test stand for 318
 

I've been out of the hobby a long time, so forgive my stupid questions. I have an old 318 (70 to 74 year model) out of a lebaron or something, (automatic) and I would like to build a test stand to put it on and run it to see if it is any good at all before I put it in the car. I don't have the automatic that it was bolted up to, but I have another automatic tranny from the junkyard. In order to run this motor on the stand, is it possible to simply buy a flywheel and bell housing from a 3 or 4 speed setup in order to run the motor by itself on the stand? I intend to put it in my 71 challenger so I can just move it around and out of the way so I can have room to rotisserie my 70 RT Challenger. Also I have a big block 440 w/automatic complete with a starter. Is it possible to use the starter from the big block on the 318 with the 3 or 4 speed bell housing. I vaguely recall there is a difference in the cranks in the 318 Cast vs forged. I am sure this motor is not a forged crankshaft motor. Do you have to have a flywheel to match the crank, or are they all the same. I am just starting on restoring (2) dodge challengers. (1) 70 and (1) 71. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Yeah just bolt the bell to the motor and use the ring gear to start it, I have seen some derby guys just hook a battery to a motor laying on the ground and fire it up, no exhaust manifolds either, sick sound. But it ran, and it didnt smoke out any cylinder so they stuck it in the car knowing it ran.

You will need a trans to bolt up for the small block....
 

The trans don't have to work just to hold the starter in place. The starter you have will work. I once gave a starter off a /6 to a friend that had a tunnel rammed 426 hemi that he used.

Thanks guys (I assume) for the info. I'll keep you posted as things progress with my project.