Lets say its 1971, and I wanted to build a 360...

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vntned

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So Im building me a bit of a rat gasser out of my '64 dart 2dr post. Im trying to keep it fairly period correct, the period being the early '70s.

Well Ive have a 1970 casting date 360 that was rebuilt not to many miles ago. The rebuild consisted of a .040''-.060'' overbore, new pistons with a compression in the 9:1-9.5:1 range, new rings, bearings etc.. The heads are '73 360 heads (587s)that have been completely redone with new everything! Not sure on valve size, I need to check. Cam wise its got a small Comp in it. Eddie Performer intake too.

A '68 833 4spd is going behind the 360, and Ive already got a built up 8.25'' with a 3.55 and a Sure Grip to go in the back.

The question is, if it was 1972 and you wanted to build a hotrod 360 to go drag racing and play on the street, how would you build it?
 
Fender wheel headers and tunnel ram with two carbs. I don't like look of single carb tunnel rams. And don't forget your fuel cool can and gold morosso valve covers. Yellow super stock plug wires and big ol coil. Look for a tr5 edelbrock street tunnel ram. Mine runs great on the street. And don't listen to people that say they are hard to tune. Just get matched small carbs and a good dizzy.
 
In 1972, people were stepping over 360's and throwing them away, looking for 340's. In 1972 there was almost no support for a built up 360, pistons were custom, everybody was afraid of cast crankshafts, they didn't get built.

Now today, it's a much different story, I'd do a 360 all day long over a 340, all points being equal. If you think in term of specific out put (hp per cubic inch) a 360 has got it all over a 340.

Here's a mix of some old and new to go with the 72 vibe: Fenderwell headers, a nicely done pair of w-2's (aluminum heads weren't available in 72, actually w-2's weren't eather but they are iron and 99% of the population will not recognize them), an LD4B intake with the plenum divider milled out, ported to the w-2's, an Isky solid lifter cam, flat top pistons that allow for zero deck, or even sticking out of the hole just a little, internal balance.

Good luck, have fun.
 
1968 charger 10ft paint lots of bondo but nicer than any of my buddies. cost $1250.00 drove it home yes tweleve hundred and fifty dollars. not 12k
440 .509 cam auto (no reverse) as reverse band was broke. you parked wisely
gray shag house carpet
pioneer stereo w knobs
cracked up dash pad
cragars on back w protrac tires
weld draglite skinnys on front w vw tires
moroso speed bump catcher 8 qt oil pan
spring shackles
3.91 posi out of dodge truck
holley street dominator intake
650 double pumper
holley LOUD fuel pump.
accel super coil aka (yellow monster coil) lol
hole in drivers floorpan with dead end road sign pop riveted over it.
mallory dual point w moroso blue max plug wires
 
Some of the above and
Direct connection valve covers
Torker intake maybe torkerll
Cool can for fuel line home made.
Old style mags
Traction bars
 
to answer your ? be a bum take anything that the purist resto crowd frowns on, stay away from anything new. slap a old school intake on it like LD340 some house carpet, bad *** hurst shifter with reverse lockout etc. skinnys on front fatties on back w shackles We were not restoring cars back then we were beating the **** out of them and fixing what we broke Friday night so we could get to work by monday If you are close to ks I have the small cast iron bell housing for a 64/65 if you need it. your going to want a better rear end before long with that 4 speed but run it till it breaks. Be a backyard picasso with a primer can we had rust holes in quarters and floorpans. Use intake you have and grind off the rpm logos as it is a LD340 w different logos.

I thought about this and thought this might help with a mindset.
put yourself in this position
You are 17-18
you bought car for 50.00 and dragged it home (no money now)
You work at Micky D's (no money)
You NEED a car badly (no money)
start bolting it together. (no money)
perfectitis is not a option. (no money)
We drove old cars in the snow and rain and beat the hell out of them. We pinched off brake lines till we could afford to fix them. we pushed them home and fixed them and beat on them all the way home from work the next day. Then fixed them again
 
If you muffle it use Cherry Bombs or Purple Hornies, long bright colored fantasy fur on the rear package shelf, Chrome 'footprint' accelerator pedal, Keystones, Cragars, Ansen slots, or chrome reverse wheels,tow bar hooks on front, tall boy beer can overflow catch can, tinted headlights, small diameter steering wheel, RACE CAR IN TOW sticker on back, straight axle, MOON decals, cheap fiberglass low back bucket seat, etc, etc...
 
bright yellow traction bars :heart: my buddy stuck a ladies poodle in his traction bars and had to stop in the road and kick the dog off all the while with her screaming and cusing him. dog was dead as hell and never chased another car lmao

Thank you carman340 you brought back a killer memory and made me laugh my *** off
 
my 68 dart had water pipe and a cherry bomb on it when i got it for exhaust. broke front window, mismatched fender and door and peeling smallbolt cragars.
 
Well Ive got a straight axle for the front, a set of super stock springs for the back. Ive got an old Hurst shifter assembly for the 4spd, a set of nice '69 Datsun Fairlady bucket seats to replace the shredded front bench.

My main concern is what to do with the engine. I really dont have the money for W2 heads, although it would be kickass! Fender well headers are definately on the list of gotta haves! As far as an intake goes, a tunnel ram would be awesome, but in the meantime Im probally gonna just settle for an old single quad intake.

What kinda cam could I get away with?
 
