An LS engine in every "Mopar"

-
inkjunkie said:
Funny how narrow minded some of folks can be when it comes to swaps...in particular LS swaps. Not all of us have the deep pockets it takes to build a Mopar motor...especially if you want to step out of the 1950's technology of karbanators and single point ignitions. Folks can slam it all you want....for under 2k you can get a wrecking yard drop out LQ9 LS. Factory rated at 345/380. In a truck that is as aerodynamic as a barn that get close to 20mpg on the highway. For that price I have seen them complete with all the accessories, exhaust manifolds, ecu, harness and dbw pedal. Flash the ecu and tweak the harness to fit. My car is already set up for the trans that is used behind this motor. In my case it is a no brainer....ain't no way I will get a EFI 350 hp Mopar motor for that kind of money.....course if my swapping an LS into my worthless slant 6, 3 on the tree stripped A-body is that much of a problem for anyone I would be more than willing to let them donate a good running 350 hp small block....as long as it gets close to 20 mpg and is efi equipped....lol....

The hatred for swaps, in particular on this site, is the very reason why when/if I ever get to it I will not be documenting it on here. Refuse to open myself up to that amount of grief. I am not in high school anymore....which is when I dropped that whole childish chevy vs ford vs mopar argument.
Click to expand...

Bingo.

Presently, used LS engine are the best bang for the buck. The 6L and the 6.2L V8's are on par with the output of the new Hemi, far less than half the price, and equal in longevity. Reliability of the smaller 5.3L and 4.8L LS V8's is impeccable.
In comparison, Price, reliability, and power, LS is the best bang for the buck.

I have 2 GM trucks, one has nearly 300K miles on a 4.8L LS, The only repairs to this truck in 300,000 miles has been an A/C compressor at 220K miles, and a trans planetary gear at 238K miles.

The other 135K on a 5.3L LS ( my daily driver). The only repair the the 5.3 truck (2008 GMC) in 135K miles has been a new door lock actuator, and presently the stereo is acting up.

I have similar success stories with my old Ford trucks and vans, and my Dodges, too, but neither could touch the mpg's of the LS.

I listen to all the "brand X bashing" and always get a chuckle from it. I almost never participate in them, as I recall my own "MoPar or no car" days and opinions. lol

btw, Ink, No comment :poke:

So, what would be the difference if GM did own Chrysler, as compared to either MB, or Fiat?

I also don't have as much of a aversion to a merger, or even a take over of Chrysler by GM.
One of the positives would be that it becomes an American company, again. Presently it is not.
Also, I doubt that much of anything would change. There would still be Hemis, and there would still be Jeeps, and Rams, and 300's and Chargers and Challengers. There might be some merging of the FWD garbage from both ends of that merger, though.
They'd probably still keep the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, names, too. Much like the pre 1970's days at GM before they went to corporate engines and stuff.
There was no interchangeability between Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, Buick and Caddy engines. Each was unique unto itself.
A Buick, 350, and Olds 350 and a Chevy 350 were not the same engines, until some point in the late 70's when they went to corporate engine design, instead of brand engines.

GM could easily operate Chrysler that way, too, and fully appease the "MoPar or no car crowd" who haven't had a new real CHRYSLER to by is a couple of decades.

So, what would be the difference if GM did own Chrysler, as compared to either MB, or Fiat?

Let the flaming begin.
 
Frankie said:
I listen to all the "brand X bashing" and always get a chuckle from it. I almost never participate in them, as I recall my own "MoPar or no car" days and opinions. lol
Click to expand...

A lot of it is in jest. Personally, I like all brand muscle cars.

I do, however, believe that a Mopar should stay Mopar, a Chivvie a Chivvie and a Ferd a Ferd.

That's just MY personal taste, it doesn't mean that I would knock someone for doing what they want. But somehow when folks feel that way it makes US the bad guys, I don't get it.
 
Bad Sport said:
A lot of it is in jest. Personally, I like all brand muscle cars.

I do, however, believe that a Mopar should stay Mopar, a Chivvie a Chivvie and a Ferd a Ferd.

That's just MY personal taste, it doesn't mean that I would knock someone for doing what they want. But somehow when folks feel that way it makes US the bad guys, I don't get it.
Click to expand...

I agree, and the list of cars I've owned ( posted elsewear on the board, shows that. But this really has nothing to do with being a MoPar muscle car guy, or an A body guy, or a B body guy. That company no longer exists. Mopar is no longer, MoPar, it's Fiat. Before that it was MB. It hasn't been "MoPAr" for a couple of decades. Those days are gone.
 
