finally it looks like V-8 time

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37fleetwood

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After at least 10 years of waiting, it looks like I may finally be putting a V-8 in my '64 Dart GT. I have been thinking about this for years and now that it looks like it will happen I'm still not sure which way to go. I have several options I can go with from 273 2bbl to factory 273 4bbl from 318 2bbl, 4bbl, tbi, etc. to 340 or 360.
obviously I want the most bang for my buck but within reason. my main objective is to make a car that is everyday reliable with decent power and decent mileage. my ultimate setup would be a late model port injected Magnum V-8 in basic stock trim. so far the best looking (and cheapest) choice seems to be a 1978 318 4bbl that I have and which is in really good shape. I will probably go with a 273 4bbl intake for hood clearance and that stock look. I'm thinking about dressing it like a 273 4bbl with the wrinkle black, finned valve covers and red painted long block I even have the chrome Charger air cleaner.
I would really value any advice you guys have.
after getting the engine settled in I would like to address the trans, I've been thinking Dakota type 5 speed, also if you have any input on this please feel free.
here's a photo of my Dart:
IMG_0276X.jpg
 
273,318,340,360 are all the same height.

Build a hot 318 or 360 or even 408 but know as the cid increases so does the need for exhaust and you are limited in that department with the early a-body.
 
I'm pretty sure unless there are really convincing posts to the contrary, I'll use the 318. a few questions I have are:
1 is it worth it to go looking for the swirl port heads, and what year did they start?
2 should I look into Dakota exhaust manifolds?
3 If I go with the Dakota 5 speed how easy is it to put into my Dart?
4 if I wait a bit to gather parts (5 speed) is a 360 a better option? the 360 needs a special converter to fit the A904 trans.
5 if I were to consider a 360 now, how easy is it to find a torque converter to fit my cable shift A904 torqueflyte?
6 are there any other questions I should be asking?
 
Here is a picture of my 64 dart gt fuelinjected it was a easy conversion. Everthing out of a 94 Dakota.

Earl

close up 64 eng 1.jpg
 
what is the setup now, do you have power steering. also do you already have a V8 904 trans.?
 
Come down from the high desert and look at my 64 and you will see what you have to do the hardest part was fitting the a518 overdrive had to cut the floor and if you go with the 5 speed you will still have to cut the floor and you need at least a 8 1/4 diff.
 
My 64 Dart GT is 5.2 Fuelinjected and a 518 overdrive with the 8 3/4 3:91 posi
 
Here is a picture of my 66 Dart wagon 3.9 fuelinjected with a 500 overdrive and 8 1/4 3:55 posi it is my everday driver and I did all the wiring myself not all that bad . But putting the V/6 in the wagon was a lot harder then the V/8.

Picture 616 (Large).jpg
 
Earl, I wish you were closer!!!
did you use the Dakota exhaust manifolds?
when you say I'd have to cut the floor boards for the 5 speed what do you mean? I don't mind a shifter hole, or minor adjustments, I'd like to avoid as much cutting as is involved in the A518.
you also bring up another question, right now I have a 7 1/4 rear out of a 77 Aspen. I have been really intrigued with the Ford Exploder rear end idea, has anyone done it? how hard was it how well does it work?

camd64, the setup now is 225 with A904, I have 2 A904 V-8 trans' to choose from.
I also have both power and non-power steering setups as needed.
thanks for the replies!
 
if you have manual steering you can get a set of spitfire headers. there are a couple sets ready to go for $175 on another post. also don't forget the V8 centerlink.

i have an explorer 8.8 in mine. very easy swap and only a couple hundred bucks to do it.
 
You have to make the tunnel larger for the 5 speed and you could get by with the 7 1//4 driven easy and the manifolds are the stock 273 excursion honed the ones on mine. My car was slant 6 904 but I went with the late model for some crazy reason I did that red car back in 1995 and it was in HOT ROD mag in Nov 1999 some guy seen it at Spring Fling it was one of the first fuelinjected Mopar converionsand there has been a lot more of them since.
 
I have a complete V-8 66 Barracuda that was hit really hard in the rear, so I have mounts, steering, stock exhaust, etc.
I'll look at the headers, thanks for the heads up!
 
yes, disc brakes and easy to get pads, cheap rotors, and supposedly somewhere in the high 3's gear ratio.
 
Just take everthing out of the 66 and do that it would be much faster and cheaper
 
yes, you can get them disc or drum. half off days at the wrecking yard they go for anywhere between 50 to 100 bucks.
 
that's the basic idea for now except that the 66 doesn't have a cable shift trans. I have the trans and a 318, the 'Cuda will donate everything else V-8 related.
I'm just thinking about worth while upgrades based on how easy they might be / value gained. everyone has a 318 in a Dart, not too many have a 5 speed fuel injected Dart with disc break rear end. the 5 speed allows for higher gears without sacrificing mileage.
 
the basic idea with the Explorer rear is that it is around 3 inches too wide. the center section is offset by about the same. what you have to do is cut the long side down to the same length as the short side and install another short side axle.
 
camd64 said:
yes, you can get them disc or drum. half off days at the wrecking yard they go for anywhere between 50 to 100 bucks.
Click to expand...
$50.00 seems cheap for such an upgrade. what gear ratio does yours have?
 
I actually have 2 8.8's. one 3.23 and the other is a 3.73. you just have to know where and when to look for the good deals. my 3.23 was only 50 with the other short shaft I needed.
 
the local pick apart has half off on days when it rains:-D
Exploders are pretty common in there these days! how hard was it to get the axle aligned? did you do it yourself, or have it done? if you had it done how much did that run?
 
so far this sounds like it may be the best money spent considering the cost of an 8 3/4". I have one but it is small bolt pattern and since I put 73 Duster discs on the front I need big bolt pattern on the back as well.
did the exploder rears come with any kind of limited slip or posi?
 
yeah, just look for the little s-shaped clip when you pull the cover in the middle of the carrier.
 
You could easily (and cheaply) build a 300+ HP 318 with mildly ported 302's, a good cam, Performer or similar dual-plane and 600 cfm carb. A complete EFI Magnum engine does sound attractive but IMO that "beer-barrel" intake is giving up a lot of higher-end power (kinda like the old longhorn cross-ram BB intakes). There is a dual- or single-plane intake by Mopar Performance that has injector bungs(?) cast in, so you could swap one of those intakes on a good junkyard Magnum engine and you'd have a pretty powerful engine.
 
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