Quote:

The A-833 with OD swap will take place sometime before the year is out.



You may not like the OD4 behind that engine. It will cruise nicely, yes, but the ratios are such that it is no fun getting going.
The ratios are 3.09, 1.67, 1.00, 0.73.
1st to 2nd is getting very close to a 2 to 1 ratio change.
I had a 318 with 360 heads, thermoquad, and a DC hyd. with specs right between the stock 318 and 340 cams, and an OD4.
It was miserable to drive because of the torque curve. It winds out fast due to the low first, but then 2nd gear puts you way down on the torque curve, and you just lug for a while. If you shift at 4500 from 1st, you start 2nd at 2432.
It was especially no fun in stop and go traffic, and you know what that's like here in SoCal.

I ended up pulling the OD4 after just a few months and put the std 4 speed back in.

I have the OD4 behind my slant 6, and it runs great. But that's when you find that the stock slant 6 has a really wide torque curve, and it can pull comfortably at low rpm. A warmed over 318 is going to be more "peaky", and that's where the wide gear spread works against you.

Not saying it won't be right for you, but keep in mind that acceleration runs aren't going to be as much fun.

Robert

AAR 4-speed 3.91, Tor-Red;
70 440 6 pack Roadrunner 4-speed 3.54, Plum Crazy;
68 Formula S conv 383 4-speed 3.23, Electric Blue;
69 Barracuda conv Slant 6 OD4 2.94, 71 B5 Blue;
78 Lil' Red Truck, Red;
70 Challenger S/E. 505 6 pack, Passon 5-speed, 3.55, B7 Blue