Need to make a decision fast 5.7/6.1/340

Can't run your power steering with the modern Hemi's and a stock K-member w/ torsion bars. I went with a EFI swap and a 5.9 Magnum to avoid having to buy an Alterkation or similar front suspension. I like my Firm Feel power steering.

The fuel system needs to be well thought out, or you will always have to keep the tank half full or better. There are several cool ways to go without buying a $1500 fuel tank, but a nice higher capacity fuel tank with the right parts added to it can be very nice when combined with the rest of a well thought out system. I've been seeing guys coming out with a lot of cool ways to pull this off.

The computer and wiring I used on my 5.9 will also be reflashed to control my 408" Eddie headed motor. It's out of a '98 Dodge with a 5 speed 5.9 Magnum truck, had been reprogrammed and can now be continually reflashed with an SCT Tuner and a wideband. My Hotwire harness hooks up with 4 wires inside the engine compartment. It doesn't get much easier. Plug & play.

I am also going with a non-computer controlled OD transmission at this point. I started out with a 727 and 3.23 gears, but ultimately wanted lower gears and an overdrive with a lock-up converter that didn't suck a lot of power to spin. I did have to notch and do some mild fabrication to the torsion bar crossmember on the Driver's side, and make a rear transmission mount. It's fairly easy and straightforward, but like anything, it takes time and work.

Even rebuilding the entire transmission tunnel and fabricating a strong enough connection for most of the tunnel portion of the torsion bar crossmember you will have to cut out for almost all other overdrives is not that big of a deal for an experienced fabricator, but it is more noticeable inside the car in many cases, and a lot of people don't want to cut on their cars. I get that, but when they are rusted and repaired, what's the difference? I was lucky I started out with a rust free car.

Building a stroked 5.9 Magnum and a strong trans was not cheap. If I spent that money on a 6.1, I would have had other costs to install it, but it would be much more powerful than a 408" Magnum.

It all comes down to time and money. How fast do you want to go, how far do you drive the car on road trips and how often do you use it? I can tell you EFI is sweet! I'll have to let you know about the 408 and the lock-up OD trans & lower gears, as I'm still tinkering on that to get them up and running.

Think it through first and choose wisely to match what you want to do with the car.