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I'll give one hint: it ain't a GM V8.

Chrysler corp for sure, but the top of the engine looks too wide for a small block.

"big block" 318 or larger?

343 International

Good one... Razor is probably right but I'll guess an AMC motor in a Jeep truck, just to be different.

Good one... Razor is probably right but I'll guess an AMC motor in a Jeep truck, just to be different.

Mopar alternator, top tank radiator, unibody construction, I also am guessing a Jeep product or Chrysler. Single master cylinder puts it in the lower 60s, older than a 68.

1965-66 Barracuda maybe???

Edited by funkypunnk

  • Author

Lotsa good guesses! You're looking at a Mopar 318 "polysphere" V8, produced from 1957 through 1966. It was a poor man's version of the Hemi, with "polyspherical" combusion chambers and splayed valves. The idea behind the engine was to get as close to the Hemi's efficient combustion design while minimizing the mechanical complexity. First application for this version of the 318 was in the '57 Plymouth Fury where it developed 290 HP with the help of two 4V carbs and a rather hot cam. This engine family actually dates to 1956 when a 240 HP, 303 CID engine was used in the '56 Fury. There were also 277, 301, and 326 CID versions of this engine produced during the mid- and late-1950s (the 326 was only used in certain Dodges for 1959). In '58, the Fury 318 with 2X4V carbs was still available, but there were also more mildly tuned versions with 2V and single 4V carbs available. After 1958, only the 2V and 4V versions remained. The "poly" 318 became Chrysler's base V8 in Plymouths and Dodges and lasted through 1966. After 1962, only the 2V version was offered, rated at 230 HP and 340 lbs/ft of torque.

In 1967, the modern 318 was introduced. The new 318 was merely a bored version of the small block 273 V8 introduced for 1964. Interestingly, both the older "poly" 318 and the newer, smallblock "wedge" 318 had the same bore & stroke dimensions (3.91" X 3.31"), but that's where the similarity ends.

I had a '66 Plymouth Belvedere sedan with the "poly" 318 in it for many years. It was a surprisingly potent engine and it also got decent fuel economy. The newer "wedge" 318 that replaced the older "poly" design was lighter and the valvetrain was simpler, but I think it gave up some power compared to the older 318 engine.

Edited by NeonLX

  • Author

looks similar to my friends GTX 440

It's funny, but the old poly 318 "wide block" looked larger than the RB engines such as the 413 and 440 V8s. The heads on the old poly engines were really big and the blocks had a lot of heft to them. But this was before they'd figured out the thinwall casting methods as were used in the later 273/318/340/360 V8s (and also the small block Chevy, of course).

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