake on the trans also? How hard would it be to use it in my 48, (which now has fluid drive), if I decided to go automatic?
At the prices I've seen for used 230 parts, (exhaust manifolds, etc), I figure it's at least worth checking out! Give me your thoughts on this!!

 

You've got to get em when you can, you may never need it but if you ever do just the h***le of trying to find what you need will be worth the price.

 

if you have the money and a place to put it, might be a good idea. You can slowly build it to be what you really want.

if you enjoy driving with the fluid drive setup, then the automatic may not be for you. Also, you have to have all the parts to make it work in the car, for the swap to actually happen.

 

Not a lot of demand for Power Flites except for restorers, but probably an improvement over Fluid Drive. Think QEC (73RR on the board) has, or is working on, an adaptor for the flatty to modern ******.

 

If you have the room and the money get them,never hurts to have spares

 

'58-'59 has the most HP. 135 horse if I remember right. A bunch more than the original 201 for my '36 Dodge pickup! it was 70 horse. Is a '55 Plymouth actually a 230 or is it a 218? Don't remember if or when the Plymouth changed.

Dave

 

late 54 is when Plymouth started using the 230.

 

Unless you’re going to miss a meal or a mortgage payment my answer to the question should I buy car parts is always yes.


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You can never have too many flatheads.

 

The time to buy it is when you see it !!!!

 

I missed a 56 230 that had a factory 2 bbl for 50 dollars but no place to put it and nothing to put it in.

 

The 55 engine is 230 cu in 117HP and 7.4:1 compression vs 218 cu in 95HP and 6.6 compression on the 48. 57 - 59 had higher compression and 132HP.
The Powerflite is a genuine modern type automatic but only 2 speeds as was typical at the time. Handbrake is on the trans, and it would be a simple swap into your car. Convenient but not exciting from a performance standpoint.
If you have the cash and room to keep it you could go take a look, and make an offer. If the seller is smart he won't be too hard to deal with, there is not much demand for that engine and trans. He is probably discarding it to do a V8 swap. Inspect the left side of the engine for frost cracking above the pan rail.
Would be good for a hop up but the later higher compression head, and a manual trans, would be better.
Your 48 must be a Dodge if it has fluid drive?

 

About 15 years ago if I could have found a 218/230 that wasn’t stuck for 300 I would have jumped on it. Took me two 218 engines and $$ later to make one that ran for what I needed it for.

 

Thanks for all the input you all. Going to check it out Saturday and try to negotiate an even better price on the combo. My 3 speed is giving me shifting problems and may switch to the auto trans. Don't know which way I will go right now, only had the 48 Dodge for a month and the flat 6 is new to me. Don't see where a back up engine could be bad to have.

 

Thanks sir for your input on this matter. A "simple swap" is what I'm wanting. If you have anymore info to share about this swap, please forward to me, as I am seriously considering going that route once I check the condition of everything

 

Always remember, they don't make this stuff any more...

 

"Don't see where a back up engine could be bad to have".

Friend bought a 38 Plymouth coupe project with a flat six (no idea the year of the engine or the size), block was cracked. Found another engine ... block was cracked. Third engine he lucked out ... no cracks.
Hopefully you have better luck

 

Look at the exhaust manifold - for that nice light brown color - that would mean the engine was running good and if it turns over !

 

You gotta want it when you can get it, because you can't always get it when you want it.

 

Good point my friend! By the way, we are almost neighbors, I'm in High Point. Maybe we'll cross paths soon

 

Maybe just missing a mortgage payment. Most of us could benefit by missing a meal or two these days!

 

I was at Hagan's cruise in yesterday.

 

Just got my 48 Dodge D24 a couple of months ago. Giving it a full systems check and hope she will be roadworthy by late spring. Are cruises starting back up in our area? Been off the scene for a while and with the pandemic, wasn't sure if any were being held.

 

I had a 48 Plymouth coupe with the 218 that I put an Offy intake/carbs/cast iron headers on. Came across a 59 model 230 for cheap from a guy who was going with a 318. Bought it and started cleaning it up the engine had been rebuilt at some point so checked everything out added new gaskets, freeze plugs etc. About the time I got the 230 ready to go I broke a valve in the 218. Pulled the 218 swapped all the speed parts to the 230 plus an aluminum head and had the car up and running again in a weekend.

Without the 230 on the stand in the garage I would have been weeks/months finding something to rebuild and getting the car back on the road.

I can also tell you that the 135 hp 230 was far better than the 218 it replaced as far as performance. Made me wish the 218 had broken earlier.

 

I would be looking for a Hemi, but that's just me.

 

What carbs are you running on the 230 and are all the speed parts on an otherwise stock engine?

 

Do you know of any shops in our area that would be capable of rebuilding a 230?

 

Charlotte if you can’t find any closer

 

Every car should have a back up. The race car is OT.