Engine choice

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sireland67

sireland67

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Picked up a decent roller 70 Challenger a few months ago.
It is a factory 318 auto, 2.74 gear. Motor and trans long gone.
I do not care about engine size matching vin number or trans matching fender tag.

What I have to at least get this car moving is the following:

A running 78 318 from one of my own vehicles, 84K miles, smokes some I would at least do a ring and bearing on it, and lap the valves in, minimum money spent, motor is already out of my old truck.

A 1970 340 still in a cuda' I bought, the boy I got the the car off, said his dad bought the car in 1991 drove it home and parked it, condition unknown but complete, and still in the car.
I knew his dad so true story.

A extra 340 but it has no main caps, or crank, so most expensive option, but would most defiantly be a good candidate for a 4" arm.

None of the above engines would stay in the Challenger, but would be a back up motor for my 340 4-speed Duster.
I have on back order a second gen hemi block, but who knows what decade Fiat will decide to start making old Mopar "P" number parts again.

Throw the trans in:

I have a 904 small block trans, decent shape already out, but I would freshen it up.

Or pull the 4-speed out of the cuda, it is complete down to the pistol grip, but every old mopar I own is a 4 speed.

Gears who knows, I have the following 8.75 gears complete, ready to bolt in:
3.23
4.30
5.38
and what ever is in the cuda' the way that car is optioned, with manual steering and brakes, and nothing but speed parts most likely between a 3.55 and 3.91.

The sad thing is this Challenger I bought just to just use extra parts up, but I keep buying more mopar stuff, dont really care about how fast it is, just how fun it is cruising.
 
Since they're all temporary, I'd just do what would be easiest and cheapest. ..

Jeff
 
They're heavy. I would long term big block it. A good 318 will push it along good till then.
 
Unless you stroke the 340..or at least rebuild it, it's gonna be mundane, but sound good.
Use the 904 with 2800 stall and the 3.91 gears if equipped..or the 3.55s.

A nice b motor..like a 451, w/ 4spd would be fun, heads have a higher performance ceiling before turning into a $3000 set of heads and offset rocker combo.
Very feasible to make 500 hp with a mild .550 roller and mild port work.
 
I say whatever puts it on the road the fastest so you can enjoy it.
 
If your goal is just to go Cruising, I'd go with the 318. If you wanted lots of power and great handling, I'd stroke a 340; 425 streetable HP is easy. BBs are great for power, but handling, ride and cornering will all suffer due to the extra weight in front.
 
I agree with the above. 318 sounds like the logical choice here. If it was an auto car, the 904 would be fine as well. That combo with the 2.74 ratio would make for a relaxed cruiser while you get the rest of the stuff sorted out.

Why part out the 'Cuda? If that's an actual 'Cuda (versus "Barracuda") then it has hi-po heritage and is probably a better bet for your efforts than even this Challenger. Just my opinion.
 
The cuda' is an actual cuda, but it is rotted bad, firewall, floor, frame and trunk is almost non-existent.
The challenger is solid with decent sheet metal.
 
sireland67 said:
The cuda' is an actual cuda, but it is rotted bad, firewall, floor, frame and trunk is almost non-existent.
The challenger is solid with decent sheet metal.
Click to expand...

Ah...ok. I guess pulling the motor makes some sense here. I hope you don't junk it, though! Somebody would love to get to work on that machine!
 
Since you have other plans pretty much all around - do whatever is easiest. I'd probably stick the 318/904 into it with a set of 3.55s. Drive it while the rest of the stuff shakes out. I don't think, at this point in my life, that I would part out a #s matching '70 Cuda 340, regardless of the shape of the body. If you want parts, get the engine running, and flip the car. As was said - someone will buy it. 340s and parts are not hard to find. Complete cars are getting scarce.
 
Small block Chevy.

Cheap, fast, and easy, just like my ex wife.
 
