racing a nearly original demon?

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DartorDemon

DartorDemon

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I'd like to get some opinions on this. Basically i found a demon within my price range thats nearly all original excluding the front seats.(looks like they put some modern buckets in it)

The problem is that its everything i want excluding the drivetrain. I kinda wanna do a big block w/ a manual transmission and this thing is a matching numbers 318 automatic.

It feels almost a shame to buy something so clean and rip it up. I'm wondering if i should pass and go for a non original duster/dart sport?
 
In bracket racing it doesn't matter how fast or slow your car is. A nice slow, consistent mid 90s Buick makes one hell of a bracket car.
 
You could make the changes and keep all the original parts to put back in if you want to go back to stock. I don't think you have to really cut up the car to put in a big block. I'm sure others have better info on this for you.
 
I know where a Demon is that came from Mr. Norn's and has been a race car since new. The 340 got destroyed and the guy sold it to Dan. Dan raced it for years with a small block, but now it has a 440 and running 10.70's

Doubt he has many of the orginal parts and doubt he cares alot.

Now back to your question, do the big block, stay with auto (better race car for bracket racing) and keep the stuff you take off it. If someone wants to put it back they can.

It is a car, as long as you don't butcher it, no harm done. Unless you crash it in the wall and wipe it out.
 
I think he's looking for a mopar for dirt autocross racing, and not bracket racing:dontknow:

DartorDemon, please be more specific!

If you're not on the drag strip, I would be a shame to buy it and tear it up.

I would look for a 4 door A-body. It would cost less to buy it, and you could do the same big block/tranny swap.

burg
 
Buy it and do what you like with it. Even if it were an original 340 car, it can always be put back to stock if it were worth doing. I've seen more than a few cars that were back-halfed and returned to factory.
 
I passed on a really clean, low mile 71 Dart 318 at Carlisle right before I bought my Scamp. I believe it only had 20 thousand or so miles on it. White with green bench interior. Everything was sooo nice on it, chrome was perfect, trim, dash pad was still soft even... Anyway, the price was right, but it was too nice to tear apart and make it the way I wanted. It was really hard to say no. Turns out the next guy in line to buy it was looking for a first car for his kid. If I had known that, I'd have bought it. Anyway, to the OP, if you're going to cut it up, I'd say pass on the Demon. Later Dusters and Dart Sports are still fairly common and I'd imagine cheaper than the Demon you're looking at. Less money in the long run and no guilt.
 
There are cars out there that are a lot more rare than a 318 Demon! And rare isn't all that makes a car valuable. They have to be desirable. Tear it up!
 
i think that a 318 car numbers matching or not isn't something to be scared of... its not like a 340 or BB car, i wouldn't sweat it.
 
burgmopar said:
I think he's looking for a mopar for dirt autocross racing, and not bracket racing:dontknow:

DartorDemon, please be more specific!

If you're not on the drag strip, I would be a shame to buy it and tear it up.

I would look for a 4 door A-body. It would cost less to buy it, and you could do the same big block/tranny swap.

burg
Click to expand...

That was more if i bought one that was beat up a bit or planned to change the color. I've never planned to make full on dirt race car, but just to try it a few times. If i bought something this nice i'd pass on trying to rallyx

4-doors are no bueno. I'm not budging on the duster/demon/dart sport

Basically what i'm looking for is something along the lines of what this guy did: www.70duster440.com

Certainly not a direct copy, but i mean more of his mean *** street car setup that'd work for some drag strip/autox/rallyx(if i were to buy a beater)
 
If it'sa solid original Demon, even with a 318, I'd leave it alone. Get any other /6 fastback A and hack it up. I'm not a real numbers or resto guy, but original cars of any combination are getting harder to find, and a Demon is special by virue of it's name.
 
How about something like this '73 Duster /6 for $1000?
It is in Tennessee, though...

73 Duster.jpg
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
In bracket racing it doesn't matter how fast or slow your car is. A nice slow, consistent mid 90s Buick makes one hell of a bracket car.
Click to expand...

It sure does. It will be very consistent and you can take a nap while your racing it; what a bore. No offense intended.

Buy it and big block it. A 318 car is not that rare. Besides, back in the day people used to butcher rare cars and didn't think anything of it. If it's a deal, buy it and build it the way you want it, or pass on it and keep an eye out for one without any drivetrain. That is what I did with my last two cars.

However, if you are still worried about modifying it too much, you can build an OK car with leaving it as a 318 car. 340 or 360 heads, a hefty cam, high stall converter auto or put in a 4-speed, rearend gears, and you can have a nice performing small block car. That is what I did with my first car.
 
I would say buy it and bild it. Any one can leave one stock, to bild one like that would not hurt it. I did that to mine but with a snotty small block. Big brakes, sway bars, its a blast to drive, handlss like a slot car.

cuda motor.jpg


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i took a 72 demon with 17k miles and the original like new paintjob and threw out the entire /6 drivetrain and put a 360/727/8.75 in it. Still has most of the original interior though. do what u want with it
 
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