13's, stock '71 318 short block.

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rmchrgr

Skate And Destroy
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Anyone run 13 seconds with a stock 318 short block? Pistons are notoriously low in the hole, like .060" down...

I'm thinking if I can build the chassis a little better than the engine, like Caltrac suspension, low gear 904, (have gears) 4.10 gears, (have gears) lighten/stiffen car (removed creature comfort stuff already), improve weight dist. (trunk mount batt.) and run 8x26 drag radials (springs stay in stock loc.) I can do it without spending too much on the engine. ( i.e. no machine work to short block)

Looking to get the car running, drive back and forth to the track and get some seat time.

Plans for engine would be EQ 318B or RHS/Indy heads (both are 1.92 valve, similar pricing), thin head gaskets (back in production) Hughes 318 Whiplash or Comp XE268H cam, cheapo Summit headers, (car has dual exhaust with h-pipe and Flowmasters already) LD4B (have already), Holley 600 and electronic dist. (have MSD 6al already). Besides a new set of heads, valvetrain would likely be the largest expense here.

Unless I win the lottery, my plans for a stout 340 build will have to go on hold for a while due to lack of funds. I do have a small budget to use but due to it's limited nature, I'm trying to invest wisely and get the car running as best as possible within the budget.

So yeah, who goes 13's with their stock 318 short block?
 
I am wandering the same thing. I am gonna be running a 318 with just bolt ons maybe different factory heads but still mainly bolts. Carb, intake, headers, cam stuff like that. I was wandering if it was possible also.
 
I am wandering the same thing. I am gonna be running a 318 with just bolt ons maybe different factory heads but still mainly bolts. Carb, intake, headers, cam stuff like that. I was wandering if it was possible also.

I personally think it can be done. Obviously if everything were performing at optimum capability (rings sealing, better compression etc.) it would be a piece of cake. But that's the challenge - how well can you make make a 40 year old low compression engine run with bolt ons?

Guess I'll just have to do all this crap and report back! Was hoping to hear some success stories though. Has to be a few of them out there, there's so many 'built' 318's running around. ;-)
 
My Duster with a bone stock '79 - 318 and LU 904 with 3.21 suregrip on stock tires ran a 15.14 with nothing more than bolt on's and a small Crane cam. 272/284 (216/228 @ 050 ) .454/.480 lift on a 112 c-line, LD4B, 625 Carter, MP unsilnced air cleaner, hooker headers into a Jegs 2-1/2 exhaust to the bumper, electric fan.

no shift kit, no porting, OE valves in the stock head, stock pistons, stock stock stock
 
My Duster with a bone stock '79 - 318 and LU 904 with 3.21 suregrip on stock tires ran a 15.14 with nothing more than bolt on's and a small Crane cam. 272/284 (216/228 @ 050 ) .454/.480 lift on a 112 c-line, LD4B, 625 Carter, MP unsilnced air cleaner, hooker headers into a Jegs 2-1/2 exhaust to the bumper, electric fan.

no shift kit, no porting, OE valves in the stock head, stock pistons, stock stock stock

Did you have any kind of stall with that combo. I am gonna run a '74 318 stock bottom with 97XXX miles. Plans are cam, intake, carb, maybe a set of 302s if I can find a set. Gonna run 3.55s, 2500ish stall, shift kit, drag radials, and a set of cheaper headers. If I can I might try to clean up the 302s with a little porting. All in a 72 Duster.
 
There are a lot of guys doing this on the Dakota website. They are running a stock 5.2L Magnum with a supercharger, they are a lot heavier and running very low 13's.
 
There are a lot of guys doing this on the Dakota website. They are running a stock 5.2L Magnum with a supercharger, they are a lot heavier and running very low 13's.

A stock 5.2 is a way better performer than a lo-po '71 318. The Magnum heads are more efficient than most of what Chrysler put out in the '70s. The EQ and the RHS/Indy heads are both based on the Magnum design.
 
If you are willing to run enough gear and converter it should be possible. Your going to be limited by how many RPM's you can turn. Would be easy with a 100 HP shot of NOS.
 
If you are willing to run enough gear and converter it should be possible. Your going to be limited by how many RPM's you can turn. Would be easy with a 100 HP shot of NOS.

I have a 4.10 gear and a low gear set (2.74 1st, 1.54 2nd) for the transmission. The low gear set provides more torque multiplication than the regular 904 2.45 gear set and gets the revs up faster.

Was looking at an econo-type torque converter but that may not be enough. Torque peak with either cam I'm looking at is around 4,500, so I'd likely benefit from a 3,500 + converter. The higher the stall though, the higher the cost.

Nitrous may be a possibility once I get it up and running well.
 
