SBC in a 72 Commando

I've been thinking about swapping my 304 in my 72 Commando for a small block Chevy. I know I'll need a turbo 350 or 400 so the adapters are no problem but what about interference with exhaust manifolds , steering, radiator and anything else I might be forgetting. I can fing all sorts of info for this swap in CJs but haven't found much about them in bullnoses. Thanks , Bob

 

Not really much different than a 72 up CJ. Can't recall anybody having any problems with exhaust or anything.

 

Not to steal anyone's thread, but I have the same idea. I've got the 258 with the Th400 in a 72' Commando and want to swap a 350 or 383 in it's place. I know the tranny for this has been discussed in somewhat length, but it still isn't clear to me what th400 it has. My current th400 has had a lot of money dumped into it by the previous owner and in-fact more money into that tranny than I gave for the whole jeep. So I'd like to keep it if feasible and possible. (Anything is probably possible if you throw enough money at something)

With that said, do I just remove the adaptor ring or do I need to get another adapter to make it work? Originally I thought that tranny was/is a BOP bolt pattern and it would be easier to and more torque to put in a Buick 350 engine. But SBC are much cheaper and easier to locate and I'm thinking that is a Chevy bolt pattern TH400 used on C104 Commando's.



Thanks,

 

Even is you remove the adpt ring it still won't work. What you need to do is find a GM TH400 and have the guts from yours transferred into into it.

 

Or just leave the adapter and get an AMC to Chevy BP adapter which is what the majority do. Don't have a part number but check Advance or Novak

 

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/adapters/engine_to_transmission/kit_374.htm

 

I'd love to have an old commando and turn the stock 6 into a stroker motor.

 

258 bullnose Commandos seem to be pretty scarce. There were a lot of them made with 304s, it seems.

 

My brother had a '73 Bullnose about 10 years back. He built a strong Chev 454 and bolted it in. He used the TH400 with the chev pattern, 8" rims but the 3:73 axles and the rest was stock, 4WD and all. He fabricated fenderwell headers that he had ceramic coated.
It was a tame driver, except when it went to the 1/8th mile dragstrip. It could beat just about anything else running street tires. It would just lift the drivers front tire on launches. The long wheelbase was perfect for weight transfer.
-Donny

 

454, that would be crazy!...but crazy fun, especially with paddles. That's what I'm thinking by putting a SBC in my BN and trying it with some paddles I have. The Commando I acquired belonged to my spouses ex-husband. He built it up as a sleeper to show up the younger crowd with there newer shiney rigs with what looked relatively like a stock Commando. When I got it and looked through all the receipts, I realized all the parts he put into it; Recaro seats, full cage, partially hidden warn in a stock chrome bumpers and so on, but at a stock height. I think it got dragged more over rocks than maybe wheeled. He's been dead for about 10 years, but the years I knew him before he passed, I would say he was one of the nicest guys I've ever met. I'm sure some older jeepers here probably new him from all the big jeep events on the west coast back in the day.