I JUST PURCHASED A 197? RAMCHARGER. i BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT HAS A GOOD SNOWBLADE ON THE FRONT OF IT. THE GUY I BOUGHT IT FROM SAYS THE MOTOR IS A 383. i DONT KNOW I LOT ABOUT DODGES AND WAS WONDERING HOW I TELL WHAT IT IS. WERE DO THEY PUT THE ENGINE VIN NUMBER? THE TRUCK HAS AN AUTO WITH FULL TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. DO DODGES HAVE DIFFERENT TRANNY BOLT PATTERNS LIKE FORD OR ARE THEY MORE LIKE A CHEV AND ONE SIZE PRETTY MUCH FITS ALL. A FORD 283, 302, 351W, AND 351C CAN BE SWAPPED FINE BUT A 460,429 NEEDS A DIFFERENT TRANS BELLHOUSING WERE A 454 CHEV A 350 OR A 250 SIX ALL SHARE THE SAME TRANNY.

THANX FOR ANY INFO

 

A 383 is a baby big block. If the distributor is in the front, it's either a B or RB (big block 361, 383, 400, 413, 426 wedge, 440). If the distributor is in the back, it's aa A (small block 273, 318, 340, 360). If it is a 383. it should say so somewhere around the flat pad by the distributor.

 

look on the block by the starter and it will say the engine size (i.e. 383,400) as far as the trannys go there are big block and small block 727s. there are also 906s which were used for some small blocks but i dont believe they were used in 4WD applications.

 

904 is the small block only trans, light duty applications. For what you're purpose is you should have a 727 torquflite. The bellhousing pattern is different bewteen small blocks and big blocks. BUT any trans that would bolt up to a 273 will bolt up to a 360 (or even the new hemi!). Any trans that might bolt up to a 383 will bolt to a 440.