318 vs. Slant value

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Joined
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So let's say for example that a car has been "restored" say for example a 72 duster

A 340 or 360 sits in the engine bay, the front brakes have been swapped to newer disk brakes, rear end upgraded to a torque handler. Someone swapped in buckets and a console with good correct parts. Maybe a sharktooth grille to add flavor. A nice shiney mopar high impact color that is nice and waxable.

All that said, would it matter for the overall value of the car if it were originally a 318 v8 over a slant, or would the original engine size be irrelevant.???
 
I would think the only difference would be the suspension parts of / vs small block. Assuming of course everything else was done properly.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
So let's say for example that a car has been "restored" say for example a 72 duster

A 340 or 360 sits in the engine bay, the front brakes have been swapped to newer disk brakes, rear end upgraded to a torque handler. Someone swapped in buckets and a console with good correct parts. Maybe a sharktooth grille to add flavor. A nice shiney mopar high impact color that is nice and waxable.

All that said, would it matter for the overall value of the car if it were originally a 318 v8 over a slant, or would the original engine size be irrelevant.???
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I agree with 69conv. The 318 car should have a little better underpinnings. Sounds like a nice 72 anyway ;)
 
There is also a catch...some guys that convert a 6cyl. car to V8 want the 6yl.torsion bars and rear leafs...they hook better and transfer weight quicker in the street..
 
Not only that, but LCAs UCAs and K frames are all the same 6 to V8 except for engine mount location. So the only things different are torsion bars and leafs suspensionwise. Easy fix. Not really a deal breaker. I think at this point in time what the vin says it used to be is now irrelevant.
 
to answer the question, No. It would make no difference if they swapped a /6 or 318 car to a 340, 360, 440, etc.
 
Sure would selling a "factory 340 high impact color duster" is ALWAYS going to be worth MORE then one that came from the factory with a 318 or slant six and switched it out..
 
318willrun said:
to answer the question, No. It would make no difference if they swapped a /6 or 318 car to a 340, 360, 440, etc.
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Thanks for answering the question in a simple way.

I ask because I have a 72 duster 318 car and no sooner than a week of having it home, I found the same exact car but a slant six version with a better body. So I am asking myself If I should ditch the 318 car and get the slant six car. Either way, it's not staying original, I have a 70 340 in my garage in search of a home, and all suspension pieces and disk brake setup...... and 8 3/4
 
Think of it this way........A nice car is a nice car........the problem comes when the seller goes on and on about it was "restored", was a 6 cyl, drum brake, bla, bla, bla, it's now v8, disk brake, color change, bla, bla, bla. I would call the car "restified", not restored, and there is nothing wrong with that, after 50 years true originals are very few and far between. To my way of thinking, "restored" means originality. Problems also come from the "restorer" going on about how much money he has in the "restoration", they were changes he did in hopes of making more money when he sold. What is the level of workman ship, look under the dash, it will speak volumes, clean, neat, little or none crimp electrical splice connections is what you are looking for. What is under the fresh paint? Is it a "nice" car?

Years ago, friend and neighbor took a 67 Dart GT, /6, factory AC car and converted it to a 340, non-AC car, big bolt pattern, disk brakes, 73 k-member spool mounts, electronic ignition. The car looked like it rolled off the assembly line, nothing was out of place or tatty looking, beautiful work. He made no claims it was "restored", just "restified". When he sold it he just let the car speak for itself, it was a nice car.
 
stroked340 said:
Sure would selling a "factory 340 high impact color duster" is ALWAYS going to be worth MORE then one that came from the factory with a 318 or slant six and switched it out..
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Did you even read what she wrote??? The question was would it matter in value to the car if you swapped out a slant 6 or a 318.... LOL. Where did you get high impact factory 340 car from this conversation... :D
 
JBurch said:
Think of it this way........A nice car is a nice car........the problem comes when the seller goes on and on about it was "restored", was a 6 cyl, drum brake, bla, bla, bla, it's now v8, disk brake, color change, bla, bla, bla. I would call the car "restified", not restored, and there is nothing wrong with that, after 50 years true originals are very few and far between. To my way of thinking, "restored" means originality. Problems also come from the "restorer" going on about how much money he has in the "restoration", they were changes he did in hopes of making more money when he sold. What is the level of workman ship, look under the dash, it will speak volumes, clean, neat, little or none crimp electrical splice connections is what you are looking for. What is under the fresh paint? Is it a "nice" car?

Years ago, friend and neighbor took a 67 Dart GT, /6, factory AC car and converted it to a 340, non-AC car, big bolt pattern, disk brakes, 73 k-member spool mounts, electronic ignition. The car looked like it rolled off the assembly line, nothing was out of place or tatty looking, beautiful work. He made no claims it was "restored", just "restified". When he sold it he just let the car speak for itself, it was a nice car.
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That is spot on.

