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cuda620

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is it really worth doing a 5.9 magnum swap in an a body compared to doing a Bigblock?
 
Is this another trick question?
Is it worth what,and to whom, and for what application?

Granma don't need no steenkeeng BB. A drag racer might want nothing but a BB. The kid next door in grade 11 just needs basic transportation.I,a streeter, am quite content with my little 367. Somebody with deeper pockets might do a BB.
As a streeter we are all somewhat traction disadvantaged, so anything over 350ish hp is gravy.Can you even build a BB with just 350hp? A 5.9 can do that easy. Even a 5.2 can hit the mark when pressed.
So what's on your mind?
 
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No trick question. Daily driver a body. Can go Bigblock or small. I know what a Bigblock can do. Never had a 5.9. Just opinions. Drag a little maybe...
 
A DD is a completely different car from Drag a little.
A DD has to have manners be nice act nice drive 12000 miles without overheating, icing, percolating the gas,burning your paycheck between filling stations,scaring the neighbors kids away,etc.Maybe it needs to survive more than one driver.It has to be a car your wife will actually ride along with you in.Maybe you'll take it on vacation,thru Nevada, or over the mountains. Or pull a soft-top. A DD is a special car.
 
With a magnum you're limited by head selection. If more things jived (oiling, heads, intake, ect) the Mag would be much more popular.
 
Pascamp said:
With a magnum you're limited by head selection. If more things jived (oiling, heads, intake, ect) the Mag would be much more popular.
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This is the kind off info I was curious about. Don't want to waste money,so asking people that's been there.can Bigblock it too. I have it. Got a 360 but no 5.9 yet.
 
If you read my threads you would know that I did.
 
There's a ton of helpful advice to be found here. You may not realize those were serious questions about your intended application, and absolutely necessary in order to give meaningful answers.
 
A couple wasn't. So I don't need the grief. Just lookin for new advice. I've been a mechanic for 30 years. Built a 440 /68 cuda when you had to swap K members, but didn't. Just built my own mounts. Followed up a lot on the Direct Connection program and have the books. Did builds before it was easy.Just lookin for new advice,? I was running NOS before some of you were born. I don't need a smartass. Don't necessarily mean you.
 
So how far do you drive? What body is it going in? Are you worried about gas mileage? What power band are you looking for? Do you have a suspensions set up to handle the different kind of power a bb vs sm block? What do your wheel wells look like? Are you talking light to light racing more than 1/8 or is 1/4 in the future? What does the rest of your build look like? Whats your budget?
 
Just read your post "Finally", congratulations and it answers a lot of questions. My 2 cents worth the big block has the wow factor but the small block will do everything you want.
 
cuda620 said:
Worst thread title over???
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A few punctuation marks do not a thread title make. A better thread title would have been "Magnum or Big Block?"....just sayin'.

You don't like the idea of big horsepower in a small block? Less hassle, less weight, no fabrication.
 
1/4 occasional racing dd with good weather 67 cuda. 318/904/7.25 now plans to narrow a Dana 60 or a....ford 9" cause that's what I have. Manual steering and brakes so plenty of room for a mild 440 or 451 or a 360LA. I have them all. Would like to use it for short trips,but would hate getting caught in the rain. Torsion bar swap no big deal. Not hard or expensive. Sbp wheels. Don't see the point in changing them. Going to do disc brakes,frame ties etc,just because it needs it. Gonna keep automatic. May do 3:55 gears with a gearvendors od. Won't cut it up for a mopar od tranny. Too nice.
 
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Mr Gorsky said:
A few punctuation marks do not a thread title make. A better thread title would have been "Magnum or Big Block?"....just sayin'.

You don't like the idea of big horsepower in a small block? Less hassle, less weight, no fabrication.
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Didn't say that. Listening that's all. If it turns into a fiasco, I'm gone.
 
69conv said:
Just read your post "Finally", congratulations and it answers a lot of questions. My 2 cents worth the big block has the wow factor but the small block will do everything you want.
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Thank you. Now you know where I'm coming from. Been out of it awhile. I've played around, but not as much as I am with my new toy. Used to be 440 was it as far as mopars go. But sometimes things change. My 68 cuda was both small and Bigblock. Again thanks!
 
P
Mr Gorsky said:
Not one single person here has flamed you. Seems to me you've got the hammer back with the finger on a hair trigger.

Seeya, wouldn't wanna be ya.
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You couldn't be me on your best day! Yea I've always got the hammer back for people like you. Admin edited what I actually said. Sorry...
 
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Magnums I have no personal hands on experience with, just what I've learned from engine research for my build. The mags use Chevy style oiling and a stud rocker setup. The intake is also drilled at a different angle than the LA's. The only aluminum head I've found is the Edelbrocks. They can be ported for some descent numbers and can be redrilled to accept a LA intake. The other less traveled road is to use LA heads and Rube Goldberg the oiling. Some guys seem to have pulled it off, but it seems rather trial and error.

Personally I think the Mopar small blocks are a better platform than the B/RB'S. The big block problems I've seen are design inherent. Most small block problems I've seen are self inflicted...crap machine work, incorrect parts selection, ect.
 
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