I agree with Bad Sport, I believe keep the family of car and engine together, just me,
I tell ya how far out of the G M thing and old I am .... I assume the L S 6 is a modern version of the 454. ( I can only relate in cubic inches ) /????

so I will bore some with some of my history ,.... fast forward if ya like....

back bought 74 I bought a slightly used chev 3/4 single cab 454. I lived back in s w Ga then where home was. really nice truck, loved that 454 . a cowboy truck. pulled the steel 4 horse fast a s I dared go. then the 1 ton "
dually" plastic fendered REAL cowboy truck came out. I lusted for one BAD!!!! couldn't find a dealer in Ga that would give me any kind of trade in for my truck. so I called a BIG dealer in Weatherford, Tx... he said he had 25 of them crewcab 454 1 ton wonders on his lot, he had a buyer for my truck, he says come on down son. . well come on down was like 18 hours on the interstate with the radar detector on overtime. I called in to work that mon a m and she says ok where are you?? texas!!! be back by wed a m . all well again!
so from 1976 till 1995 when I bought my Ram 3500 Cummins, I had a number of these 454 1 t. duallys. all carburated. 10 highway , 6-7 pulling a big trailer. great power, mostly 4 speeds. only thing I ever replaced where starters. i'm sure the power of a modern L S 6 is far above of that old 454. but I admit I would never trade the old Cummins for any of that.
best pulling gas truck I ever had was a c 60 5 speed, ( the 5 speed was the KEY)... 2 spd axle, 427. I bought a good used truck, cut the frame, added a sleeper box,. made a custom flatbed, added van bucket seats, gave it a custom paint job of that era ( bout 82-3 ??) and a fancy wood console. this was before the " smart" guys started making these and selling them to the horse c rowd by the Millions$$$$$ best pulling gas truck I ever had, loved that truck!!!!!!! the brakes on that would stop that steel 6 horse goose, if the electric trailer brakes weren't working. the 5 sped gave it the ratio missing in the 4 speed. the kids we little and loved going to the shows in the sleeper!

I loved that truck!!!!! now that 95 Ram is 20 years old has only 185,000 mi. a long trip now is to Tulsa, 200 mi away!!! Ha
 
I can see fiat wanting to merge and have one company but they would still keep them separate, it's like ford owning land Rover or jaguar, you think if they put their ford brand name on them people would buy them don't think so. Nothing against the LS motors they are good engines, and I don't think people are against the swap but more about how every Chevy does the swap instead of building the motor they have, yes it might get 20 mpg but if you do your homework and get the right parts and a good tune you can get around that with a carb motor as well. If you watch most shows fantom works, over hauling some other that restore or modify cars for customers most just slap a ls motor into it, it's just become such a norm to hear a ls swap that people are wanting something more or different. I for one don't care what people do to there cars it's their car, just like I don't care what people say what I do to my cars, personal preference. I like muscle cars from all makes course it always looks better with a mopar engine but that's just me lol
 
Here's a list of my MoPar purchases since 1976...
1976 Dodge B200 Tradesman Van (new) 318/727/9 3/4
1986 Dodge B150 Royal wagon 318x904x8 ¾ (new)
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Crew cab (new)
2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Crew Cab/Dually (new)

Regarding a merger, and corporate engines, See post 28.

In short, I doubt anyone would be able to tell, except maybe for the disappearance of the Cummins Ram ( which is inevitable now matter who owns the "Ram" logo.
Fiat is considering a change, and I'm sure GM, who already has a diesel made by Isuzu will consider that change, too. If for no other reason than to reduce the cost of the Ram diesel line.


btw, I haven't advocated, condemned dropping LS's into MoPars, my comment was that the LS is a viable engine, that is strong, reliable, and economical, and is the best bang for the buck regarding modern used engines, in spite of the brand loyalists claims to the contrary.
 
Old man ray said:
In the end there just cars.
Click to expand...

X 2!!! I enjoy working on and driving my old Mopars, but they are just chunks of metal, ..... that I acquire some love and loyalty for. just their caretakers.

but what I really love is sitting on the front porch when its not too hot or cold, enjoying the country space and air, loving my dogs and horses, that God has given me the pleasure to care for awhile. and taste the memories of days and decades past.
 
The Chevy small blocks of whatever generation have always been the best bang for the buck. That's just how it's always been.



Frankie said:
Bingo.

