My second thought for an engine swap which will probably rate some more positive comments from most of you!? I found a 1979 Dodge Magnum XE, 318, auto, AC, PS. It's a complete car, owner says "running and driving when parked back in 1999!" Anyway, I have driven up there and it's kinda rough, but is all there and hasn't been ruined by someone out there pulling this and that off of it. NOW, what will be involved if I use it's motor and trans in my Scamp? Keep in mind, I'm barely even a shade tree mechanic (my dad was the mechanic in my family! RIP Dad) I have just recently started working on my own cars some getting ready for retirement soon! Love to get my hands dirty and actually FIX something instead of just going out there and buying a new one! Thank you for all your help!
HOW ABOUT A 1979 318 V-8 IN MY '73 SCAMP?
- Thread starter Kenjenok
- Start date
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Slowswinger
Well-Known Member
If it has been sitting since 1999 I would not value it as more than a core unless you see it running.
You'd need motor adapting motor mounts or a different K-frame. A 318 2bbl that's been sitting for 21 years is not worth a lot, so be careful what you spend.
79 isn't a Magnum. They came out in 92.
Slowswinger
Well-Known Member
I think he is referring to the barge the engine is in not the engine itself.
That makes more sense
Correct, the car is a Dodge Magnum, not referring to the motor generation.
I need to take more time to read through things. I scan things too fast.
Although the magnum motors are a great choice, cheap and easy to locate.
lilfontleroy
annoyinglilLeroy
yea, as said above, hear it running ~~ and I would add, ..or walk away. If it is a good runner, make it clear to the seller that you're not buying the car, you're buying the engine in it ~ DON'T pay for something you don't want and won't use. Curious, what is he asking for the car?
lilfontleroy
annoyinglilLeroy
been there!
Slowswinger
Well-Known Member
I hate to be another ‘just get a 360’ guy but just get a 360. I bought a running 318 for a swap. When I got this engine home it was not a running just drop it in engine. It was a waste of money. The machining to rebuild it, the intake, replacement heads, the car oil pan, pretty much everything to swap this engine will cost the same as a 360 except the pistons. Those will cost less. I wish I would have listen to the advise on here about just buying a 360. Some day I will rebuild this 318 for just a grocery getter.
Well, a 360 could need a rebuild as well as any other engine. Why should he go the 360 route?? He was going to install a 3.9 V6, so I assume racing isn't the purpose of the car.
He's asking $800.00 for entire car. I'll probably keep looking, thanks!
a good running 5.2 or 5.9 magnum can be bought between 150 - 350 bucks. A good running LA 318 (pre 1992) can be bought for 300 or less, sometimes for 100 bucks if a guy want's it out of his garage. Just to let you know the "going prices" with a little bit of patience.
Thanks, I'm going to keep looking!
dano
Evil Handy Man
So this is your second post on the topic, let discuss budget and expectations. What do you realistically want or have to spend on the car and what are your expectations from your car? We can talk everything from Hemi to slant but there needs to be some rules to help you. There is more to this than just the engine, suspension, rear end, transmission, radiator and brakes need addressed too on top of any body or interior work the car may need. It becomes a slippery slope easily so knowing what you want and are willing to spend is a great place to start.
There is a ton of knowledge here with some cranky old bastards along they way and a varying degree of opinions but you'll get a honest answer.
With the others, a engine you can't see running or driving is a core.
If you don't want to mess with the K-frame or swap mounts, trans or rear, build the 225. You can build a decent slant.
If a V8 is on the radar you need to start looking for the supporting equipment to make the swap. Parts are out there.
There is a ton of knowledge here with some cranky old bastards along they way and a varying degree of opinions but you'll get a honest answer.
With the others, a engine you can't see running or driving is a core.
If you don't want to mess with the K-frame or swap mounts, trans or rear, build the 225. You can build a decent slant.
If a V8 is on the radar you need to start looking for the supporting equipment to make the swap. Parts are out there.
