1966 Chrysler Newport New Engine 383 to 440

Mclovin

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Hey everyone, been working hard on putting my 66 Newport back on the road. Bought it, along with two others, from the same person about a year ago. This car was bought new in Sacramento, CA. It is a base Newport with factory installed AC. Nothing fancy otherwise. It was a stock 383 car. The previous owner was my next door neighbor growing up and he was having trouble with fueling issues. The car was parked in 2004 and had not been run since. I replaced the fuel tank, sending unit and rubber lines. I did a tune up on the motor and tried to start it. It made some terrible noises. I pulled the distributor and the inside of the motor was all rusty and gross. I found a 1966 dated complete 440 and set about rebuilding it. Had it bored .30 over, factory style cast pistons, original crank milled .010, basic iron 516 heads with hardened valve seats, lunati voodoo mid level performance street cam, dual plane edelbrock intake and holley street avenger carb. The new motor is now back in the car and I am buttoning up some of the last few details before I try and start it. The trans was resealed and the bands were adjusted. Trans shop said the trans looked almost new inside. Also swapped the 2.76 open rear end gears for a set of 3.23's with a suregrip. I'm running factory exhaust manifolds and will be running a dual 2.5 inch exhaust, H pipe, with flowmaster 40 series mufflers. It is running mopar police wheels with 235/60R15's up front and 255/60R15's in the rear.
66 Newport in Derek's Shop.jpg
440 Mopar Engine.jpg
 
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Thank you, that’s the goal! Can’t wait to get it on the road.
 
Good lookin car (I may be a bit biased) My 66 Newp is saddle bronze with black int and not nearly in as good of shape. I like the cop wheels too.
 
Good lookin car (I may be a bit biased) My 66 Newp is saddle bronze with black int and not nearly in as good of shape. I like the cop wheels too.
Thank you! I'm stoked about the condition of this car. If I can get the driver seat fixed it will be pretty much all back to factory other than my drive train improvements. The police wheels are one of my favorites. Really gives the car a more aggressive look.
 
I have an "old man" nit pick, stranger danger from the interwebs.

Can I beg, cajole, pay, or incentivize you to move that Tach to a better place? To each his own and all of that, and I mean no offence, the mount on the A pillar is just so Fast and Furious, teen with a honda civic looking thing.

I regret that I can't help myself.....
 
UI
I have an "old man" nit pick, stranger danger from the interwebs.

Can I beg, cajole, pay, or incentivize you to move that Tach to a better place? To each his own and all of that, and I mean no offence, the mount on the A pillar is just so Fast and Furious, teen with a honda civic looking thing.

I regret that I can't help myself.....[/QUOT

No offense taken. I like it there and put it there on purpose. Puts it up in my vision so I don't have to take my eyes away from the road to see it. It doesn't really work on the steering column with the auto trans shift collar plus blocking my speedo and other gauges and I didn't want it under the dash with my other gauges where its hard to see at a glance. Guess since I'm on the early side of being a millennial I don't find that placement to be off putting. But I do understand how it might bug some purists. Appreciate you being kind about your disagreement with my tach placement though.
 
Hey everyone, been working hard on putting my 66 Newport back on the road. Bought it, along with two others, from the same person about a year ago. This car was bought new in Sacramento, CA. It is a base Newport with factory installed AC. Nothing fancy otherwise. It was a stock 383 car. The previous owner was my next door neighbor growing up and he was having trouble with fueling issues. The car was parked in 2004 and had not been run since. I replaced the fuel tank, sending unit and rubber lines. I did a tune up on the motor and tried to start it. It made some terrible noises. I pulled the distributor and the inside of the motor was all rusty and gross. I found a 1966 dated complete 440 and set about rebuilding it. Had it bored .30 over, factory style cast pistons, original crank milled .010, basic iron 516 heads with hardened valve seats, lunati voodoo mid level performance street cam, dual plane edelbrock intake and holley street avenger carb. The new motor is now back in the car and I am buttoning up some of the last few details before I try and start it. The trans was resealed and the bands were adjusted. Trans shop said the trans looked almost new inside. Also swapped the 2.76 open rear end gears for a set of 3.23's with a suregrip. I'm running factory exhaust manifolds and will be running a dual 2.5 inch exhaust, H pipe, with flowmaster 40 series mufflers. It is running mopar police wheels with 235/60R15's up front and 255/60R15's in the rear. View attachment 416207 View attachment 416208
Love it, man. Reminds me of this gal I had so many years ago:
f1010018-jpg.jpg

Originally a Canadian 318 LA base car that I built a 440/727 set up for. She wen't pretty well. Something about the base slab sides and those dog dish caps ..
 
We fired up the fresh 440 for the first time yesterday afternoon. Broke In the cam, got it up to temp and found a couple small things to address like a coolant leak from one of the heater hoses. All easy fixes. Next Saturday the plan is to adjust the timing, adjust the carb and get it ready for the road. This car has been off the road since 2004 and it’s been sitting at my house waiting for a heart transplant since November of 2018.

DD184221-CE15-4530-8498-C1A0418430BD.jpeg


FBC3E946-B93E-475F-9619-F4CAB7B39A07.jpeg


1585240D-20E7-4E1E-84F1-844A7609C747.jpeg
 
Sharp car, man. Once you get the little stuff sorted, a running video would be much appreciated.

Those m body service rims, eh? Frikkin gold.
 
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