Hello everyone, I'm new here. I've been looking at this forum a lot lately and I'm glad to see it's still quite active.
So, my late dad, his first car was a 1974 Duster 360 (picture attached). Anyways, my wife has directed me to a 1974 Duster for sale in my area. It's a roller without an engine or trans and he wants $800 firm. I have no idea what engine it used to have. It looks in decent enough shape.
Now, I'm handy enough with a wrench, getting this thing up and running isn't the problem. I have a total budget of $4000. What I'm wondering is, would that be enough to just go for a big block install or should I just shove a magnum 360 and a 518/46RE in it?
Perusing this site I have learned that the B block would be easier to fit than an RB block. Unfortunately the closest 400 is 6 hours away. There's a 383 20 minutes out. It's a 69 low compression engine but comes with a set of HP flat tops, 906 heads, and a extra steel crank. It's just a long block with heads, nothing else, and he's asking for $600. (if stuffing a 440 in is no big deal I can find them everywhere, there's complete pan to carb with trans for $750) There's a big block 727 within my driving limits that has a torque converter (claims it ran fine) for $350. I'm not sure if they would fit but there's a set of 66-69 B Body big block log manifolds in my area for $40.
On the other side, I can get a clapped out ram for $1200, scrap what I don't need, and get a 2wd 46RE with 113k miles for $200. The crossmember adapter to run the OD trans would be $415 from US Car Tool.
So, my late dad, his first car was a 1974 Duster 360 (picture attached). Anyways, my wife has directed me to a 1974 Duster for sale in my area. It's a roller without an engine or trans and he wants $800 firm. I have no idea what engine it used to have. It looks in decent enough shape.
Now, I'm handy enough with a wrench, getting this thing up and running isn't the problem. I have a total budget of $4000. What I'm wondering is, would that be enough to just go for a big block install or should I just shove a magnum 360 and a 518/46RE in it?
Perusing this site I have learned that the B block would be easier to fit than an RB block. Unfortunately the closest 400 is 6 hours away. There's a 383 20 minutes out. It's a 69 low compression engine but comes with a set of HP flat tops, 906 heads, and a extra steel crank. It's just a long block with heads, nothing else, and he's asking for $600. (if stuffing a 440 in is no big deal I can find them everywhere, there's complete pan to carb with trans for $750) There's a big block 727 within my driving limits that has a torque converter (claims it ran fine) for $350. I'm not sure if they would fit but there's a set of 66-69 B Body big block log manifolds in my area for $40.
On the other side, I can get a clapped out ram for $1200, scrap what I don't need, and get a 2wd 46RE with 113k miles for $200. The crossmember adapter to run the OD trans would be $415 from US Car Tool.
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