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Ummm...aren't 5.2 & 5.9 Dodges (really the 318 & 360 ) small block LA Mopars? The LA family( 273/318*/340/360) includes the versions for which they cheapened (IMHO) the "magnum" name. The basic architecture never changed and I am pretty sure they were all LA's before they were finally killed off in the early part of this century ('03? '04?).

 

Might take a little more work on custom motor mounts, but I kinda think the AMC 360 would make a good swap motor because of the front distributor placement as opposed to the rear placement on an LA Mopar or a Chevy mouse. You could run an electric fan and not have to worry about firewall clearance so much. The bellhousing pattern is the same and it would bolt up to an AW4. It would bolt up to the sticks, as well, but I don't know if any of the MJ sticks were up to V8 torque. AMC and Mopar engines share nothing besides both offering a 360 cid engine despite popular myth.

 

 

* early 318's were from a different, earlier engine family ( "A"- 277/301/303/313/318)

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Ferd, especially the 289/302, are very narrow 'tis true. I think the Buick makes a tidy package and are the lightest of that era of V8's. If my ever failing memory serves me a 455 Buick weighs about what a 350 Chevy does which is much less than a 454 Chevy.

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I did a Chevy 350 in mine for a few reasons. Parts for a Chevy 350 are a dime a dozen, the engine is everywhere so there is a ton of aftermarket support, the engine weighs between 20 and 40 lbs more than the 4.0L (so weight wasn't a concern). And the two important ones that made up my mind...I had the GM V6 in mine already so everything was wired up to Chevy engines and I have a ton of buddies are that Chevy guys that have tons of parts laying around. On top of all that, the adapters and mounts are all made by companies already (even though I'd make my own mounts at this point).

 

The issue with Chevy (if you plan on atleast keeping with a stick shift) is that the Chevy transmissions won't fit unless you do some major floor work. Ford transmissions will fit though since the shifter is all the way towards the back of the trans (just like the AX15's) as the Chevy's are in the middle.

 

The other guys have a major point also. Having the distributor in the back is a pain in the @$$. I had to cut and fold the ribs that run along the firewall just to clear for the distributor, and that cleared barely. That's with the motor moved to the farthest forward position on the Novak mounts!

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