engine swap and other changes

[Jaysam]

I recently bought my first mopar ever, its a '74 satellite sebring. 318 with 3spd manual on the column with 69,000mi. I'm not concerned with keeping it all original even though the previous owner was. I'm probably beating a dead horse here but i'm looking at doing an engine swap, I found a 440 for sale but i've heard horror stories about guys beating the inner fenders and having to change the stearing components to make them fit. The car is in awesome shape and i dont want a half assed hack job done on it. Or im thinking of a 360 stroker. Now i saw the sticky about BB swaps and i can turn a wrench but i cant fabricate. I also want to move the shifter to the floor and i know i need a new tranny if i go the BB route, but how do i know where to cut the hole in the floor with a bench seat, i dont mind the bench or the 3spd manual trans, probably wont keep them forever but i can only do so much at once over the winter, maybe only one or two projects during the winter because i want to drive it when the summer months roll around. Sorry for being so long winded.

 

[wedgie]

318 and a three speed column shift I would assume is pretty rare. That is actually my favorite combination in any old car. Never been able to find one that is half way clean though. Having said all that, If you are going big block, there is no need to beat up the inner fenders. Think about it; they had big blocks offered in that body style, from the factory. If you do a manual trans floor shift you will need to weld in the proper floor hump. Just guessing that the four speed and three speed humps are the same. If you go automatic, it is all bolt in, and then you can change columns or use a floor shifter.

 

[moparmarks]

In the 73/4 B-bodies they did have a pass BB inner fender well. Has a large hole so you can get to the spark plugs on that side. Also 73/4 there is a sb and bb k-frame unlike before. They make conversion mounts to put a bb in a sb frame. Need the correct oil pan. Will need a bb tranny setup.
Thats about it.