slimjim
Well-Known Member
This Dodge 318 was in the junkyard earlier this year. After being plucked from the yard and overhauled on a 5 year old’s budget, it’s out here at the drag strip collecting wins and leaving people scratching their heads.
318 Magnum vs the world
- Thread starter slimjim
- Start date
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Nice passes. The 440 Duster ran 8.4's ? Did I see that right?
slimjim
Well-Known Member
Yup. His first pass was an 8.4 then an 8.6. Not sure if he had traction issues on that second one or not. I think the Dart can hit 8.5 with some springs, from wheels that fit, and a converter. Any faster than that and I’ll be booted from the track.
why would they boot ya ?
slimjim
Well-Known Member
Convertibles running 8.49 or faster need an 8 point cage. I just have a 4 point roll bar that I welded up.
Bighead440
Well-Known Member
Magnum engines made a believer out of me in the early 2000s. I was a big block guy until 1999 when I built a '71 Demon with a 360LA. Had a bunch of fun with it, and I had a '68 Dart with a tired (but quick!) 400 BB and 4.30 gears. I cannibalized the Dart for parts and put a mildly modded 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee (warranty replacement core from the dealer) 5.2L and SB 727 in it. The engine was completely stock, just re-ringed and full groove mains added, HV oil pump, 270HR Comp Cam (.528" lift, custom item back then), MoPar .600" springs/retainers, Blue Racer roller rockers (pedestal Ford 5.0 rockers with MoPar style adjusters over the pushrods), M1 single plane intake and 750 vac. sec. Holley, cheap Hedman 1-5/8" headers and 2-1/2" duals with H-pipe and Afterburner mufflers. The biggest problem was the tight "175K" MoPar converter, rated at 2500 stall. The little motor struggled with leaving the line (2.0sec 60ft time!), but ran 8.20s @87mph in the 1/8mi. It did cruise good with the tight converter, even with the 4.30 gears, running 65mph on the highway all day long willingly. This was in 2002-3.
Why not a 440? 122 extra cubes instead of a measly 42.
Just did a thread 400 hp 5.2l vs 5.9l, all had pretty similar parts to accomplish the task.
400 hp 5.2l vs 5.9l Magnums
400 hp 5.2l vs 5.9l Magnums
You make a good point and a job that I have done but I think @273 was making a point of, “If your going bigger, why not to the top instead of just a little.” It really is a fair enough question and IMO, it shows the hypocrisy.
For some people, the 318 is not it and below and standard to consider having fun with much less actuality hot rod it or heaven forbid, race it. The first thing is,”Change it out for a larger engine“ chant.
Seems to me these people just have money falling out of there pockets and should give there money in donations to up the fellow MoPar brother out joint the anti!
It STFU
Sometimes, you just work with what ya got or you accept the challenge of a smaller engine.
I totally understand the notion of "use what you have" "budgetary constraints" etc. Hell even some four door cars are cool. And just because I have my opinion on something doesn't mean I think the next guy is wrong for going his own way.
HOWEVER.
If (IF!) the underlying assumption is, essentially sticking with what you have because of lack of funds (and we've all been there, I totally get it), then it follows that, once you are doing anything beyond the most basic and stock oriented builds, then that budget oriented argument falls apart.
Once you are machining a block for aftermarket pistons decking etc, the costs of a 273 vs a 318 vs a 360 start getting pretty negligible, or even favor the 360, especially with available pistons. At which point, if your goal is most torque and power possible, a bigger engine is generally going to run harder.
Yes of course a big block is the logical progression, but it's a much more involved swap. Going 318 to 360 essentially falls into place and all existing components are for the most part going to be compatible.
All that said, again I'm not saying anyone is wrong for building any engine. If you build your 318 into a screamer I'll still think it's really cool. I love unique different builds. Different is cool.
HOWEVER.
If (IF!) the underlying assumption is, essentially sticking with what you have because of lack of funds (and we've all been there, I totally get it), then it follows that, once you are doing anything beyond the most basic and stock oriented builds, then that budget oriented argument falls apart.
Once you are machining a block for aftermarket pistons decking etc, the costs of a 273 vs a 318 vs a 360 start getting pretty negligible, or even favor the 360, especially with available pistons. At which point, if your goal is most torque and power possible, a bigger engine is generally going to run harder.
Yes of course a big block is the logical progression, but it's a much more involved swap. Going 318 to 360 essentially falls into place and all existing components are for the most part going to be compatible.
All that said, again I'm not saying anyone is wrong for building any engine. If you build your 318 into a screamer I'll still think it's really cool. I love unique different builds. Different is cool.
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