Since most C bodies came with a big block swapping in a more powerful engine is easy. Assuming you don't have a 440 to begin with get one. Build it up to your level of excitement and put it in. You could build a stroked 400 if you want, the options are yours and this might be easier if you had a 383 or 400 to begin with as all your current accessories will bolt up. Most C bodies could be had with a small block as well. I you want to put in a big block you might need to swap out the K member, I don't know but I'll try to find out. My 64 Chrysler, in it's heyday, would run the quarter in 12.95. It had the original 413 with 906 heads, MP Street Hemi grind cam, 10.5:1 compression ratio and all the high performance mods covered in the MP books. That was with the original A745 3 speed manual, hooked to an 69 Newport 8 3/4 rear, sporting 4.10 gears and Pro Trac N50-15's (they fit with no mods). Yes a C body with a factory stick. Kind of rare but they made them. Putting in a Hemi of any persuasion will entail fabrication on your part. The easiest way to do it will be to install the elephant ears type front motor plate. There are two types of these plates. The one piece and the two piece. The one piece is stronger but if you want to keep your AC setup then use the two piece as it will make your life easier. One problem with motor plates is that the tend to transmit more engine vibration to the chassis. To eliminate this, rubber bush the motor plate where it mounts to the frame. Also, do not forget to mill your waterpump housing to compensate for the additional thickness of the motor plate. The motor plate is designed to mount between the waterpump housing and the block. Headers are not commonly made for the C bodies but I suspect any B/E body header will work fine. Before you buy do some measuring, contact the header manufacturer and see if they think it will work.
.© 1996 Steve M. Knickerbocker