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Will 327 vigilante eng bolt to auto trans?

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captscot View Drop Down
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    Posted: Nov/16/2019 at 10:49am
I have a 1968 Jeep Gladiator my father bought new.  It has a 232 6-cyl eng and the first automatic transmission offered as an option.  I recently bought a 1968 Gladiator for parts, it has a running AMC 327 Vigilante engine and manual transmission.  In the 6-cyl Gladiator i want to replace the 232 with the 327 V8.

Q. Will the 327 bolt up to the '68 auto transmission?
I believe the auto trans from the factory is a TH 400?
Also, that AMC V8 bolt pattern is different after 1968, so the '68 327 should match the '68 auto trans?

Thanks, Scott


Edited by captscot - Nov/16/2019 at 10:51am
1972 Javelin AMX - orig owner
1985 Grand Wagoneer
1967 Jeepster
1968 Jeep Gladiator
1959 Jeep CJ5
1929 Marmon model 68
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rebel327 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/16/2019 at 11:25am
The 327 in Jeeps used the TH400 but with a special cast iron adapter and flange from the crank.  The bolt pattern on the block is Not the same as 6 cyl.  So interchange is doubtful. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jmerican Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/16/2019 at 2:24pm
I am not the definitive answer you may be looking for, but I have interest in this area of jeepdom. The 327 pattern and the early 232 are different. And as a tidbit, the early and late 232 have a pattern change. I digress. To the best of my knowledge your fathers Jeep has a TH-400. Right? It’s uncommon to think that the 232 is paired with that trans. Is it 2 or 4wd? It’s possible it is some kind of Borg Warner trans. Either way, I’m curious as to what it is. If it is a TH-400, then it is a “nailhead” Buick aka early universal pattern TH-400. (Not BOP). Ok, so a 327 Rambler engine in the Jeep application would have used that same transmission, but with a different adapter plate for the engine. So that part is potentially easy, the trans that is. You need a 327 to auto adapter plate and crank adapter, and the proper torque converter, and a flexplate. I believe the engine mounts on the Jeeps are different too. I’d like to know about that. You have both. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote captscot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/16/2019 at 3:58pm
I found listed on a Jeep website that for the years '67 to '69 Borg-Warner auto transmissions were used.  The 232 6-cyl generally came with an air cooled trans, the M-36 ans M-37, however, oil/water cooled via the radiator was available from the factory with heavy duty towing.  My dad's '68 Gladiator has oil/water cool lines to the radiator, its also 4WD.  I tried to look today, but will take a better look tomorrow to identify the transmission in it.  Nothing has been changed since the truck was new.
1972 Javelin AMX - orig owner
1985 Grand Wagoneer
1967 Jeepster
1968 Jeep Gladiator
1959 Jeep CJ5
1929 Marmon model 68
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jmerican Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/16/2019 at 4:49pm
I never had heard of a th400 and early six. Just hadn’t heard of anything else. Good find. Maybe there is a workaround that one of the 327 people here know about, if you keep the trans. I’d go 400. Adapting to the transfer case will be easy. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FSJunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/18/2019 at 2:36am
It should be a Buick Nailhead bell housing Turbo Hydramatic 400 with an adapter plate to bolt it to the AMC 232. That adapter plate will not work for the 327.

However, you could bolt the 327 to the transmission if you found the proper 327 adapter plate. There was no difference in the transmission between a 232 and a 327 other than the adapter plate.

I forget if the 327 shares a bell housing pattern with later AMC V8's, like the 360. If so, a later adapter plate might work. However, I doubt it.

Easiest course of action: rebuild the 232 and live with it being slow.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote captscot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/22/2019 at 6:27pm
An update on my 1968 Jeep Gladiator 232 6-cyl that came new with a factory auto transmission.

I'm sure now what I have is a rare bird.  The auto trans is a TH400, it uses a nailhead cast iron adapter plate for the 232.  The 1968 327 I wanted to replace the 232 will not bolt up to the adapter plate, unless I find an adapter plate which AMC used to mate the TH400 to the 327 V8.

LOL...I like your advice of staying with the 232 and learn to live with it being slow.  That's just what I might do.  However, for years I hung on to a 1965 Buick 425 nailhead engine knowing it was a great engine, but I have had no use for.  Now I'm 99% sure that the Buick 425 nailhead will bolt up to the TH400 using the existing 232 adapter plate.  I'm just not thrilled at not putting in the AMC 327 which was optional back in 1968.  Below a photo from a Jeep group site of exactly the same factory set-up my Jeep Gladiator has - the 232 6cyl, nailhead adaptor and TH400.  Pre-1972 232 w/auto used this.


1972 Javelin AMX - orig owner
1985 Grand Wagoneer
1967 Jeepster
1968 Jeep Gladiator
1959 Jeep CJ5
1929 Marmon model 68
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