Since I can't really afford to rebuild "OBEASTY's" 390HP 440 the way I'd like to right now, I've chosen a much less exspensive way to get her back on the road.
We found this 76 Chrysler New Yorker at a local wrecking yard. It shows a little over 59,000, one owner, original miles. For my $923.10 we got a very nice running (smokeless) 440 engine and a very smooth shifting ("recently rebuilt") 727 transmission. I figure the transmission alone is well worth what I paid for the whole car. All things considered...I think this engine and trany will serve our purposes very well. Remember...we're not building a show car or a race car...our goal is for "OBEASTY" tobe a very unique and extremely dependable "Street Rod" with a little bit of spit and polish here and there.
"OBEASTY's" new 440 heart is factory rated at about 230HP with a 8.2 CR, but with a Flowmaster Exhaust and a few other goodies it should put out about 250 to 260 HP, and be very dependable. The fact that "OBEASTY" weighs 3500 lbs and has a 3:23 gear ratio, compared to the New Yorkers' 4600 lbs and 2:71 gear ratio, should help get things moving a little easier.
The 89 year old gentleman who owned it had his keys taken away by his family after he did some bumper to bumper artwork on the passenger side.
September 6th 2007...time for the transplant to begin.
This was a very welcome surprise, It appears we have a recently rebuilt 727 trany. We knew it shifted really nice...now we know why. Since a rebuilt trans easily goes for about $800 to a $1000 ...it looks like we got a free 440 in the deal. I can live with that.
It's now the evening of September 14th 2007. It's taken a total of about ten hours, spread out over a week, to get the 440 out...but then we really weren't in any big hurry. Just when we thought we had everything disconnected...there was one last little surprize... we had to take off the oil pump to get the driver side motor mount bolt out. Once we did that the engine came right out. Next up is a trip in our pickup to the car wash for a bath, then back home for a new timing chain and a fresh coat of MOPAR Blue Paint. MORE Transplant pictures on page 11 >>
