Marine-engine ID

[Daniel Ignatais Reiners]

Can anyone tell me if there are any major differences between a factory
Marine block and a ordinary engine block? I have a 360 Mopar that I
recieved from a friend. Because of the cooling setup, we can tell that it
obviously came off of a boat, but several things on this engine appear
home-made. Instead of a water pump, there is an aluminum plate with two
hose outlets welded to it. A couple of make-shift but repairable
modifications have been made to the carb linkage. One vacuum hole appears
to have been plugged with piece of a stick.

I've heard that some marine engines have water-jackets in the exhaust
manifolds. Below each exhaust port is a small hole which I have not
identified yet. I don't have the casting number with me at the moment,
but will gladly mail it to anyone who can help.

The engine is equipped with an Edelbrock Torker II manifold, which I
believe has an rpm range from 2000 to 6500. Drill-marks on the crank
suggest that it was professionally balanced.

Once we assertain that block and crank are useable, I plan to rebuild the
engine and swap out the bone-stock, poorly-build, low-compression 360 that
was installed by the previous owner of my '71 Charger. It should nearly
double the car's horsepower...VROOM...
I'll probably need at least 2700 stall, subframe connectors, but getting
back on subject, I'm interested in finding out if this is an origional
Marine Motor, or a converted backyard project...

Thanks in advance,

-Daniel-

[John Kunkel]

Sounds like a passenger car engine with a homemade marine conversion.
The small holes below the exhaust ports are for the air injection
passages in the exhaust manifolds. You will need to plug these holes
if you run headers or none-injection manifolds.
If you change converters don't forget these motors are externally
balanced.