Been waiting for that!
Is this normal, or am I really that sick?
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Early Valiats/Darts have their own kind of charm!
Love em or hate em. I have (NOT always loved them), but as a kid back then, I looked at such and asked myself : "Really!!????????"
They are so cool in their own way!!!
Most of my Mopars have been 318 2 barrel powered.
I have come to the conclusion that driving a cool old car is what I'm after.
Driving a car that's "fast" is also fun, but-
A- there's always a car that's faster. Even stock 6 cyl cars today are faster than built vintage small block cars.
B- MPG.
I have come to the conclusion that driving a cool old car is what I'm after.
Driving a car that's "fast" is also fun, but-
A- there's always a car that's faster. Even stock 6 cyl cars today are faster than built vintage small block cars.
B- MPG.
Oldiron440
Big blocks rule small blocks drool!
I guess I might be the odd one here because I’ve never been impressed with the performance of a stock/6 or 440 although both can be driven to the point of a felony conviction. Sure thing they can both be a nice driver and one is going to sound better and have almost twice the power but it’s not fast. But if you throw a few grand at both cars the 440 gets closer to 500hp without losing any street ability and the/6 car should get a 5.9 because a stock /6 is working just running the AC.
Had a few /6 cars and had fun with them but the only /6 vehicle I owned didn't like so much was a 74 D100 short bed. Drove that underpowered thing for 5 years before I got a 79 3/4 ton with a teen and 4.10 gears and LSD. Haven't had another full size truck with a 6 since! One thing I found out is that 6 cylinder engines work much better with manual transmission! 
I wrenched for a rental car company when in my teens back in the 70's. I got to drive almost all brands and engines. I got to drive any one I wanted as a perk. Typically I drove Dusters the most, either a /6 or my favorite a 318 sunroof red Duster. My personal car was a 64 Barracuda 273, 4 speed hot rod. I loved the /6 Dusters and yours takes me back to those days. I would not have a 500 hp drag car. I want it all and be able to go anywhere, anytime, get decent mpg, have good power, and I want it to handle. The 64 Barracuda even got a HP 170 /6 when I pulled the 273 when they dropped the octane of premium fuel. I did not want to hurt the HP 273.
I've owned a few /6 powered vehicles from F bodies to 1/2 ton 2wd trucks. and have driven many more over the years turning wrenches. some surprised me in a good way while others, well, they are a small inline 6. Moms 79 Lebaron, my 80 volare were positive surprises, Dads 82 Diplomat was one of the letdowns. My trucks have always gotten the job done. I swapped engines in my 79 D100 first to another /6 then to a 69 318. the original engine was great and held its own til somehow I lost a couple of cam teeth. Then I put another 225 in. What an oil burning slug. Big letdown vs the original. which was why it then got the 318. I now have an 85 150 long bed with 727 and 3.21 gears, I built a /6 to replace its original. and my first "hop up" of a /6. It remains to be seen how much difference there is in this one to the original. Which got sold to a guy in Michigan and after a pan swap and other gasket replacement went right into one of his vehicles, I got a pic within a week of his early 60s A body driving around with the original /6 out of my truck under the hood.... If I can get that 85s interior back together this winter I will be driving that as my summer "work truck" this year..... gotta finish the AC install and replace all the cracked out seam sealer.... but remembering how it drove when I got it, if its ANY improvement over how it was then itll be more fun to drive than my '12 boring appliance of a Dodge 1/2 ton with its 4.7.....
michiganpat
Well-Known Member
I believe those are the immortal words of Freiburger and Dulcich when they were autocrossing a beat up duster on power tour a few years ago. my stock slant6/A833OD/3.23 rear duster is almost more satisfying to drive than my 5.7 hemi charger R/T....
I think driving a slant 6 car is plenty fun. My 1980 Volare Duster, well it has Duster emblems anyway, runs good for a 225 and handles alright. I like any engine in a car that is running up to it's potential whether it be a slant six or a 340 and I drive it accordingly.
Jay Leno says it too. I’ve been saying it since the 80s. So, someone else must’ve said it too. I had a 74 Mustang II with a four-cylinder and a four speed. It was extremely slow, but you could power shift through the gears and when you got into fourth, you were doing 38 mph! My buddy would pull the handbrake briefly to chirp the tires on the gear change. Lots of other stories with that car too. My current street-strip Duster would be dangerous to drive fast on the street, not to mention totally irresponsible.
A lot of lives were probably saved during the malaise car era.
I've seen that car a time or 3..... Last time I believe it was waiting for a new harmonic balancer
Car looked like new
All the while wishing I had a pot to pizz in,
With enough money in it to talk to you about the 70 d200 parked nearby, the one with the utility bed
I'll tell y'all one thing. I'm a fleet mechanic for this miserable state I live in. I'm SO sick n tired of 47 control modules, plastic instead of steel, spending out the azz on a scanner and updates and still having to send cars to the stealership for programming, 17 in 1 multi function stalks out across from each other on the steering column. NONE of that crap is needed in the least.
Give me a dimmer on the FLOOR, wing windows, the turn signal lever that ONLY operates turn signals, (and maybe cruise, that's not mandatory) reach out left and grab the headlight switch, reach right and grab the wiper switch "on the DASH, , reach a little lower right and operate the HVAC. NO computers or "modules" of any sort.
