New to the mopar world,Need help with 318 build..pleeasse..

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7duce swinger

7duce swinger

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Hello all,new to the forum,but not new to cars,found this great site about 5mos ago,great stuff on her,but now need help..i need help on how to make a great street 318/360 heads combo,bought my 72 dart swinger about a year ago,around this time,need help on how to raise compression,and have couple?????'s....any help is greatly appreciated,thanks in advance!
 
Do a Google search "400 hp 318" there's like 5 builds using different heads most use KB pistons zero decked and milled heads to get 10:1 compression, rpm intake, 750 Holley and 268-286 degree cam.
 
360 heads needed to milled a lot to get good compression close chamber heads are easier to get 10:1 like Magnum type heads or 318's 302 heads 85 or newer 318 have them but need to be heavily ported.
 
thanks,but i was thinking maybe i could use the stock pistons,and deck the block and such,and how much power are the stock pistons good for? Also it has late 70's-early 80's 360 heads on it now,i know of the low compression because of the heads,i was thinking also milling the heads some??and i need opinions on the thumper cam i like the sound,and i understand more for sound than perf.but is it any good really?,ive done that already,but thinking of swapping it for an extreme??im kinda pretty much broke,and the engine was running as of last week just tore it apart,to mill the heads,but need to know how much? Sorry for the long post,just got alot of question's regarding whats good,and what can be done better.how much are a good set of kb's(best bang for the buck)?
 
The thing is i cant find any closed chambered,no 302's,and exactly how much is a lot of milling,will rocker shafts be affected,lifters,p-rods,springs?the heads i have are 596's,how much milling exactly with those,and where would my comp-ratio be at with stock pistons?also what do stock 318 pistons look like,any valve reliefs,castings etc..???i read somewhere they had four valve reliefs??am i wrong,or are those earlier 318's that have those,mines is dated 10-18-71
 
Well if you got the heads off measure how far down the piston is at top dead center it could be 0.080 or less, less is better, With your settup now you got around 7.5:1 CR you need at least 9:1 CR to use a good cam. Stock 360 heads are 68-72 cc and to lose 1 cc you have to mill .0048 off the head at 0.05 is gonna take your heads down to 58-62 cc you'll need shorter push rods and mill the intake side of the heads so the intake will fit. With a thin head gasket .028 this might get you up mid to high 8 CR to get more you'll need to mill the block and or KB pistons. Hows the short block need rebuilding or still got the hone crosshatch and no ring ridge might get away with ring and bearing job so you can deck the block and or install KB's.

Since you mention you got little money I'd get a low mileage 5.2/5.9 magnum engine there only a Cam, Intake and header swap from 400 HP.
 
How could i measure the bore?at tdc the piston pretty much sits level with the deck,the man i bought it from said it had 54,000mi on rebuild,but was kinda shady about when i asked what exactly was done,thats why i ask what stock pistons look like or if they have any stampings valve reliefs,or any markings. Would the magnum block take my thumper cam i have now,or would i need a cam for the mag. Block,or should i sell all n stick to the magnum?the thumper cam is brand new,only about a month old,what i have now is 318 block,596 heads,fenderwell headers (that i made),stock 360 manifold dated 77,and a brand new 600cfm edelbrock,i do have a 650holley vac secondary carb as well,sorry for the long post just trying to get the best package,n tryin to build a nice fun street car,and something that i can smoke my neighbors falcon with...by the way thats a bad barracuda you got there...looks sick with those wheels
 
Haha aww snap the 360 talk...,i understand its more cubes,but exactly how much more power will i get from a 360??the 18 burns the 245's all through first,but i just want more..isnt it the same thing with a 360(low compression,as well),just bigger stroke?exactly what all is needed for 360 swap?i was really wanting at least 275-300 to the wheels,with my 318.and i already have most things for it,but i get that unless i bore it for more comp,it aint gettin there am i right?so whats a ruff estimate of what the 318has? 1. 318 block,(unkown bottom end) 2. 596' 360 heads,no porting, no work.. 3. comp cams thumper cam .486/.473, 279/296 dur. 107 lsa?? 4.fenderwell headers 1 7/8, 5. Stock 360 4v intake,new 600 eddy,or 650 holley vac-sec, what ya'll think?
 
To check how far the piston sits below the deck you need a dial gauge.
Magnums have roller cams but you can put in a flat tappet cam with the right push rods just long as your cam doesn't lift much more than .500" with 1.6 rockers or you need to get the heads machined for higher lift and you can always switch back to roller later if you want.
 
If your happy with what you got just want a little more than mill your heads .05 get thinest head gasket you can should wake it up a bit more, can always do the bottom end later or switch some else like an Magnum or do a 390 stroker with your 318.
 
Do magnums come with roller rockers, ive heard somwhere,somebody has used chevy roller rockers ,since its not a shaft?,is that doable?whats the best year magnum to find,and by different pushrods,do you mean oil through pushrods,and shorter height?for the dial gauge,how about a dial caliper with the depth meter?is that what your talking about or is that different,thanks for all the responses.
 
I don't think a dial caliper that accurate enough try it.
No magnums don't come with roller rockers but ya you can use chevy along as the got the same stud size. The push rods would have to be longer and be able to past oil and you might need new lifters if your can't past oil. But roller thumper cams like $300 and you can reuse factory lifters by time you buy push rods and flat tappet lifters you might be half way there to a new cam. Any year Magnum should be fine 5.2(318) if you want a revver 5.9(360) torquer same heads.
 
Welcome to FABO. I'm originally from Stockton and frequent there often (car being built there at a buddies house) space is an issue where I live. Post some pics of your ride maybe I have seen it around town before. Let me know if you need any parts I have quite a few laying around my buddies garage (hemi swap in progress) and have no use for them.

Aj
 
Hey thanks for the welcoming guys,ill put some pics up as soon as possible,right now have no way to do so,what part of stockton(area) did u live aj?
 
What'll a magnum swap run me moneywise,are the magnums a straight up swap,and work with my trans..someone on craigslist has a 1965 413 hp,for 250$,or trade for a smallblock,whatsthe pros n cons of swapping in a big block ?? Thanks
 
Magnums are basically a head package they switch the rocker system to Chev type. The things that effect the swap is intake bolt holes are on a different angle most popular intakes have version for magnum engines. 5.9 are externally balanced like 360 just a different weight you'll need an aftermarket torque converter to work with a magnum and your tranny and last you can swap on the old belt system but gonna need electric fuel pump with either type unless you swap in a new cam.
 
Looks like imma stick with millin the heads for now,and try n find an air gap intake,or try to find a big block on the cheap,i know how to weld,and do other things,has anyone here ever done a big block swap,whats needed,besides different tranny/driveline? oh and no wife lol,only 19,dont plan on it anytime soon,yea gas is pretty high right now,but im "young n dumb",just wanna smoke some mustangs,(as i live in mustang land),n my neighbors falcon which he stuck a number of 435hp/435ft/lbs in his mind and keeps going around with,saying my swinger is a piece of $@&%,mostly wanna shut 'em up,and build something fun to drive around town,a cruiser but with good power.
 
Thats a great article sireland,im impressed with how relatively cheap it was,and the potential they have,looks like imma do a magnum build after this,will my ignition from my 318,work on the magnum motor i dont think i caught any of that in there??
 
I use to live in north Stockton, off hammer lane. I was just up there over the weekend. Looking forward to seeing you car around town. There are only a hand full of mopars in the area. If I can be of any assistance or any help to you just give me a hollar.
 
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