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OK, I am going to be on a budget. I paid $2500.00 for the car, it runs and drives okay. SUPER DOGGY, it will barely pull itself from a standstill. Keep in mind I haven't done anything to it, just drove it home (about 50 miles!) It needs paint, some interior work, and for the "teenager in me" MORE POWER! I have done some research on giving my slant 6 more power, but it seems to me like the parts are more expensive than the V-8 parts? I am going to purchase a cherry picker and engine stand, but right now my garage is full. I want a daily driver that looks good from a distance, a show car is WAY over my budget. My goal is to have a '73 Scamp that I enjoy driving and gets looks because it's not that common here in SW Oklahoma! In the end, I really don't want to spend more than my original purchase price!? Does that help any?
dano
Evil Handy Man
So a $2500 budget for V8 swap, paint and interior?
ChargedDart75
Well-Known Member
You'll have to have a V8 transmission and a set of engine swap mounts/make your own. I'd search for a local V8 engine/trans combo and then look at getting the swap mounts. I picked up a 318/904 for less than $150, and one 318 was given to me. They're still out there.
be patient, deals on motors/tranny's and even exhaust, radiators and mounts are out there..... If it's got to be done in a month, plan on paying the premium price. If you look and search with ambition over several months, you can do it for a dime on the dollar.
Don't feel bad, I flunked the Helen Keller speed reading class myself
I bought a 85 D150 earlier this year, with a slant 6. Id seen this truck sit... and sit... and SIT some more. I assumed it was probably a 318 truck til I went and looked after a "for sale" sign popped up in the window finally. the clean body is mostly what drew me to it especially for a northern Indiana truck.
I figure by the time I buy V8 truck mounts, a V8 trans, a V8 radiator, and rebuild one of my V8s I have here, I can build up the slant 6 to run pretty damn good.... Only a 1/2 ton, even if I put a 1 ton suspension in it, legally can still only haul or tow what this particular truck was rated at from factory. And it's the lightest GVW, even among the 1/2 tons of that year. I have had slant 6s that surprised me, for how well they could get around/ and yeah, I have had a couple of slugs, among those I have had over the years, as well. ....
I have a 318 in a 78 Sport Fury that as of now is a slug as well.....(not for long.... I have some "goody" parts on hand to wake that one up, too but that 318 in that car is how it came from the factory) the slant in my 80 Volare and my Moms old 79 LeBaron did surprisingly well. More guts than would be expected from either, totally stock.
Just a good tuneup, valve adjustment and super 6 swap, made a HUGE noticeable difference in my son's D150. though it was neglected before he got it, the tune up plus borrowing my 1 bbl from my truck even helped..... the super 6 helped more. I want to pull the head and do some work on it.... mostly a shave. That will help that truck, even more.
don't discount the 6 so fast. There are guys running 12-13 sec 1/4 mile with them..... though these are mostly no longer streetable. gearing also makes a difference.
I went looking for a Super 6 manifold stack, one for me and 1 for my kid's truck..... I got my 1st one then shortly later found the 2nd, with the rest of a basketcase 225 "along for the ride" came with.... with the money I am not having to spend on different trans, different radiator and such mentioned in beginning of my post, that's more that I can put into this 2nd slant that I have on hand to "see what I can make it do"....and drop it in there. If it still "aint quite enough" I can transplant into my Volare that I was originally wanting to do the V8 thing to. Ive done the "yank the 6 and drop a V8 in" on Dodge trucks before.... before I knew much of what could be done to improve on the 6.
In the mid 80s, even the 360 wasn't rated much over 150-160HP from the factory..... and they moved such equipped trucks along pretty decently.... 305/350 Chevys and 302 Ford of the same era weren't barn burners either.... at least as they came stock.
Without getting too crazy, I can get that much out of this slant 6 and even more.... with gobs of torque from that long stroke of the engine.
Then you have the old "everyone puts a V8 in" thing..... I'm trying to do different with this one.
