Is it worth it at all?

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MopaR&D

MopaR&D

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Hey everyone. As some of you may know I landed my first parts car last week, a '74 Duster /6 Auto which I plan to part out and use to help upgrade/restore my '70 318 Duster. The thing I'm wondering is, would it be worth it to pull the slant-6 out of the '74 to keep just for the heck of it? I have always wanted to experiment with a nice turbo slant-6, although I don't think my parents would like having an old engine sitting in the corner of our garage for 10 years. I just feel bad leaving it to the crusher, because when I'm finished with the '74 it'll be scrapped (whatever's left of it of course). I don't know the condition of the engine yet, but being a slanty, I'm sure it'll still tick like a fine watch once I get it started and running.
 
slants are great motors. that is one of the prefered motors right there. it's a forged crank and should be forged rods. search for a company called Venolia they sell stock size forged pistons for the slant which will net you a 8:1 CR which is perfect for making big boost. Upgrade to ARP studs all over the motor(con. rods, main bolts, head bolts, etc.) and you'll have a good motor capable of handling 15 psi of boost on a regular basis and you can always turn up the boost when you feel like. the turbo is the most expensive part of the build as the forged pistons are 360 bucks for a set and bolts are probably around 300-500 for all important parts. You can ether upgrade to a 4bbl offenhauser intake and a pre fabbed header(which will need customizing) or custom intake and header. It's a fun project personally mostly because you have tons of options and a huge amount of room for everything.
 
If I do build a turbo /6 I'm not sure if it'll be that "hard core", as I would probably use a turbo similar in size to the ones used on the 3.8L Buick GN engines (although the pistons sound like a good idea). Maybe also a small blow-through 4-bbl, like around 400 cfm. I would want to keep it economical, because if I ended up building it to handle 15 psi I might as well just go ahead with my Magnum 360 buildup plan. I'm just hesitant to let a perfectly good engine go to the crusher.
 
i say keep it...my parents are dealing with the slant 6 in the corner of the garage...well mom doesnt care because she doesnt use the garage...but dads getting over it...
 
If the price of gas keeps going up you may just want that /6 option down the road. I know I'm keeping mine just in case :-D
 
Storing your first motor (or any other large piece of car) is the hardest. Once you've broken them in (parents/girlfriend/wife), it gets easier and easier.. My wife just laughs at the stuff I have everywhere, and even my mom says she doesn't mind having those FB Cuda glass stored behind her furnace.

Grant
 
OneOfMany said:
Storing your first motor (or any other large piece of car) is the hardest. Once you've broken them in (parents/girlfriend/wife), it gets easier and easier.. My wife just laughs at the stuff I have everywhere, and even my mom says she doesn't mind having those FB Cuda glass stored behind her furnace.

Grant
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lol, i thought it was hard to bring my first project home, took alot of convincing, now i have enough junk, to make my own scrapyard
 
Build a workbench over the top of it so the floor space isn't wasted. You could even box it in so that it isn't so noticable - out of sight, out of mind type of thing...
C
 
One more thing - it is easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission! Set it in the corner and don't say anything unless asked... then it's gee, I just don't want to get rid of it right now. Easier than asking if you can store it for some undetermined length of time.
C
 
Kids, You must always give them facts to back up your case......

"Gee Mom, it could be worse!!"

Then show them these pictures.
1972CoffeeTableBike-1.jpg



P4171404.jpg


1972DinnerTable-1.jpg

R6ENDTABLE.jpg


P6041685.jpg



Picture_0291.jpg
 
put a table over top of it with a nice plastic type table cloth.....then put all your moms plants on it maybe she'll think your gettin into gardening LOL
 
OneOfMany said:
Storing your first motor (or any other large piece of car) is the hardest. Once you've broken them in (parents/girlfriend/wife), it gets easier and easier.. Grant
Click to expand...

My wife keeps asking what am I gonna do with those "old motors and other junk". In one part of the basement have got a rebuilt 392 Hemi, 318 and slant 6 plus a 340 short block sitting on a Radio Flyer wagon. In another part of the basement is stored a 440, a 273/235 motor in the process of being assembled and a 340 waiting to get reassembled (plus 2 A Body 8 & 3/4s and lots of other "junk". Yea, she's sort of used to it
 
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