My inclination would be bigblock, if that is your end goal anyway. But it sounded like you have a 318 you could do a cheap valve job on, throw in the 3.23 gears and a decent converter, a set of cheap headers and have fun while building the real motor the right way. I would opt for a stroked 400, and it is about as cheap to build a 512 stroker as any other. With a 512, a hydraulic cam, and even stock valve train if you go with a milder rate of lift cam with enough duration, it will be an animal even with the 3.23 gears. A friend has a 68 Roadrunner, factory weight, runs 11.40s corked up with a 451 , although he was running deep gears and slicks. That was with stock iron heads worked a bit, bowl ported.
But my point is a 3.23 geared striker is a great performing cruiser combo!!
 
moper said:
Since you have other plans pretty much all around - do whatever is easiest. I'd probably stick the 318/904 into it with a set of 3.55s. Drive it while the rest of the stuff shakes out. I don't think, at this point in my life, that I would part out a #s matching '70 Cuda 340, regardless of the shape of the body. If you want parts, get the engine running, and flip the car. As was said - someone will buy it. 340s and parts are not hard to find. Complete cars are getting scarce.
Click to expand...


The family friend that I got it of off is getting rid of his dads collection, he has about two dozen more cudas that are complete, some big block cars that I can purchase, this car is literally broke in 1/2 sitting on my car trailer, it is not worth fixing.

I am actually not sure I can even jack it up, the front K member is sitting flat on the trailer, and the car has tires on it.

I bought it for parts, it is not financially worth fixing, when I can just go up his place and buy another one and drive it home.
He gave me a real good price on an AAR I still might take him up on it.
 
MRGTX said:
Ah...ok. I guess pulling the motor makes some sense here. I hope you don't junk it, though! Somebody would love to get to work on that machine!
Click to expand...
I wont junk it, I can put it up my farm forever, I will put the title in my name and store it.
 
I think I will just go with the 318, it was running good last summer, actually for the last 5 years in my old truck.
I just pulled it to put a 360 in its place, I know what it is, simple ring and bearing, maybe a .010" cut on the crank, put some valve seals and lap the valves and run it. Also I have two more 318's if I need any unforeseen part.

Trans not 100% sure yet, but the 4-speed is tempting since I would use it also at a later date, if my engine block I have on order ever comes in.
 
RustyRatRod said:
They're heavy. I would long term big block it. A good 318 will push it along good till then.
Click to expand...

So true Rob, my first car I ever bought with my own money was a 71 challenger, so a simple small block will move it decent.
 
I was hoping the sarcasm came through. I despise the sbc, not because it's a bad motor (sadly, it isn't), but because it's the go-to for so many people.
 
easy answer... the 340 and all the 'cuda pieces.
I'm betting you'll probably be happy and keep it!
 
jos51700 said:
I was hoping the sarcasm came through. I despise the sbc, not because it's a bad motor (sadly, it isn't), but because it's the go-to for so many people.
Click to expand...
Can be made to haul ***, cheapest thing to hotrod, parts are like horse ****-everywhere, but who likes horseshit! fairly impressive. Just don`t have the nostalgia and karisma of a mopar. OR THE PRICE TAG FROM GREEDY PARTS SELLERS !
 
ir3333 said:
easy answer... the 340 and all the 'cuda pieces.
I'm betting you'll probably be happy and keep it!
Click to expand...

I am not looking to flip the car, just a play toy.
Something to go beat on hard, my Duster is really turning out nice, kinda show quality, took it too far.

In my mind, I want something I can just just drive, and not worry about a scratch, maybe leave it in primer.
Kinda a beater car, but yet everything tight.
 
sireland67 said:
The family friend that I got it of off is getting rid of his dads collection, he has about two dozen more cudas that are complete, some big block cars that I can purchase, this car is literally broke in 1/2 sitting on my car trailer, it is not worth fixing.

I am actually not sure I can even jack it up, the front K member is sitting flat on the trailer, and the car has tires on it.

I bought it for parts, it is not financially worth fixing, when I can just go up his place and buy another one and drive it home.
He gave me a real good price on an AAR I still might take him up on it.
Click to expand...
If it is a true AAR, go for it! That is of course if is worth fixing. The front fenders are special on that car, a bit wider or something in the wheel wells. The point is, even if you don't put all the right parts in it but do do it as close as you can, fenders, stripes, maybe a 6 pack 340, it will have a lot more value, but will stll be short of the ulimate price by a bunch do to the missing parts.
 
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