Just to let you know, if your pistons are stock replacements, ain't no way the compression is where you think it is, unless the heads have been cut over .100". 1971 was the first year for the 360 production wise, while I have seen a block as early as a late 69 date code, they were all cast for the 71 model year. That's the only year the 360 had a noticeably higher compression ratio, because Chrysler used a piston with a longer compression height. Pistons that were never available through the aftermarket, since the engine was one year only. The aftermarket made the 72 and up piston the replacement piston of choice, which has a shorter compression height, giving less compression. Truth be told, even the 71 360 was probably barely 8.5:1, because of the terrible machining tolerances Chrysler was known for such as tall deck heights and larger combustion chambers compared to specs. So, what I would do before anything would be to verify static compression in that engine, because unless the pistons are some sort of performance replacement, you're in for a disappointment. Even still, you should physically measure static compression to be sure.
 
If you're doing a period rat rod - then tunnel rams and headers were not typically used. It might have an intake with a Holley or a factory intake with an adaptor and Holley, home-made headers, and some glass packs - either Thrush (red) or Purple Hornies. Chances are it would be manifolds, points ignition, no chrome except maybe the air cleaner which would have some rust on it (swap meet special). If you want a rat rod - make EVERYTHING yourself.
 
I dont want a ratrod! Ive lost respect for the majority of that community. Im not a fan of the rubber rats, skulls, spiderwebs and iron crosses everywhere! Im not trying to start that fight on here. I love old patina'd period hot rods. Just not gonna sell out to stupid fads.

When I said I wanted to make my car a rat gasser, its really that I wanna take my ratty old dart, hotrod like they did back in the day. More of a Gasser/StreetFreak hotrod, but without the fancy paint and tuck'n roll covering the interior.
 
acpat said:
bright yellow traction bars :heart: my buddy stuck a ladies poodle in his traction bars and had to stop in the road and kick the dog off all the while with her screaming and cusing him. dog was dead as hell and never chased another car lmao

Thank you carman340 you brought back a killer memory and made me laugh my *** off
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Yup there were alot of slapper bars back then. I will be putting a set on my 65 for that reason along with the shackle kit that was on it when I bought it. Dont forget the stickers in the 1/4 windows. And the fender headers are a must also.
 
my neck of the woods it was "hollywoods" glasspacks, mr gasket velocity stack with a big spacer under it for height, and of course lakewoods, cool can, ld340 and a holley only!have fun, sounds cool!
 
Gotta have a chrome air filter housing, Cal Custom valve covers and the cool can. Yellow Accel plug wires, the big obnoxious coil and a tan distributor cap. Of course, fenderwell headers. Any old single plane intake (Offys were actually fairly popular at the time). A Holley double pumper seemed to be required on any engine, even if a vacuum secondary would have worked better because it was just so cool to say, "Ya, it's got a double pumper..." complete the setup with the chrome feed tube. Don't forget the piece of chain for your torque strap. Mufflers would preferably be the Thrush with the rolled seams, blue stripes and the woodpecker on 'em but the red ones would suffice. You could also use Cherry Bombs, or Purple Hornies for a more "upscale system." Stickers on the back quarter glass from everything you bolt on and maybe a few extra just for looks. And since Comp Cams wasn't around until 76-77 you'll definitely need a period correct cam sticker. Be sure to include the P.A.W sticker too. Slotted aluminum or slotted chrome wheels with no center caps and some Mickey Thompson Indy Profiles would get you a great start into the early 70s!
 
First things I thought of when I read the title, tunnel ram, ET's, Hush Thrush. Of course back then with everyone running elephant engines and the like, smallest engine I ever had was a puny 396.
Your car will really go fast with an STP sticker on the rear windows.
 
vntned said:
I dont want a ratrod! Ive lost respect for the majority of that community. Im not a fan of the rubber rats, skulls, spiderwebs and iron crosses everywhere! Im not trying to start that fight on here. I love old patina'd period hot rods. Just not gonna sell out to stupid fads.

When I said I wanted to make my car a rat gasser, its really that I wanna take my ratty old dart, hotrod like they did back in the day. More of a Gasser/StreetFreak hotrod, but without the fancy paint and tuck'n roll covering the interior.
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to me, those cars that look like that are what we call locally, hellbillies. That said, I want an old school street rod, maybe a 40s plymouth coupe, with a 413 max wedge, with cross ram intake. I think thatd be cool as hell. But I dont have the money to build 2 projects so the dart stays lol
 
I have a set of red Moroso valve covers and a blue set of Direct Connection valve covers. PM me if you are interested! LOL!
 
it was all about the air shocks and how high you could get that back bumper in those days here and of course the pioneer sterio with the speakers that hit you in the back of the head when you hit the brakes because they never seemed to get screwed down lol the cherry bombs , and turn the top of the air cleaner upside down so you could hereit sucking the air lol I was about 10 then
 
Well, due to all the doubters, (like RustyRatRod), I pulled the heads off my 360 to see what Ive got. I was pleased to find .060 over H116CP SpeedPro pistons only sitting .010'' in the hole! That puts my compression in the 9.8:1 range! Woot woot!

The down side, are the heads only have 1.88 intake valves and not the bigger 2.02s. Either way, thats an easy, and relatively cheap fix!

Now to locate a period correct intake manifold and som fenderwell headers...

Oh, and what size cam would compliment what Ive got, now that I know the specifics?
 
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