small block cams

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BlueDream said:
Rear is an 8 1/4 open diff with 3.21's.. Trans is an A-230 3 speed. I'm going to go with a 3.55 sure grip sometime this summer though once I get the 340 in. It does ok off idle but it would probably do better if I didn't go for giant dual 3" flowmasters. 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 would be better suited for it. All in all Id say it's not bad though, especially for how mild it is.. It'll outrun my friends '73 350 Omega no problem.
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That's a plus, eh?
 
Dartsport, thanks for the reply, yes I wanted to know your combo too and was thinking I had already asked you yours, my apologies sir. I be just read so much lately it's all running together lol. Thanks too all.
 
Still undecided, it runs ok I may just do the header install because of the pipes as i explained earlier and put a gear in it and ride it this summer as is. Any body got input as to if their headers are dragging using hookers or summits as opposed to the dougs on a lowered front end. 71 swinger.
 
My bad I meant to say bad sport as opposed to dart sport on the last post, sorry man.
 
355s, 727, waiting for the snow to come off my tarped over demon to put the hughes 3000 stall torque converter and the freshly bowl ported 302s,
 
ktcnn94 said:
Still undecided, it runs ok I may just do the header install because of the pipes as i explained earlier and put a gear in it and ride it this summer as is. Any body got input as to if their headers are dragging using hookers or summits as opposed to the dougs on a lowered front end. 71 swinger.
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If you're lowered Id advise against using Hookers or Summit headers. I haven't had problems with banging my headers on stuff while driving around town but I also avoid speed bumps and stuff like that if at all possible. The only time I've got problems is getting in and out of the shop since its on an incline and there's a big lip that seems to catch my hookers sometimes. I don't worry too much about banging up my $200 headers though. Spend the extra money now for the extra ground clearance, you'll be glad you did. Unless you just want to get cheap headers now, bang them up on every raised spot on earth since you're lowered, then buy TTI's or Dougs when you get fed up with the lack of ground clearance. Then you're out the money for the first set of headers, which you'll probably remove with a saw, then you've got to buy and install some good headers. It's your car and your money so do what you feel is best.
 
There's a article were they do comp xe262 cam headers and 650 carb and made 282 hp which will make it fun for the summer, if you really want sound too than go with a small thumper cam.

(Edit) on a stock remanufactured long block (so low compression)
 
I had pretty much made up my mind on the dougs because I'm so low, just wanted to see if anybody had any good experiences with the cheaper ones. Any suggestions on the thumper cams.
 
Does the that voodoo have a nice thump to it? What's the part # your suggesting.
 
I was going to go with the XE 268 but decided to go with the
XE262. New 901-16 springs and stock rockers & rods..

340
Dougs Headers

Cool fall day turning the Dart around before winter storage

 
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ktcnn94 said:
I had pretty much made up my mind on the dougs because I'm so low, just wanted to see if anybody had any good experiences with the cheaper ones. Any suggestions on the thumper cams.
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Yeah. Don't use um.
 
ktcnn94 said:
I had pretty much made up my mind on the dougs because I'm so low, just wanted to see if anybody had any good experiences with the cheaper ones. Any suggestions on the thumper cams.
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I didnt have much issue with Dougs on my 68 Dart. Had to shim the pass side mount 3/8" and get a mini starter. Other then that they are a nice header. Even used them for my break in and did not get any discolor in the finish.
 
ktcnn94 said:
I had pretty much made up my mind on the dougs because I'm so low, just wanted to see if anybody had any good experiences with the cheaper ones. Any suggestions on the thumper cams.
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I've got a Thumpr cam & lifter kit sitting in my bedroom next to my 340 block. I went with the smallest Thumpr, the 279. A ton of cams out there will make more power but since my car will likely never see the strip then Im ok with sacrificing a few ponies to get a nice thumpy idle. If it's a total dog then I'll take it out and plop in a smaller cam that's got a 110° LSA and less duration. A built up small block with a small thumpr shouldn't be too bad. I see a lot of chebby guys putting Big Muther Thumprs in stock bottom end 305's and that makes no sense at all to me. For your 318 I think you'd be better off with the HE268 or XE268H instead of a Thumpr unless you really just want the sound. In a stock bottom end 318 you'd lose a ton of low end with the Thumpr.
 
Post 18 is on the money.
If youre camming it up for the sound alone........Kind of a waste of time and money.
If youre hoping for a little more power, theres a lot more to it than just poking in a new stick.
 
68er, very nice. Sounds great, Id be ok with that if a low compression teen would sound as good.
 
