Best way to spend last 600 bucks

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dustoff440

dustoff440

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I have about 600 bucks left to spend on my 360 Magnum and I want to get the most bang for my buck(my wife has cut me off and won't give me a penny more than that LOL) any suggestions?
***1992 360 Magnum completely stock short block and heads with the exception of Hughes springs and retainers
***Cam is 512 lift intake and exhaust, 278 duration exhaust 268 intake, 110 centerline
***Holley vac sec 750 with proform carb body and secondary metering block
***Factory 2 1/8 1992 Dakota exhaust manifolds mated to Summit 2 1/2
complete exhaust system with turbo mufflers
***Mopar MP distributor with an MSD 6AL
*** Professional Products Crosswind knock off Air Gap
***TCI 3500 loose converter with a large cooler
***904 torqueflite with 2.74 low first gear with a cheetah reverse manual valve body
***B and M Megashifter
***3.91 Sure Grip 742 case
***Aluminum 3 core radiator
I have gnashed my teeth and pulled my hair out over the decision to run factory exhaust manifolds. After much research I discovered that these manifolds(Dodge Dakota 1992 only) 53006618 and 53006619 flow as well or better than 340 manifolds. I want to avoid all the hassles associated with headers and am prepared to lose the 20 or so horsepower from not running headers.

I am thinking that for 600 bucks I can get a progressive nitrous timing controller that plugs directly into the MSD to retard the timing for the nitrous--this controller plus a cheap nitrous setup would set me back right around 600 bucks . What do you guys think??
 
You don,t mention what your running for tires?With a shot of nitrous,you,ll just smoke any street tires off.Your gonna want to hook with any added HP.JMO.
 
Your'e right I was thinking P225/60R14 or P235/60R14 BF Goodrich TA Radials for the rear which should give me about 24.5 inches in height which would have me crossing the line about 5800-6000. Not sure what I (safely)can get away with on the front, anyone know???.I may have to put the tires on the credit card and give them to myself for Christmas LOL. I think I can get them in there without having to hack or chisel????
 
I dont think those manifolds will fit an A body. You could look in to some SpitFire headers. I would take the $600 and either save it for some TTI or Dougs headers or buy a set of 235-60-15 Drag radials for the back.
 
There"s a post somewhere that someone put a set on a Duster with minimal grinding(with pictures). I talked to another FABO member who put a set on his Dart and he had to do a fair amount of grinding to make it fit with his power steering and he said that if he had had manual steering he would have had to do minimal grinding. There is another member who also put some on an A body after a fair amount of grinding to clear the p/s who will go unnamed as he stiffed a couple of members for a lot of money and I don't want to open up old wounds. I'm going to give it a try and I'll post pictures and discussion so hopefully it will be easier for someone else who wants to do this.
 
If you want to stick with 14 inch tires, this combo should fit ... I put 245/60/14 (25.6") on back and 205/70/14 (25.4") up front on my 67 dart (BF Goodrich Radial TAs)
 
That's a lot of tire up front, is there any rubbing in a tight corner or over bumps?
Ive got stock rallyes on it I believe they are 5 or 5 1/2 wide, I don't know about the off set.
 
I've done the header thing repeatedly, I wan't to drive it not work on it. Loss of a few ponies can easily be made up with the gas.
 
Nos might not break the tires loose if it's brought in by stages. Once the car is rolling and in second gear it might be a good time to smack it.
 
Thats a great idea!! I don't really have the $ to put new rear tires on the car every couple months.
 
That seems like too much convertor for that cam.

if you drive this on the street...you're gonna be wishing you bought the tight convertor...been there- done that.

talk to crackedback on the carb, you may have some problems with that proform add on.

pretty much headers are gonna be the most torque/hp gain and less you buy higher ratio rockers, thats it.
 
Damn are those roller rockers 600 bucks?????????? I have found that the Magnum stuff is significantly higher overall than LA stuff. I'm paying a pretty penny for a roller cam and better quench. The next motor will be an LA 408 with a flat tappet for a lot less than a Magnum as a platform to build up.
 
Yea, I think youre right about the converter This will primarily be a driver mostly back and forth to work 14 miles round trip and down to Old Town in Kissimme once or twice a month about 80 miles round trip.. I want something that will fry the tires on demand. The converter was a gift from a buddy of mine so I thought I'd at least try it. If it's too much I thought I'd try a /6 converter as I have one of those lying around.. I've been told that a torquey 360 will lock up a /6 converter at about 2300. Have you heard anything on that?? Not sure what you're getting at about the Proform I may have some what with the carb???
 
dustoff440 said:
Damn are those roller rockers 600 bucks?????????? I have found that the Magnum stuff is significantly higher overall than LA stuff. I'm paying a pretty penny for a roller cam and better quench. The next motor will be an LA 408 with a flat tappet for a lot less than a Magnum as a platform to build up.
Click to expand...

No they're 475 bucks but you'll need a new set of pushrods made so I guess 600 bucks.
 
dustoff440 said:
Damn are those roller rockers 600 bucks?????????? I have found that the Magnum stuff is significantly higher overall than LA stuff. I'm paying a pretty penny for a roller cam and better quench. The next motor will be an LA 408 with a flat tappet for a lot less than a Magnum as a platform to build up.
Click to expand...

No suggestions on spending the last $600, but I will speak to this. Have a good machine shop drill and tap the Mag heads for Chevy studs and get Chevy rockers. Even Harlan Sharps for Chevies are cheap!

Curious, what costs so much more with the Magnum??
 
dusterdoug said:
No suggestions on spending the last $600, but I will speak to this. Have a good machine shop drill and tap the Mag heads for Chevy studs and get Chevy rockers. Even Harlan Sharps for Chevies are cheap!

Curious, what costs so much more with the Magnum??
Click to expand...

You can actually buy the studs that will allow you to run sbc rockers on magnum heads .... I think that these are them http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-4542-16/
 
MoparDreamin said:
You can actually buy the studs that will allow you to run sbc rockers on magnum heads .... I think that these are them http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-4542-16/
Click to expand...

Winner, winner...chicken dinner!

Didn't know you could get those! Of course spring pressure would have to be "mild" for a 5/16 attach point, but for a cruiser this is the ticket. You could get a DIRT cheap set of roller tips for a Chevy on E-bay I would think. Good info!

Here's another thought, take the $600, add about $150 in pocket change and get a set of EQ mag heads or 1.92 RHS heads. You can even get the RHS heads with the pedistals cast in for LA rocker gear. The flow of either head will SPANK the OEM Mag heads and all of the OEM valve gear will interchange...
 
Wish you said something LONG before you got to this point....

That TC is gonna ruin you.... tci anything is junk, you should lose that TC and see martin saine for a real TC

i wouldn't buy anything to retard timing for n2o use unless you are really hitting it....

More then 175 hits....
Progressive controllers are for 200 to 500 hits
 
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