I have a 440 sitting here that I "could" drop in, but Id then have to find some of the above mentioned parts because comparable ones for the 6 won't work on the V8. and big block swap parts are becoming even harder to find than smallblock parts (and more costly) It's been longer since they put a BB in a truck than a SB engine......
You had said you haven't done anything but drive it home 50 miles..... have you pulled the plugs for a look? Adjusted valves? Adjusted carb? Cleaned/rebuilt (if needed) carb? Checked timing? Done compression test? Checked brakes for dragging? Id bet on alot of "no's" to these questions. between here and the slant 6 forum (LOTS of reading over there-- and here) dig around and see what others have done with the slant 6 before you bail..... it runs (somewhat) as is so that's a good part of the battle.
I figure by the time I buy V8 truck mounts, a V8 trans, a V8 radiator, and rebuild one of my V8s I have here, I can build up the slant 6 to run pretty damn good.... Only a 1/2 ton, even if I put a 1 ton suspension in it, legally can still only haul or tow what this particular truck was rated at from factory. And it's the lightest GVW, even among the 1/2 tons of that year. I have had slant 6s that surprised me, for how well they could get around/ and yeah, I have had a couple of slugs, among those I have had over the years, as well. ....
I have a 318 in a 78 Sport Fury that as of now is a slug as well.....(not for long.... I have some "goody" parts on hand to wake that one up, too but that 318 in that car is how it came from the factory) the slant in my 80 Volare and my Moms old 79 LeBaron did surprisingly well. More guts than would be expected from either, totally stock.
Just a good tuneup, valve adjustment and super 6 swap, made a HUGE noticeable difference in my son's D150. though it was neglected before he got it, the tune up plus borrowing my 1 bbl from my truck even helped..... the super 6 helped more. I want to pull the head and do some work on it.... mostly a shave. That will help that truck, even more.
don't discount the 6 so fast. There are guys running 12-13 sec 1/4 mile with them..... though these are mostly no longer streetable. gearing also makes a difference.
I went looking for a Super 6 manifold stack, one for me and 1 for my kid's truck..... I got my 1st one then shortly later found the 2nd, with the rest of a basketcase 225 "along for the ride" came with.... with the money I am not having to spend on different trans, different radiator and such mentioned in beginning of my post, that's more that I can put into this 2nd slant that I have on hand to "see what I can make it do"....and drop it in there. If it still "aint quite enough" I can transplant into my Volare that I was originally wanting to do the V8 thing to. Ive done the "yank the 6 and drop a V8 in" on Dodge trucks before.... before I knew much of what could be done to improve on the 6.
In the mid 80s, even the 360 wasn't rated much over 150-160HP from the factory..... and they moved such equipped trucks along pretty decently.... 305/350 Chevys and 302 Ford of the same era weren't barn burners either.... at least as they came stock.
Without getting too crazy, I can get that much out of this slant 6 and even more.... with gobs of torque from that long stroke of the engine.
Then you have the old "everyone puts a V8 in" thing..... I'm trying to do different with this one.
I have a 440 sitting here that I "could" drop in, but Id then have to find some of the above mentioned parts because comparable ones for the 6 won't work on the V8. and big block swap parts are becoming even harder to find than smallblock parts (and more costly) It's been longer since they put a BB in a truck than a SB engine......
You had said you haven't done anything but drive it home 50 miles..... have you pulled the plugs for a look? Adjusted valves? Adjusted carb? Cleaned/rebuilt (if needed) carb? Checked timing? Done compression test? Checked brakes for dragging? Id bet on alot of "no's" to these questions. between here and the slant 6 forum (LOTS of reading over there-- and here) dig around and see what others have done with the slant 6 before you bail..... it runs (somewhat) as is so that's a good part of the battle.
AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
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Set valves, Compression test; repair as may be required
2800TC
3.23 or better gears,
free-flowing exhaust.
Badaboom!
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