At an emotional crossroad

Thoughts for you... without repeating to much.

You mentioned ROADKILL, I like that show. David Frieburger said “You don’t have to get it right, just get it running” so get a small block Mopar and use a 727 behind it. If you decide to grab the 5.7L gen 3 Hemi they will bolt up... but you will have as much in that as a classic small block Mopar. Trust me when I say I ran those numbers for my Duster dreams...

On the Gen 2 Hemi note, you be lucky to find those parts right now, let alone afford them even with good income. Complete you are in for $30,000 on a 426. My friend was trying to upgrade his 426 last year and found himself in it 10 more grand just changing to a steeper camshaft... cause top end required new stuff due to clearance issues of taller cam lobes etc.

Now, a final thing, I bought my Duster and am working on it with my Dad and he thought I was crazy to pay what I did for it... and or parts to rebuild it... but he also loved hearing a 340 Mopar again... and it sounded exactly like the one he ran in his 66 Barracuda in the 70s. So I know what you are feeling on bonding with your Dad on your a Dart, glad you got started with him still around... and what you will find is once you bonded... when you start back building the car... it will have a therapeutic feeling and you will find yourself talking to your Dad while working on the car. (I was close with my grandfather building model train layouts and did that when repairing his train layout last year after he passed.)

Don’t beat yourself up on how to afford an engine right now. I am sure you have several parts laying around to bolt on and can get to a roller ready for an engine... and by then the solution will be obvious... but for now, make the goal turn wrenches on what you have and start setting aside money for what you don’t have.

By the way, try to have fun, and if it takes a year, it takes a year. If it takes longer so what... just enjoy it and try not to burn yourself out on the enjoy part cause building a car is a process... and isn’t always fun... it is ok to walk away and try again tomorrow.