Thanks
 
Seems like the difference is better body vs easier swap. I know you have the skills, I vote better body.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Thanks for answering the question in a simple way.

I ask because I have a 72 duster 318 car and no sooner than a week of having it home, I found the same exact car but a slant six version with a better body. So I am asking myself If I should ditch the 318 car and get the slant six car. Either way, it's not staying original, I have a 70 340 in my garage in search of a home, and all suspension pieces and disk brake setup...... and 8 3/4
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I would go with the better body, but some may go by options on the cars. Obviously, the mentioned above posts of slant six suspension pieces and motor mounts might favor the 318 car.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Thanks for answering the question in a simple way.

I ask because I have a 72 duster 318 car and no sooner than a week of having it home, I found the same exact car but a slant six version with a better body. So I am asking myself If I should ditch the 318 car and get the slant six car. Either way, it's not staying original, I have a 70 340 in my garage in search of a home, and all suspension pieces and disk brake setup...... and 8 3/4
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I'm with you. I have a 70 X drag car (cut out metal) without a fender tag. Found a pretty clean 71, same 318 car but in much better shape, ie, less metal replacement. With a fender tag that calls out (GA4) Light Gunmetal Poly, I like it. Make it your own, good luck.
 
Making a "tribute" car is cool. They call em tribute cars nowadays. Back in the 80s they were called fakes, in the 90s and 2000s they were called clones. I kinda like the word tribute. If its a 6 with a better body, why not use it. Make a cool 340 car your way. Cool is cool, then drive the snot out of it. Save the numbers matching for the wine and cheese crowd.
 
Before you swap motors into a /6 or teener car, make sure it’s not a rare documentable car.

Any car that is not original to its fender tag and build sheet is not worth the same value as a documented original car.

It’s worth what it is to you but don’t expect others to share your valueation.
 
Be aware that frame strengthening only came on convertibles and hp motor cars
 
You just described my car. The guy that had it before me had a original 73 340 Duster, it was rough and rusty, he found a 71 6cyl. Demon with a good body and changed everything from the duster, k frame with sway bar, 340, 727 and 8 1/4 sure grip and rear springs and torsion bars, bucket seats, now I'm in the process of finishing up the "tribute" with console, floor shifter, scoops and wing. I know it will never be worth as much as a H code car but I think it will be equal in value if it were a 318. I'd personally take a good body 6 cly. over a rougher 318 car in a heartbeat.
 
The only slant cars with any "extra" value is a perfect "survivor", and even then it needs the right buyer. I see little difference in value between a slant duster and a 318 duster, same condition.
You are making a "tribute" car, I say go with the best body, and add all the parts to make it like you want. Like Mopar-Mitch just said.
 
What I find interesting about our hobby, our group here in particular, is no one that sells a given car ever really wants to tell what they got. Asking price mean nothing, only meaningful info is when cash changes hands.
 
To me a numbers car will always be worth more. Don’t get me wrong I’m not in the crowd that can afford a high end numbers car. I like most makes and models, there are lots of wanna be cars out there that do command a high dollar as they are very well built. It’s all about how u precieve it. Kim
 
A numbers matching A-body is a 45-55 year old economy car that somehow survived. Otherwise, it's worth what you can convince somebody to give you the day you wish to sell it. If it runs, and you rely on it for basic personal/business transportation, the value is the insurance deductible. If it doesn't run it's worth it's weigh in scrap or parts less your time to dispose of it. Most of us who play with old cars do so because we enjoy it, not because it makes any sort of financial sense to do so, because it never will. But, to your question at hand, if the nice slant car would cost less than having the 318 car body professionally repaired, then buy it. Perhaps you could mitigate your losses by selling off spares once you're done. Good luck with that. Seems I can't give away a 70-72 front Dart valance, and just threw another complete A/C system into the dumpster...
 
Back in the 80's, 90's no one hardly restored much other than "real" muscle cars. The clone, tribute thing had not started. Any 318 car was regarded as a grandma grocery getter really. There were so many real Roadrunners, Charger RTs, and if a A body fan, real 340 ones. Today man people are encouraged at the site of a 318 car.
5-10 year s from now a real 318 car might be of more value than today. I don't know.
If a 318 Duster has a good body, therefore v8 K, maybe came with discs, has a "real" rear end, all that makes it worth more than a slant car in same body condition right? Sum of parts.
If the car is question is a slant with good body, changing it over with all those parts and adding a 340 makes it what? A good slant body with all the good parts. Worth probably the sum of parts plus value of the good slant body.
In our A body world, we see slant and 318 cars made into weekend warriors with rebuilt 340s, built 360 strokers, restored every nut and bolt, to the cosmetic restorations, we see them advertised here and wherever, only prices we see when sold are at auction unless a friend sells it and tells us the truth of what he go for it. Those selling at auction are not in a real world environment and the sales never really tells us the details of the car either.
 
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