Presently, used LS engine are the best bang for the buck. The 6L and the 6.2L V8's are on par with the output of the new Hemi, far less than half the price, and equal in longevity. Reliability of the smaller 5.3L and 4.8L LS V8's is impeccable.
In comparison, Price, reliability, and power, LS is the best bang for the buck.

I have 2 GM trucks, one has nearly 300K miles on a 4.8L LS, The only repairs to this truck in 300,000 miles has been an A/C compressor at 220K miles, and a trans planetary gear at 238K miles.

The other 135K on a 5.3L LS ( my daily driver). The only repair the the 5.3 truck (2008 GMC) in 135K miles has been a new door lock actuator, and presently the stereo is acting up.

I have similar success stories with my old Ford trucks and vans, and my Dodges, too, but neither could touch the mpg's of the LS.

I listen to all the "brand X bashing" and always get a chuckle from it. I almost never participate in them, as I recall my own "MoPar or no car" days and opinions. lol

btw, Ink, No comment :poke:

So, what would be the difference if GM did own Chrysler, as compared to either MB, or Fiat?

I also don't have as much of a aversion to a merger, or even a take over of Chrysler by GM.
One of the positives would be that it becomes an American company, again. Presently it is not.
Also, I doubt that much of anything would change. There would still be Hemis, and there would still be Jeeps, and Rams, and 300's and Chargers and Challengers. There might be some merging of the FWD garbage from both ends of that merger, though.
They'd probably still keep the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, names, too. Much like the pre 1970's days at GM before they went to corporate engines and stuff.
There was no interchangeability between Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, Buick and Caddy engines. Each was unique unto itself.
A Buick, 350, and Olds 350 and a Chevy 350 were not the same engines, until some point in the late 70's when they went to corporate engine design, instead of brand engines.

GM could easily operate Chrysler that way, too, and fully appease the "MoPar or no car crowd" who haven't had a new real CHRYSLER to by is a couple of decades.

So, what would be the difference if GM did own Chrysler, as compared to either MB, or Fiat?

Let the flaming begin.
Click to expand...
 
[SIZE="5" said:
Frankie[/SIZE];1970963853]Here's a list of my MoPar purchases since 1976...
1976 Dodge B200 Tradesman Van (new) 318/727/9 3/4
1986 Dodge B150 Royal wagon 318x904x8 ¾ (new)
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Crew cab (new)
2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Crew Cab/Dually (new)
Click to expand...

Hey Frankie,

did the 86 wagon get the 8 3/4" installed post facto?

You could order a 76' van with a 318 AND A DANA 60?

-Am not pickin' a fight, so much as second guessing myself

I thought that the 8 3/4's ended around 1974ish and I thought that 9 1/4" was a common late 70's-> thru I don't know how long rear end for dodge vans and trucks. If it was a 318, why wouldn't they just install an 8 1/4 behind it?

I am very curious. If it's a mistake, no biggie-but I sure would appreciate the parameters of Mopar powertrain installations per model, it would be very helpful in the junk yards.

thanks for your time! :cheers:
 
Course it is fun for me to tell Chevy guys they are like the Hondas of today cheap and easy to build with a plethora of pary for them lol
 
greymouser7 said:
Hey Frankie,

did the 86 wagon get the 8 3/4" installed post facto?
Installed by dealership, at my request, before I took possession of the van.


You could order a 76' van with a 318 AND A DANA 60?
Dana's were available on the B200 and B300's, but the GVWR had to be above 6100 lbs. My 76, was a 200 (3/4 ton). I actually owned two 76 B200's, one was a 440, the other a 318. Both with 727's and 9-3/4's. One was my daily driver for a while, the other was a "work vehicle" That I used for towing and hauling, my RR, GTX, and a few other cars. Pick up trucks just left too much "stuff" exposed to prying eyes, and sticky fingers.

I answered your PM
Click to expand...
 
Frankie said:
You could order a 76' van with a 318 AND A DANA 60?
Dana's were available on the B200 and B300's, but the GVWR had to be above 6100 lbs. My 76, was a 200 (3/4 ton). I actually owned two 76 B200's, one was a 318, the other a 318. Both with 727's and 9-3/4's. One was my daily driver for a while, the other was a "work vehicle" That I used for towing and hauling, my RR, GTX, and a few other cars. Pick up trucks just left too much "stuff" exposed to prying eyes, and sticky fingers.

I answered your PM
Click to expand...

Uh huh, we all know what the van was for, 70's longhair with a van, lmao!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top