Newbie With Engine(s) Questions...
So without writing a book, I've had a couple muscle cars over the years, but my favorite was a 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger I had in high school/college that I basically ruined. (Drove it year round in the north and rusted it out.)
Learned my lesson there. I've pined for one ever since. Have a house/garage now, much more versed in mechanical abilities, (still not much from that era however) and I would like to get back into it.
So I'm looking for another swinger. I like the 70-72 best with the flat nose, just the aesthetics are better IMO. Currently trying to locate a project car with a good body/frame and would eventually like to put a larger small block in, like a 340 or 383. (Manual preferred, but I'll get there eventually.) Seems all I can find are slant 6 cars right now, which would not be the final product.
I guess right now Ideally I'd like to build a 340 Swinger clone, but would like advice as far as what works and what doesn't. Would a 383 be a good choice as well? Seems there are more of them and they are certainly cheaper.
Ideally not looking to sink a ton of money into this, however I do want to do it right, not looking for a car show champion as much as a nice weekend cruiser.
I've pulled engines before, and I wrench a lot on newer stuff, (mostly my and my brothers' trucks/bikes) but never really done any swaps like this.
I did find a rusty 73 Dart Sport with a 340/4-speed that I could use as a donor car, (has posi, rally wheels, and disc brakes too) however the rust on the block has me worried.
Appreciate the input fellas.
(Avatar/Green one is the one I had in high school.)
(Gold/Brown one is a 70 Swinger and potential runner)
So without writing a book, I've had a couple muscle cars over the years, but my favorite was a 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger I had in high school/college that I basically ruined. (Drove it year round in the north and rusted it out.)
Learned my lesson there. I've pined for one ever since. Have a house/garage now, much more versed in mechanical abilities, (still not much from that era however) and I would like to get back into it.
So I'm looking for another swinger. I like the 70-72 best with the flat nose, just the aesthetics are better IMO. Currently trying to locate a project car with a good body/frame and would eventually like to put a larger small block in, like a 340 or 383. (Manual preferred, but I'll get there eventually.) Seems all I can find are slant 6 cars right now, which would not be the final product.
I guess right now Ideally I'd like to build a 340 Swinger clone, but would like advice as far as what works and what doesn't. Would a 383 be a good choice as well? Seems there are more of them and they are certainly cheaper.
Ideally not looking to sink a ton of money into this, however I do want to do it right, not looking for a car show champion as much as a nice weekend cruiser.
I've pulled engines before, and I wrench a lot on newer stuff, (mostly my and my brothers' trucks/bikes) but never really done any swaps like this.
I did find a rusty 73 Dart Sport with a 340/4-speed that I could use as a donor car, (has posi, rally wheels, and disc brakes too) however the rust on the block has me worried.
Appreciate the input fellas.
(Avatar/Green one is the one I had in high school.)
(Gold/Brown one is a 70 Swinger and potential runner)