Need help deciding on a 360

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1970boy

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Hey guys im lookin at buying this engine off craigs to swap into my 1970 dart am i wanted to get some opinions on it first off, for what it is is this a good deal given the mods done to it also what kind of mileage could i expect with it and any other things you could add in that would help me make my decision
Thanks

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Hard to say since it doesn't say what carb or intake or what he wants for it.

Personally I would at least compression test it while it's hooked up on the stand.

BTW, your phone battery is getting low.:D
 
TrailBeast said:
Hard to say since it doesn't say what carb or intake or what he wants for it.

Personally I would at least compression test it while it's hooked up on the stand.

BTW, your phone battery is getting low.:D
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The guy wants 3500 obo for it and i asked about carb and intake and am waiting for a reply
 
If economy is a concern, forget about a hotted up 360 with a Purple cam.
Here's the low-down.
If you drive 6000 miles a summer and get 14mpg, or you get 10mpg, the difference is 171 gallons. At $4.50/ gallon this is $770.
Now consider how much fun you are gonna have with that HO360-10mpg engine, vs how embarrassing that 14mpg slug is gonna be. Is it gonna be worth the 50/60 smackers a week fuel penalty?
While you are mulling that over, consider also that the chassis requirements for these two engines are completely different, and you may have to spend several to many thousands of dollars to actually have a safe, enjoyable combo.
To be sure, you can build a potent 14mpg engine, but that is another thread.
As to the asking price; this is a two edged question. For a well-executed combo this is cheap. For a re-ring and paint stay away, or treat it as a core and offer core pricing. In between are a million details that will either make or break a deal.
Now, a personal observation; the guy doesn't even know what carb is on it.And I would be willing to guess that he has no idea which Purple cam is in it. That tells me he didn't build it. He probably came by it cheap himself and just wants to flip it.
Buyer beware.
 
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AJ/FormS said:
If economy is a concern, forget about a hotted up 360 with a Purple cam.
Here's the low-down.
If you drive 6000 miles a summer and get 14mpg, or you get 10mpg, the difference is 171 gallons. At $4.50/ gallon this is $770.
Now consider how much fun you are gonna have with that HO360-10mpg engine, vs how embarrassing that 14mpg slug is gonna be. Is it gonna be worth the 50/60 smackers a week fuel penalty?
While you are mulling that over, consider also that the chassis requirements for these two engines are completely different, and you may have to spend several to many thousands of dollars to actually have a safe, enjoyable combo.
To be sure, you can build a potent 14mpg engine, but that is another thread.
As to the asking price; this is a two edged question. For a well-executed combo this is cheap. For a re-ring and paint stay away, or treat it as a core and offer core pricing. In between are a million details that will either make or break a deal.
Now, a personal observation; the guy doesn't even know what carb is on it.And I would be willing to guess that he has no idea which Purple cam is in it. That tells me he didn't build it. He probably came by it cheap himself and just wants to flip it.
Buyer beware.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the great info, he just replied and it was sold. I'm trying to gather ideas to build up my daily driver and current goals are 12s or better in the quarter without nos and 15 miles per gallon or better. Any suggestions?
 
1/2 that price I might go look. Current price is too high.
 
With a 70 Dart, this is easy.
All you need is a stock 360 and a 5spd, and 4.30s to 4.56s

What no 5-spd? Oh that's still not a big deal.

At say 3400pounds, you need about 310hp, the right gears, and the tires gotta hook to get you a decent 60ft. That's all there is to it.
But wait, oh no not again, he wants 15mpg

Ima thinking it's gonna have to be one or the other.
Lets say the 15mpg is more important to you. With a 360 this is easy to do, just not with 4.30s to 4.56s;UNH-unh,nooo
So I tell you what,I can tell you are probably on a shoestring budget. So Just drop any old 360 (one that's in good shape of course) in there with 3.23s to 3.55s and see what happens. Just do not swap out the cam! The only changes allowed are headers, a free-flowing exhaust,a 4bbl,any 4bbl, and fresh cold air. . This will get you 13s and near 15mpg. Cheap easy and quick.And a ton-O-fun with a lightweight Dart.
You may have to slip in some 340 valve springs if you go 3.55s on account of you will be trapping a lil high for the 2bbl springs, and she may want to pump up the lifters. I see this as a 96 mph car at the top of second gear going 6400 with an automatic and 5% TC slip. I see this as just barely into the 13s, if it 60fts well. Just barely. At 3400pounds raceweight this might be an honest 250 hp.
If the power falls off too hard up there, you will have to shift early, and lose a bit of ET, maybe enough to kick you back into the 14s.In this case 3.23s would be better for a two gear blast,bringing the Rs down to 5800 or so, but with an auto and a stock stall, it will be a lil soggy out of the gate. 15mpg should be doable with 3.23s, but iffy with the 3.55s.Yeah I might be lil optimistic here.
But the buy-in here is cheap.
A good running 360, a proper flexplate, a 904, headers, intake/carb,springs,properLINKAGE, gears, LSD, and exhaust. Some of this you may already have.Leave the spare and jack in the pits!
Careful shopping could get you in under $3000.