Adjustable by guidance of a vacuum gauge and timing light, using a distributor wrench and a screwdriver to MY liking, what's not to like
Give me a dimmer on the FLOOR, wing windows, the turn signal lever that ONLY operates turn signals, (and maybe cruise, that's not mandatory) reach out left and grab the headlight switch, reach right and grab the wiper switch "on the DASH, , reach a little lower right and operate the HVAC. NO computers or "modules" of any sort.
Adjustable by guidance of a vacuum gauge and timing light, using a distributor wrench and a screwdriver to MY liking, what's not to like
Not to mention the neighbor with the junk Mazda cx5 whose driver wiper arm is all bent up (baling wire is more sturdy). The closest place that has Mazda is 40 freaking miles away and $70 for a single WIPER ARM!!!!! I ordered today and have to hot shot up there to pick up tomorrow after work to make it there before they close ..... 40 miles from here is 75 miles from work.... Don't have that problem with a 40 year old Mopar.
Maybe get parts online? I buy all our Accord's stuff online.
WHERES THE PICS? Would love to see your car.
Dave999
Well-Known Member
and you have to remember that pulling a 1 to 1.5 tonne car around with only 79 HP at the wheels is what the vast majority of the rest of the world did
Those engines were 1300 CC to 2000CC, 80- 120 Cubic inch and worked best in the 4000 rpm+ range BUT everyone had some fun
the most worrying thing is the slant 6 is a 3700 CC motor wins hands down on the torque front
this illustrates perfectly the impact that cheap locally produced fuel has on engine design
countries where you needed a bank loan to fill the tank had small motors that span fast
if your petrol cost the same as milk gallon for gallon..... well..... big is better
small cars generally recognised as a mad but satisfying drive
Citroen 2 CV (air cooled twin hemi) (originally 2 hp as the name suggest way more after the 1950s) a car designed to allow a frenchman to take his goat to church
any 1950s air cooled saab
fiat panda 4x4 1000CC modern small italian utilitarian workhorse
Austin mini 850 or 1000 850 CC closest to driving a kart on the street you can get...
80 mph in the equivalent of a beach chair in a tent, yes the roof is made of canvas
Dave
Those engines were 1300 CC to 2000CC, 80- 120 Cubic inch and worked best in the 4000 rpm+ range BUT everyone had some fun
the most worrying thing is the slant 6 is a 3700 CC motor wins hands down on the torque front
this illustrates perfectly the impact that cheap locally produced fuel has on engine design
countries where you needed a bank loan to fill the tank had small motors that span fast
if your petrol cost the same as milk gallon for gallon..... well..... big is better
small cars generally recognised as a mad but satisfying drive
Citroen 2 CV (air cooled twin hemi) (originally 2 hp as the name suggest way more after the 1950s) a car designed to allow a frenchman to take his goat to church
any 1950s air cooled saab
fiat panda 4x4 1000CC modern small italian utilitarian workhorse
Austin mini 850 or 1000 850 CC closest to driving a kart on the street you can get...
80 mph in the equivalent of a beach chair in a tent, yes the roof is made of canvas
Dave
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michiganpat
Well-Known Member
you forgot to end your post with "get off my lawn"
Prints Valiant
Active Member
Glad you had good experiences with your Darts. I had a 64 Dart Convertible that cornered like an overloaded box truck. Neither I nor a mechanic could find any damage or other reason for its handling. After that I bought a new 69 /6 Valiant, which cornered fine. Been a fan of A-bodies ever since.
Icetech
Well-Known Member
I learned the hard way that i have more fun before power gets silly.... I had a FFR cobra, when i got it, it had a bone stock 302 in it. at 2200#s the car was plenty fast got 30mpg and was a joy to drive..
I built a 383 stoker from a 351 block.. AFR heads, Anderson B4 cam.. and a procharger.. in a 2200# car, it turned into a nightmare and felt like it was trying to kill me all the time. it would break loose at 80+mph and **** with a tiny wheelbase. Ended up selling it and realized i loved it with the weak 302.
Have also been in 1500hp twin turbo vettes (a friend tunes them for racers) and NOOOOPPPEEE.... absolute insanity.
My goal now is a reliable 500-550hp in my 3300# boat. plenty for fun.
The thing i never get are guys on the street that need 800+hp.. no matter how much hp you make.. someone has more. And it just seems silly to me.
P.S. My current car was supposed to be a stock 318 with silent single exhaust and 2.94 (2.96?) gears.. just a old man cruiser.. **** got out of control and i already regret it. I will make it stock again one day though
I built a 383 stoker from a 351 block.. AFR heads, Anderson B4 cam.. and a procharger.. in a 2200# car, it turned into a nightmare and felt like it was trying to kill me all the time. it would break loose at 80+mph and **** with a tiny wheelbase. Ended up selling it and realized i loved it with the weak 302.
Have also been in 1500hp twin turbo vettes (a friend tunes them for racers) and NOOOOPPPEEE.... absolute insanity.
My goal now is a reliable 500-550hp in my 3300# boat. plenty for fun.
The thing i never get are guys on the street that need 800+hp.. no matter how much hp you make.. someone has more. And it just seems silly to me.
P.S. My current car was supposed to be a stock 318 with silent single exhaust and 2.94 (2.96?) gears.. just a old man cruiser.. **** got out of control and i already regret it. I will make it stock again one day though
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