426 Hemi or 5.7 Hemi for Duster

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Price dependent: 5.7 Gen III

Price completely independent, no question: All aluminum Gen II
 
if you want 900hp+ on pump gas and a crank that will take more abuse than you can dish out, a 426 hemi

if you are on a budget a 6.1

p.s. to the "better cornering dude"

i've seen plenty of nice cars including mopars wrapped around trees. corvettes back in the day had a 1 in 2000 death rate (1 mortality per 2000 sold). that was in the mid 80's when corvettes were first able to pull 1G on a skidpad test

NO CAR is capable of 100mph cornering on city/town/county/ streets roads highways.

dont fool yourself, you will end up dead. yes i've known people who went dead/paralyzed or just ruined cars because they bought into all the marketing crap.

best cars now still only pull about 1.1G on skidpads and get in accidents all the time.

public roads are NOT controlled environments like race tracks. and even on race tracks people die

think about it. or just ignore me. dont say i didnt try
 
Gen III will be lighter and WAY more fuel efficient and considerably less $. On a budget? Daily driver? Gen III, hands down. No budget constraints? Don't care if it goes around corners? There's something mystical about a 426...

I find it interesting that Popular Hotrodding did an article on the 5.7 Hemi shortly after it's introduction, flat out said they were dyed-in-the-wool Chevy guys, but that the 5.7 was a better platform than the LS motor. Nobody fusses about 350's going into 95% of every hotrod ever built, (and Lord knows how many 350s were built by GM in its' run), but because you can get a Hemi in most of the platforms Mopar offers, it's "boring"? Cute...
 
I think some people missed the original question:
"Which would be easier and more affordable?"
Obviously the 5.7ltr is not even in the same price range as a Gen II. Major difference there. Even with an HDK setup it would likely be easier to install the 5.7ltr as well solely based on dimension. Header fitment and selection should be easy as well as all other external accessories.
Now as for cool factor that's a different question. I think they both have coolness in thier own way. But there is no replacing the absolute overwhelming monster size of the "Elephant" set between the inner fenders of an A-body. I had the pleasure of seeing Denny's Duster at Moparfest. Outstanding.
Obviously for more money you get more "cool".

JMHO
:D
 
Easy choice for me. 426
I would go 440 before gen III
If your gonna throw money at a old car throw it into a old engine.
After all isnt it the fact that the car was old why you got the car to begin with.
I say keep it old down to the very last bolt. Sensible, probably not. Cool, forever.
 

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p.s. to the "better cornering dude"

i've seen plenty of nice cars including mopars wrapped around trees. corvettes back in the day had a 1 in 2000 death rate (1 mortality per 2000 sold). that was in the mid 80's when corvettes were first able to pull 1G on a skidpad test

NO CAR is capable of 100mph cornering on city/town/county/ streets roads highways.

dont fool yourself, you will end up dead. yes i've known people who went dead/paralyzed or just ruined cars because they bought into all the marketing crap.

best cars now still only pull about 1.1G on skidpads and get in accidents all the time.

public roads are NOT controlled environments like race tracks. and even on race tracks people die

think about it. or just ignore me. dont say i didnt try

Three words:

CLOSED ROAD COURSE
 
Easy choice for me. 426
I would go 440 before gen III
If your gonna throw money at a old car throw it into a old engine.
After all isnt it the fact that the car was old why you got the car to begin with.
I say keep it old down to the very last bolt. Sensible, probably not. Cool, forever.

Not cool? lol

CEE567AD-EC6A-4432-B256-05F9D8C3B5D0-3381-0000044154EC60C8_zpsca421956.jpg
 
All hemis are cool, even the red headed step child desotos
 

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I'm Gen III because of an easy 600hp, no maintenance, runs GOOD on pump gas and should still knock down 20mpg in an old car.
 
:wack:

As boring as a chevy? Come on man. That's messed up.

I guarantee you there are less 5.7/6.1 swaps into muscle cars in general than there are LSx motor swaps. I'm even willing to bet there are less 5.7/6.1 swaps than Gen 2 swaps. Definitely different, and not at all 'boring'.

I'd also contend that even an LS swap would be less boring than a 426 in a duster. Who hasn't seen an a-body with a shoehorned genII??


If you stuck on either of those engines, definitely the GenIII. What's more important, sitting at a car show or driving your car?
 
Gen III are vastly more affordable. Only a gazillion of them out there on roads. Noadays the "hemi" badge on the side of your truck is nothing to be proud of; it just tells everyone "I couldn't afford the diesel". I'm slowly building 440 hemi conversion engine for my dart. Just for the freak factor. Could go faster if I just dumped same money in the 440.
 
426 Hemi for me. My 71 Duster was the best hot rod I've ever owned. 528 Crate engine with a single holley, kiesler 5 speed, dana rear. And this Barracuda is a 528 Hemi, Fuel injected, 3 speed auto, 8 3/4............That being said I have a 6.1 out of a jeep that is going in mt 1964 Dodge crew cab truck. Should be fun!


Love your cuda, truck sounds like it'll be an awesome hauler!
 
You want to drive it, or look at it?

How many different models were available in 69 vs today? Knocking the Gen III Hemi because they're plentiful is pointless. They're plentiful because they're worth it. I have a 2012 Ram and a 2004 Grand Caravan. They get within 1mpg of each other, but if I need to pull out and pass in the van I pray first. Not so with the Ram!

The 426 is awesome, no doubt about it. Not the easiest fit in an A-body, but the Gen III has its challenges there as well. For a 450-ish hp build on either, the Gen III offers a better balanced package, with better economy and driveability, and you should be able to do it cheaper.
 
Old school426, you can fix it on the side of the road if it quits on you... GEN III, may need a laptop,scanner,and a lot of, or a part you don't have. So without AAA you're stuck. If your in tank fuel pump quits,you're stuck. Smoke an ECM,you're stuck... High tech's over rated. I use to run 1/8 mile in a 355 70's model V8 vega GT on a 6.95 dial in with 1 carb and no NOS. I drove it to the track. Big
Block mopars and my last 68 Cuda I swapped a 440 into in 1982,same kinda stuff,just different times.Faster with NOS though... Like I said,High tech's over rated.
 
I think the main thing is if you can only do it once take the time to put together exactly what you want and to hell with everyone else. When I built my car there was nothing but the gen II. 5.7-6.1 were not off the drawing board so that made up my mind for me
 
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