AJ, not just for the sound although I do like the sound, I just kinda hoped that adding a set of headers and nice cam would give me a little more power to have some fun with this summer and then I'd be able to in a sense "recycle" the cam and headers with a engine build next winter. Believe me I'm not about wasting money don't have a bunch of it, that's why I've been asking so many different questions as ideas come into my head. I'm on a budget always have been probably always will be so I have to plan pretty much everything out and think about it before I just do it. I may just end up doing dougs and a gear swap for now, heck I'm still saving money for the dougs much less the gear and or cam set up. I'm just reading forums and asking questions from experienced people at this point. I do appreciate your input though, thanks again to you and the others who have given advice.
 
If you do the xe268 cam and supporting modifications, you'll get extra power and the choppy idle you want. I get it, I love that idle on V8 cars, and it will come with a good cam so I wouldn't waste time on the thumpr.

You will definitely want a little gear, compression and stall is also nice. I haven't had a chance to really run mine due to trans issues after I swapped cam and heads, but I think it will put out good power for a 318.

Stock 318 block .030 over, stock flat tops, xe268 cam, 273 closed chamber heads (ported & cleanup milled) with comp 901 springs, mr gasket thin head gaskets, old Weiand intake, rebuilt factory converter with high stall (they said probably 2200ish), and just went from 2.94 sure grip to 3.55 truetrac. Doug's headers, 2.5" mandrel exhaust with thrush chambered mufflers.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOTnCnB9ZoY"]Mopar 318 with Comp XE268 startup, rev, idle. - YouTube[/ame]
 
BlueDream said:
Rear is an 8 1/4 open diff with 3.21's.. Trans is an A-230 3 speed. I'm going to go with a 3.55 sure grip sometime this summer though once I get the 340 in. It does ok off idle but it would probably do better if I didn't go for giant dual 3" flowmasters. 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 would be better suited for it. All in all Id say it's not bad though, especially for how mild it is.. It'll outrun my friends '73 350 Omega no problem.
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So won't a volkswagen...:D:D
 
thanks for the video cultclassik, sounds good. yeah im looking into the gear swap been spending a bunch of time today looking at and reading a bunch of options as far as how to keep my 318 (I like the idea of although its not numbers matching it is a 318 car and I like the little teen motor) but I'll obviously need to increase compression ratio. ive seen where some members have talked about a "taller" piston but ive also been reading up on the 302 casting heads so im still thinking on that to see what my best option is. ive also been reading on the stall. as far as the gear change goes im still a little confused on my options after all the reading. I need to get down in the garage and see what my ratio is now but ill bet its a highway gear and im sure it'll be an open diff and I know its a 7.25 just by looking under and seeing how small it is. anyway I was trying to find some info on ring and pinion options but cant find a lot of choices for the 7.25 and don't really know which years will fit etc so I was trying also to find some info on swapping a 8.25 into it but I cant find exactly what they will work out of as far as trying to find a donor car. so its still in the planning stages but how about more questions for you guys.
1. what choices suggested on pistons to use to get as close to 0 deck as possible also consider cost (don't wanna mill the block)
2. head choices that are the most affordable without a bunch of different mods for example the 302's seem cool and im not against cleaning up the ports myself the magnums sound good but need a different intake, pushrods , etc etc those keep adding $$ also any other good head options for the 318, I see that x and j heads have larger chambers so that wouldn't help.
3. if I use the taller pistons could I just clean up the ports on my stock heads and do a valve job and use a thin head gasket (probably least likely scenario)
4. gear options for a 7.25 I know they are kinda weak (I work with a guy who says he has what he's calling a posi carrier for the 7.25 that I can have but ive yet to see it)
5. I know the 8.25 switch is the best option here but what do I look for as far a donor vehicle and im reading that different ones only accept certain gears some higher ratios some lower ratios
6. I do have a 904 so what or who would you suggest on the stall converter
again thanks to all and sorry for all the questions, like I said I like to weigh my options and plan ahead before I buy.
'71 swinger 318 904 7.25 (unknown gear) performer intake 1405 (I think) edelbrock carb, dougs headers to be ordered soon 2.25/2.5 exhaust with welded mufflers (were on there when I got it), use will be cruising around and enjoying, want a nice sound but it will never see a drag strip.
 
also I still have sbp wheels (that I like) so that throws another wrench into the gear swap
 
Swapping the pistons is a big deal (to me anyway, and therefore not worth it). Use the thinner head gaskets and any closed chamber heads to raise your compression. You're probably below 8.0:1 right now.

I just sold my complete 7.25 that had a factory sure-grip. For budget I'd find an 8-1/4 with a sure grip and 3.23 or higher already installed. The SBP/BBP is always a struggle. I ended up going front disc-8 3/4-3.55-new wheels-new springs-offset hangers all at once. Painful on the wallet but now I don't have to worry about it.

Any stall over stock would be helpful. I can't remember off the top of my head what the xe268 calls for but that their specs would be the best place to check first.
 
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