Dodge Product planning flaws

[Princess Valiant]

... just for the record, I destroyed any and every 5.0 Fox body with my 4 door Spirit R/T, factory DOHC Intercooled turbo 4 5-speed manual, FWD. That, my friend, was fun !!! Factory production faster than the Z28's and 5.0 GT's.

That would be fun, but a SPIRIT!! That kinda proves why the other brands outsold chrysler.

A high school seniors dream car, a spirit!!

It's kinda the same thing chrysler did in the early 60s. Unbeatable driveline power, but in a body that would be the taste of the old man world War 2 veteran.

 

[318willrun]

Didn't mean to start an argument, especially amongst people i hold in high regard, you know I'm one of your youtube channel fans, so I'm not trying to fight over an internet thread. It was more me thinking out loud and frustrated with our beloved brand.

It's a lot more than a crank that wasn't drilled. It's a ton more issues that can only be solved with a very deep Prada purse.

I am still going to tune in to you regarding small blocks because I am going to finish my dodge truck project but it's just not going to have the list of options and features I had wanted. But it's still a cool old truck that is going to be a very well tuned 318. It's just going to be a cruiser truck not the goose neck hauler that ford is going to be.

we aren't arguing... lol.

 

[Princess Valiant]

Dodge had what that competed with it in a gas motor?

Exactly and dodge guys always have to bring up the Cummins because there is no other way to run. With any luck the diesel will become a thing of the past in non commercial, light trucks.

 

[sireland67]

I think they did alot of stuff based on sale figure projections and stuff like that. How many big block manual transmission trucks would have been sold? I wish they have made an extended cab in the w100. You had to get a w350 to get the extended cab. The 80s d and w series are my favorite trucks and are impossible to find in good shape around here. Im with RustyRatRod buy the Ford thats a dang good looking truck and that 460 is a beast!

They made club cab W150's.

 

[Princess Valiant]

we aren't arguing... lol.

Then let the bar brawl commence

Good, I'm glad no one is butt hurt because princess valiant doesn't agree !!

 

[318willrun]

Then let the bar brawl commence

Good, I'm glad no one is butt hurt because princess valiant doesn't agree !!

This car was one of the biggest sleepers I've ever owned... I believe it was an easy 13 second car from the factory, but no traction in the first 3 gears whatsoever.

 

[Princess Valiant]

This car was one of the biggest sleepers I've ever owned... I believe it was an easy 13 second car from the factory, but no traction in the first 3 gears whatsoever.
View attachment 1715891611

Ok. I dig that. That IS a cool car but back to my point in the op.

Say a newbie high school kid saw you smashing in your spirit and he or she tells him/herself (s)he needs a car like that too....
1. Can (s)he find one of those easily? Like say a mustang or even a Corvette...
2. Are parts available? Say you need a drivers side rear window regulator, can you find one at your pick a part or even find one through summit?
3. How is the aftermarket support? Can you say, replace or upgrade the turbo without pulling teeth and a thousand dollars later?

 

[thesiren74]

Drop the ball? TBI 454 was a gutless pig, and a 5.9 magnum would haul the mail on them. And I think Dodge figured if you were serious about work, you'd buy a V10 or Cummins. Plenty of manual tranny's behind both

• 460 in 1990 F350: 245 hp and 400 ft trq. Nothing earth shattering for 460 cubic inch/16 valve EFI motor.

My buddy has a 70s dually long bed 4 door 2 wd 454 truck and yes dog.

 

[thesiren74]

... just for the record, I destroyed any and every 5.0 Fox body with my 4 door Spirit R/T, factory DOHC Intercooled turbo 4 5-speed manual, FWD. That, my friend, was fun !!! Factory production faster than the Z28's and 5.0 GT's.

90s Duster 5 speed 3.0l would destroy mustangs also.

 

[318willrun]

Ok. I dig that. That IS a cool car but back to my point in the op.

Say a newbie high school kid saw you smashing in your spirit and he or she tells him/herself (s)he needs a car like that too....
1. Can (s)he find one of those easily? Like say a mustang or even a Corvette...
2. Are parts available? Say you need a drivers side rear window regulator, can you find one at your pick a part or even find one through summit?
3. How is the aftermarket support? Can you say, replace or upgrade the turbo without pulling teeth and a thousand dollars later?

Clearly, RWD sport cars ('stangs & camaro's) will have the aftermarket support, the cool factor, desirability, vs a 4 door Spirit, and just about every FWD car. But there was a lot of support for the 4 cyl turbo cars. Even the SRT neon's had aftermarket support. Many are running in the 10's in the 130's mph. HOWEVER, to your build, there is no shortage for Dodge truck support, especially from 1972 and newer. The fact that a ton of Dodge trucks came with 400's and 440's really simplifies it all. Patience in collecting the parts is the key.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Exactly and dodge guys always have to bring up the Cummins because there is no other way to run. With any luck the diesel will become a thing of the past in non commercial, light trucks.

Dodge went to Cummins because they didn't HAVE anything else that could compete. Cummins is not Dodge. Other companies used and use them as well, including Ford.

