Drive Train Upgrade Suggestions

[harrisonm]

Budget is $25K for everything except the acquisition of the car (ie. body-off paint, front-end suspension, reupholster interior, replacement bucket seats, A/C, power steering, wheels/tires, misc.). I could cover another $5000 without facing a divorce. From what I'm reading from everyone since posting this, I'm gravitating away from sinking costs into hi-perf /6 upgrades and likely to go the 318 route to stick with the same K-bracket. Were you able to fit 275s into the rear without modifications?

Then I recommend a 360 built up to about 350 HP. That is really easy, and not terribly expensive. With headers and the right gears (32.2 or 3.55), you would have a car that was FUN to drive and should get decent mileage. You can always increase HP later and sell the lower performance parts on this forum.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Everyone ... Many thanks for the input and ideas. A couple people asked about budget, which will top out around $25K for the restoration work, net of what I paid for the body. The car arrived this morning and appears the body prep work will be minimal). This will be driven significant distances to events, errands and joy-riding. It came with a 225 Slant-6 from a '68 Dodge Dart. If an engine swap was made, are there any that would not require mount fabrication? Also found this YouTube video () of an optimized 225 that seems pretty amazing as well. Would need to assess costs of this option that would require a full tear down and rebuild of the engine + the weber carbs versus a new drive train as-is. Wanting to get the drive train determined se we can measure and make any needed changes before we take the body off to strip/prime and send to the paint shop. Additional comments welcome ... thanks!!

When someone tells you a slant 6 can't be cool, here's mine.

 

[Topless69]

When someone tells you a slant 6 can't be cool, here's mine.

That’s the first time I’ve ever heard your car Rusty. It sounds awesome.

 

[RustyRatRod]

That’s the first time I’ve ever heard your car Rusty. It sounds awesome.

Thanks!

 

[Ted265]

Appreciated the input and not sure if my attempted youtube video post to the group was visible to you. If not, would appreciate your thoughts on this /6 upgrade end-state versus the V8 route -- https://youtu.be/4zHxzHEs14k This seems like an interesting optimized 225 that appears pretty amazing as well. Would need to assess costs of this option that would require a full tear down and rebuild of the engine + the weber carbs versus a new drive train as-is.

Hot sixes are cool, but you are building for a higher HP/CI than you would with a mild V8 and will require much more thought/attention to detail and money to be invested into the build if you want it to last.
A triple weber setup will probably cost you around $2-2500 US. But they are nice!

 

[Mopar Virgin]

When someone tells you a slant 6 can't be cool, here's mine.

So I talked to our local machine shop in Hood River, OR that is sadly closing it's doors. The owner did a great job on my '49 Chevy engine rebuild. Says /6 is great but will cost more than a V8. Still on a fence about this. Your car sounds great. What went into the engine build, how long ago and what did it cost? Have you considered the dual header exhaust option too?

 

[RustyRatRod]

So I talked to our local machine shop in Hood River, OR that is sadly closing it's doors. The owner did a great job on my '49 Chevy engine rebuild. Says /6 is great but will cost more than a V8. Still on a fence about this. Your car sounds great. What went into the engine build, how long ago and what did it cost? Have you considered the dual header exhaust option too?

I have a set of headers for it, but I will run 2 into my large single exhaust. Inline engines and small cube V8 actually respond better to a good single exhaust. Everybody just automatically goes to duals because that's what everybody else does and what the magazines push. Mine is an unmodified stone stock bottom end with a heavily milled head, BIG cam, offenhauser 4 barrel intake, Quick Fuel 450 vacuum secondary carburetor and a stock exhaust manifold opened up to 2.5" to match the pipe and also ported. I'm not SURE how much the headers will add, but I do plan on putting them on. I already had the engine and it was a fresh rebuild. I think I have 300 in the head including valve job and milling. About 179 in the cam regrind and 120 in the timing set. It's a JP/Rollmaster. I don't see how the slant 6 could ever cost more than a V8.

 

[mygasser]

i had 295 50 15's under the arches on my 68 valiant. 8 1/2" slot mags, explorer 8.8 rear (they come stock with lsd, disc brakes and 31 spline h/d axles all for 1/2 the price of an 'a' body 8 3/4 ) with 2 short side axles for almost exactly 'a' body width. all i did was roll the arch lips flat and i could fit my fat fingers in the gap. plus that was with no spring relocation so i could've gone quite a bit bigger on wheel/tyre size.
neil.

 

[MopaR&D]

Hot sixes are cool, but you are building for a higher HP/CI than you would with a mild V8 and will require much more thought/attention to detail and money to be invested into the build if you want it to last.
A triple weber setup will probably cost you around $2-2500 US. But they are nice!

View attachment 1715880168

Slant-6 to me just has so much working against it to be a performance engine. Small bores with tiny valves, super long and heavy con rods, heavy rotating assembly, reverse-flow head... They ought to have been made into a diesel version, I'd rock one of those no doubt. I guess I'm also biased since I live at high altitude so everything here that doesn't have forced induction makes about 25% less torque and HP across the board. I've driven a stock slant-6 car around here and it could barely get out of its own way.

You can build them to make power but it costs a lot more to get to the same level as a mild-rebuilt small block V8. IMO they're a novelty engine in this day and age, just totally obsolete. Fun interesting engines but not powerful or efficient by a long shot.

 

[69cudaownr]

Budget is $25K for everything except the acquisition of the car (ie. body-off paint, front-end suspension, reupholster interior, replacement bucket seats, A/C, power steering, wheels/tires, misc.). I could cover another $5000 without facing a divorce. From what I'm reading from everyone since posting this, I'm gravitating away from sinking costs into hi-perf /6 upgrades and likely to go the 318 route to stick with the same K-bracket. Were you able to fit 275s into the rear without modifications?

Yes, the 275 's on my car are without any modifications. (PM me if you want more details on wheel specs, offset etc.) It's a stock 8 3/4 sure grip rear with stock spring locations. Btw, like many have suggested I have a 318, with upgrades (cam, intake ported to the #302 heads which are milled to 58cc, 600 Edelbrock, headers, dual exhaust) Thats a fairly budget wise engine combo with some "gittyup". I suggested the 5.7 hemi because you spoke of modernizing with an EFI. The hemi is a crowd pleaser in an older mopar.

 

[Mopar Virgin]

Yes, the 275 's on my car are without any modifications. (PM me if you want more details on wheel specs, offset etc.) It's a stock 8 3/4 sure grip rear with stock spring locations. Btw, like many have suggested I have a 318, with upgrades (cam, intake ported to the #308 heads which are milled to 58cc, 600 Edelbrock, headers, dual exhaust) Thats a fairly budget wise engine combo with some "gittyup". I suggested the 5.7 hemi because you spoke of modernizing with an EFI. The hemi is a crowd pleaser in an older mopar.

My friend is checking into this 318 that was posted on craigslist in the Portland, OR area to learn more about the build and price firmness ... Complete rebuilt hot street 318 - auto parts - by owner - vehicle... ... Much as I really want to take-on the /6, this option may be the reasonable path forward to start frim with some modifications for now. I'm not an engine guy, so I can't interpret the custom stuff and specs on this to know if it's a solid build or not.