Posted by gordon maney, editor, power wagon advertiser on August 09, 1999 at 19:18:19:
In Reply to: Big block transplant posted by Tom Hanson on August 08, 1999 at 10:20:08:
your W300 has a hydraulic clutch, with release lever on the passenger side. the large dodge trucks of that era also had the same bellhousing arrangement, including the way the bellhousing mounted on the crossmember.
you meed parts from a big truck, such as D500, 600, 800 etc. this imagined big truck will have been powered by a 361 or 413. you can use the bellhousing, slave cylinder and release lever, flywheel (assuming you have the same number of mounting bolt holes in the new engine and the big truck flywheel), and starter. also get the clutch disc and pressure plate to use as cores. don't forget the throwout bearing.
there are six hole and eight hole crank flanges and flywheels.
i put a 440 in my 1967 W300. the only thing i had to do was drill four new holes in my radiator mounting flange to permit installation of the radiator at the correct elevation.
your NP 435 will work, as would a five speed. my truck has the NP 540 5-spd, with overdrive fifth. the trans came out of a studebaker. it was also used in ford, chevy, and IH trucks. each application had different input shafts and output yokes. if you find a good transmission guy, he can help you.
if you find the right donor, you could use a 413 from a big truck, getting the entire setup from the same truck. the 413 truck engine will have different heads and manifold; the water pump will be mounted at a different elevation from the 440, but all really good stuff....
the W300 is a fine truck.