'Course for 3Gs you might be able to get a turbo onto your teener, make 300/350hp, go mid 12s and make 20+mpgs.......... with 2.94s even. 8PSI! Yeah that's me adreamin'
 
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Yup a 360 stroked to a 408 would be nice. My current project is going in that direction. Block was cleaned up Friday.

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Hyup a 408 should hit the targets pretty easy
And as a bonus would be awesome around town.
But now we're talking spending the kids inheritance. For me that would be a remortgage the house kindof deal......
Maybe not just the engine, but by the time you add up all the support-works and chassis mods..... Yeah that really adds up.
Up here those 3Gs barely cover the stroker kit and machining.
 
Unless he can prove all the stuff he told you it's a running core.
Same with the trans.
(From the buyers point of view)
Too many liars out there when it comes to money.
 
First, I think that's way high for that 360. I would barely pay a 3rd...... but that's me.
2nd, I got into the high 12's in street form with a 360, 727, 3.91's and 28 inch tire and got between 15-16 mpg if I babied it and did 50 mph.
 
TrailBeast said:
Hard to say since it doesn't say what carb or intake or what he wants for it.

Personally I would at least compression test it while it's hooked up on the stand.

BTW, your phone battery is getting low.:D
Click to expand...

I didn't see a price. What's he asking?

42% ain't low on a BlackBerry!
Apple = my little iPony
Android = chebby (because they are everywhere and cheaper than dirt)
BlackBerry = Mopar because they are the red headed stepchild, and have power to spare!
 
Turbo?
If I'd a bin smart there shoulda been. As much money as I spent on that combo, I woulda bin way ahead boosting a junkyard-teener.
I tell you what guys; if I ever get to do a do-over it will for sure be a turbo.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Now, a personal observation; the guy doesn't even know what carb is on it.And I would be willing to guess that he has no idea which Purple cam is in it. That tells me he didn't build it. He probably came by it cheap himself and just wants to flip it.
Buyer beware.
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, yes!
 
mario03srt said:
BOOST - The Replacement for Displacement!
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Hi,

Let me tell you from my own bad experience, make sure the Cam is NOT wiped! Drain the oil and look for debris. Pull the intake a peek in if possible. I bought a mild 360 for 1500.00 that ran great in the Truck but when I swapped the Oil Pan, Holee Sheite! Now I'm 1 year into a total rebuild!

Marion
 
mario03srt said:
Hi,

Let me tell you from my own bad experience, make sure the Cam is NOT wiped! Drain the oil and look for debris. Pull the intake a peek in if possible. I bought a mild 360 for 1500.00 that ran great in the Truck but when I swapped the Oil Pan, Holee Sheite! Now I'm 1 year into a total rebuild!

Marion
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For every 15 psi you have doubled your cubic inches!
 
Or you could think of it backwards.
We know 400/450 makes a real nice streeter, especially when it also has 450 torque down low. And we know almost any old SBMer will take 7.5psi.
So, 7.5/15 = a 50% power boost
So; 450hp/1.5 =300hp in the engine.
So; if you want a fuel sipper build a really tame 360cuber. 300/360= .83 hp per cube, shoot that is easy.
Or; if you want to hear the cam, build a teener;300/318= .94hp/cube. Shoot that teener will still make a mountain of torque.
Or; you want a radical 273? Well now yer pushin the envelope, as to driveability, and certainly the mileage went out the window.

Hyup, if I get a do-over it's gonna be a mild 360T. I squeezed some pretty good mpgs out of a 223*cam. Ima thinking I could do better with a 210 to 218 and still have a mountain of torque. I just might need some better rods......
So I'm seeing an automatic and 2.76s = about 2200@65 on the hiway, and I'm seeing those 2.76s hit 60mph@5100 with a 2.45 low gear and 5% slip. I see 5900 with a 2.74 low. I'm seeing a lot of tire-spin and smoke, and Ima hearing this weird whistle I just cant put my finger on.......
Maybe a two stage system; a little un up front and a bigger one remote mounted......
What I don't see is those 35 pounds of parasites called mufflers.
 
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