 

[318willrun]

Exactly and dodge guys always have to bring up the Cummins because there is no other way to run. With any luck the diesel will become a thing of the past in non commercial, light trucks.

To be fair, you narrowed it down to a "specific" couple of years. Step up a couple to '94 and the V10 Gas will drag that 460 around the block and back home. 55 more hp, and 50 ft lbs more torque with only 28 more cubic inches. Step back a few and the 440 was on the check list. But if you want to single out a couple years in the "gas only" world of which Dodge didn't compete with the 460, then I think you found it

 

[Dartfreak75]

They made club cab W150's.

Really ? I've never seen one ! That would be cool to fond one. I know they had the club can in the 70s tin grille trucks but I've never seen one in the 80s

 

[Dartfreak75]

This car was one of the biggest sleepers I've ever owned... I believe it was an easy 13 second car from the factory, but no traction in the first 3 gears whatsoever.
View attachment 1715891611

I've always liked those. I also really like the dodge/plymouth shadow/sprint. I always wanted one of the 2dr turbo models.

 

[318willrun]

Really ? I've never seen one ! That would be cool to fond one. I know they had the club can in the 70s tin grille trucks but I've never seen one in the 80s

yep, they are out there. Club and Crew cabs

 

[318willrun]

I've always liked those. I also really like the dodge/plymouth shadow/sprint. I always wanted one of the 2dr turbo models.

Years ago I use to run the K car turbo's. I could drop close to a full second by a 3 dollar part at... a pet store !! But that Spirit R/T was very special, only a few made and for '91 and '92 only.

 

[Dartfreak75]

Drop the ball? TBI 454 was a gutless pig, and a 5.9 magnum would haul the mail on them. And I think Dodge figured if you were serious about work, you'd buy a V10 or Cummins. Plenty of manual tranny's behind both

• 460 in 1990 F350: 245 hp and 400 ft trq. Nothing earth shattering for 460 cubic inch/16 valve EFI motor.

I pulled my cuda home 300 miles with a 98 454 chevy. I wouldn't call it gutless. It is most definitely smogged to death. I pulled it up and over fancy gap with an issue and was in the passing lane going by 18 wheelers most of the time. Any one that's been over fancy gap knows what im saying if you haven't fancy gap is 6.2 mile 4 percent grade it goes from 1500 ft to almost 2800ft in 7 miles its quite the climb especially with a trailer!

 

[Dartfreak75]

Years ago I use to run the K car turbo's. I could drop close to a full second by a 3 dollar part at... a pet store !! But that Spirit R/T was very special, only a few made and for '91 and '92 only.

3 dollar part at a pet store? Please do tell! Lol

 

[318willrun]

3 dollar part at a pet store? Please do tell! Lol

Fish bubbler valve, 2.49 or something like that. Install that on the turbo cars and you'll think you put a different engine in it

 

[Dartfreak75]

Fish bubbler valve, 2.49 or something like that. Install that on the turbo cars and you'll think you put a different engine in it

What the heck does that do?

 

[318willrun]

What the heck does that do?

You splice it in the waste gate vacuum hose, then you use the flow control (how fast your fish tank bubbles) to control the boost. We ran 14.5 psi boost from the factory 7 psi. It was an easy 50 hp increase and on a 2600 lbs car, you FELT the difference even if you were nerve-dead!

 

[Dartfreak75]

You splice it in the waste gate vacuum hose, then you use the flow control (how fast your fish tank bubbles) to control the boost. We ran 14.5 psi boost from the factory 7 psi. It was an easy 50 hp increase and on a 2600 lbs car, you FELT the difference even if you were nerve-dead!

Ohhh that makes sense. You are a hotrod mad scientist! I wish I would have known you 20 years ago lol

 

[67Dart273]

Yeh and it gets worse. When I still had the short cab "white whale" I was thinking of swapping in a 4 speed. 5.9 was not drilled past the converter cavity!!!

Thought about trying to convert my Ram Cummins to 4wd. FRAMES ARE DIFFERENT between 2w and 4wd!!! (I've even thought about using an earlier leaf spring solid axle and fabbing it under there and just adding a divorced transfer case "Ford style" behind the 2wd 5 speed.

 

[67Dart273]

In the mid 70's a friend of mine and I swapped his nearly-like-new 7?4? Dodge 1/2T 4x4 short box from 360 to 440. Built a pan, ordered a factory new one, then found that it had no baffle--just like the perfectly good one we'd built. Bear in mind this was BEFORE Al Gore invented the internet. Put a bone stock 383 RR cam in it and it ran GREAT. Only mistake we made is that it already had a Torker manifold. We should have yarded that thing off. An RB Torker IS NOT a "torkey" manifold.

 

[volaredon]

... just for the record, I destroyed any and every 5.0 Fox body with my 4 door Spirit R/T, factory DOHC Intercooled turbo 4 5-speed manual, FWD. That, my friend, was fun !!! Factory production faster than the Z28's and 5.0 GT's.

Spirit is still wrong wheel drive.