whats a mild 360

[siuauto]

I love reading all the articles on the site and I here a term a lot that I have a hard time quantifying, what is mild? I guess when I think of the term i think cam, intake, carb and headers but does it go deeper than that. Is it a cam under .500 or compression from 9.0 to 9.5.? I guess I am just wonder what the term means to you all so maybe we can better help people with their builds.

 

[Prine]

I consider a MILD build:

Headers
dual exhaust
open element air filter
aftermarket carb
aftermarket intake
stock block, heads, cam

but thats just me....you'll get plenty of varying opinions.

 

[fishy68]

I doubt you'll get 2 answers alike from the posts I read. I consider my 9.9 to 1 compression 360 with a pretty lumpy cam (Lunati 234/242 @ .050 and .513/.533 lift) to still be pretty mild but some guys have commented on how radical it sounds. Also on another note I know guys that run even more radical cams than mine by far and still call them mild when I think their radical. Some guys consider anything that can be street driven as "mild". I think mild or radical is in the eye of the beholder, just like beauty. JMO

 

[DARTBOY340]

i like to think of it from a driveability point of view. do what ever you want as long as it can still be streetable and still practical for the owner. i have a 340 that is harder to get around town in than my wifes 408 stroker. it all just depends...

 

[rumblefish360]

i like to think of it from a driveability point of view...

Me as well. Basicly, a mild engine is just a warmed up stock engine in my veiw. No rebuilding to the short block or if it needs it, a stock replacement piston is used.

Mild is something my Mom or grand-ma could drive without hearing them complain about gas fumes, ratty idle, jerky motions assoc. with high converters,gears and shift kits.

Things like a wide centerline cam with modest durations can provide a decent HP gain but feel and sound close to a stock engine like the factory would have put out.


On the other hand, a mild build up, AKA removed, far from stock, could still be a good HP maker, but still streetable for you and most people for a everyday driver. Nothing to radical or over the top.

Some lumpy idle to it, higher gear ratio and converters are OK. But it's still tame enuff for everyday useage. Where this begins and ends is different than what the next guy thinks.

An example of a mild build up would be a small carb, dual plane, headers, increased stall and gear, shift kit OK. A cam of something like 230 @ .050, lift unimportant. Running a pump gas grade of fuel with a 10-1 type ratio with iron heads. Something like this can make 400 HP easy and still be a mild build.

 

[BrianT]

Mild to me means factory 4 barrel intake, small RV cam, headers and dual exhaust. Drive ability as described above.

 

[octanejunkie]

As others have said, these terms are subjective, but I think a generally acceptable definition of a mild build is an effort one or two clicks over stock that provides a noticeable performance benefit - whether as an upgrade to an existing motor or a fresh buildup.

Deciding where mild transcends into radical is up to you, but again, radical is subjective. The 214/224 on 112 cam in my SBC seems "too radical" to one of my friends while another buddy of mine calls it a "400HP whimp" - go figure

 

[stevedemon340]

I love reading all the articles on the site and I here a term a lot that I have a hard time quantifying, what is mild? I guess when I think of the term i think cam, intake, carb and headers but does it go deeper than that. Is it a cam under .500 or compression from 9.0 to 9.5.? I guess I am just wonder what the term means to you all so maybe we can better help people with their builds.

My definition of mild, 360 with the '70-'72 factory flat top piston,ported heads w/ dual valve springs, .528/284 solid mopar cam( idles almost stock) RPM Air gap, 750 Holley vac secondary, factory electronic dist. and coil, 2200 stall, and 4:30 gears.

The gears are a little steep for the highway but thats the joy of an 8 3/4. I've run 4:88s on the street but I was young and gas was .99 a gal for Ethyl.( For you young uns out there you could get Phillips 66s premium called "Filte Fuel" that was 112 octane for .99 a gal when I was younger.)

 

[siuauto]

These are some great responses. I agree with all of them, even driveability(or lack ther of) is subjective; some may tolerate a little more than others. I want to encourage people to be a specific as possible when they post.
Just for the record I have a STD bore 360 with KB 107 pistons that are at zero deck, a vodoo 60403 cam with Hughes 1.6 rockers, a set of gasket matched and a bowl port j heads 202/160, a air gap manifold with a 750 demon carb. the gears are 391. I consider my build very mild. Thanks for all the great post and I hope more people keep posting.

 

[rumblefish360]

The build sounds nice. Mild? Maybe. It seems like it's doable for a daily driver or a weekend warrior hot rod.

 

[EL5DEMON340]

mild today is a lot different than 20 years ago, my 360 by todays standard is mild and i agree, small solid, single plane, 750 dp, 11.2 to1, ported j's, stock block, crank, rods, runs very low 12's, now if i wanted a hot 360 i'd bump it up to 12.5 or more, big solid in the 575 lift .260 @.050 range, indy heads, intake, 950 carb.

 

[2 Darts]

Lot of good responses here. Like others, I approach it from the driveability angle. A mild build would be any engine that I would put in a daily driver and not hesitate to take on a long trip. As some have pointed out, more than just engine is involved in this. Rear gearing has a big influence.

As a criteria for a mild build, I would add that a mild build will run easily on 89 octane gas without pinging or need for retarding the timing. Requiring a lead fuel additive would be okay since Mopar V8s didn't start getting hardened valve seats until 1973.

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

under 10.1 comp and under 280* duration.jmo

 

[rumblefish360]

Lot of good responses here. Like others, I approach it from the driveability angle. A mild build would be any engine that I would put in a daily driver and not hesitate to take on a long trip. As some have pointed out, more than just engine is involved in this. Rear gearing has a big influence.

As a criteria for a mild build, I would add that a mild build will run easily on 89 octane gas without pinging or need for retarding the timing. Requiring a lead fuel additive would be okay since Mopar V8s didn't start getting hardened valve seats until 1973.

under 10.1 comp and under 280* duration.jmo

Agreed! I also include reasonable gas mileage with mild since radical doesn't exactly get milegae. LOL

 

[moper]

Mild? One that gets used 24/7, all seasons, runs pump gas, and requires no maintenance. One person's mild might eb stock, another's will be modified. Mild to me is something with enough vacuum at idle to run power brakes. Otherwise it's pretty wide open...lol.