I would say you should be pretty close to 13s or atleast low 14s with that combo. I had a 74 swinger w/stock block,heads with bolt ons similar to rumblefish would run 14.7s on street tires, 2.71 open rear,stock converter and weighed 3150# it was a dog off the line but it pulled pretty good til about 5000rpm. With 4.10 gears and a gutted interior you should be close as long as the shortblock is healthy.
 
Did you have any kind of stall with that combo. I am gonna run a '74 318 stock bottom with 97XXX miles. Plans are cam, intake, carb, maybe a set of 302s if I can find a set. Gonna run 3.55s, 2500ish stall, shift kit, drag radials, and a set of cheaper headers. If I can I might try to clean up the 302s with a little porting. All in a 72 Duster.

The only thing I did on the tranny was install a deep pan.

I have a set of bare 302's for sale, though shipping would be killer, they would be a nice improvment in addition to porting them with 360 valves installed.
 
Anyone run 13 seconds with a stock 318 short block? Pistons are notoriously low in the hole, like .060" down...

I'm thinking if I can build the chassis a little better than the engine, like Caltrac suspension, low gear 904, (have gears) 4.10 gears, (have gears) lighten/stiffen car (removed creature comfort stuff already), improve weight dist. (trunk mount batt.) and run 8x26 drag radials (springs stay in stock loc.) I can do it without spending too much on the engine. ( i.e. no machine work to short block)

Looking to get the car running, drive back and forth to the track and get some seat time.

Plans for engine would be EQ 318B or RHS/Indy heads (both are 1.92 valve, similar pricing), thin head gaskets (back in production) Hughes 318 Whiplash or Comp XE268H cam, cheapo Summit headers, (car has dual exhaust with h-pipe and Flowmasters already) LD4B (have already), Holley 600 and electronic dist. (have MSD 6al already). Besides a new set of heads, valvetrain would likely be the largest expense here.

Unless I win the lottery, my plans for a stout 340 build will have to go on hold for a while due to lack of funds. I do have a small budget to use but due to it's limited nature, I'm trying to invest wisely and get the car running as best as possible within the budget.

So yeah, who goes 13's with their stock 318 short block?

My first 318 in my 65 Barracuda took me down the track at 13.92 seconds at 98+ mile an hour. Stock as a rock 318 with the pistons sitting .050-.055 down in the hole; an old Crane Blazer cam, 66 273 heads cut .030 with 1.88/1.6 valves, thin MP head gaskets, 3310 Holley on an Edelbrock Performer intake, Thorley "D" Dart headers, 8 3/4 with 3.55 gears, 225/70x14 tires. Car was all steel with full interior.

My third 318 took the car down the 1/4 at 12.54 seconds at 106 mph, same crank, pistons, swapped from 340 floater rods to 273 floater rods, not ballanced (never was), radically angle milled 360 heads (45.5 cc's) 2.02, 1.6 valves, Edelbrock Torquer II, 750DP, Comp Cams XTQ281S-6, 4000 stall converter, 4.88 gears, M?T 275/60x15 drag radials, gutted car, 8 point roll bar assembly.

You can go fast with a 318 if you want to.

Good luck,

Jim Burch
 
I am running almost the exact same combo. 73 318 flat top pistons w/valve reliefs .060" in the hole .028" head gasket. Stock magnum heads, beehive springs, Comp XE256, crosswinds intake, Holley 4160 600cfm, Hooker comp headers. 904 with shift kit and 3,000 stall, 3.89 gears with detroit locker and 29" drag radials. I am pretty happy with the combo, but it has not been to the track. It will work until I get enough funds to finish my stroker build.
 
OH, that reminds me.

.030 - 318 replacement slugs, 2.02 360 heads, TorkerII, Holley 600 DP, Headers, 272/284 Crane cam, 4 spd and 4.10 gears

She went 98 MPH through the traps.
 
So I guess it's probably not too much of a stretch based on some of the responses.

I've been back and forth between several ideas on which way to go with this car. The main priority is to get it rolling and down to the track. Leaving the stock short block in seems to me to be the quickest path to success because it saves the big cost in machining, new pistons and rings, reconditioning the rods, new bearings, oil system etc.

I have two bare 340 blocks in my garage but I'm looking at several grand to build them when it's all said and done. I'm thinking I can get the 318 to perform decently if I throw the right parts at it, some of which
I have already on hand.

Like I said before, guess I'll just have to do it and report back. I just hope I can stick to the plan rather than waffling back and forth on which way to go.
 
Well, mess w/the 318 first, w/the thought in mind that those parts will be transferd over to the 340 later. Parts like a 750 carb & a intake will move right over easy.
 
I ran a stock bottom 340 with an intake, carb big hydralic and headers went 13.08 at 109. that was with too much gear (4:56) on street tires. Can't remember if the X heads were my buddies done ones or not.
 
Vauge, what carb, intake and cam with what size tires?

You also realize this is a 318 questioned thread?
 
Vauge, what carb, intake and cam with what size tires?

You also realize this is a 318 questioned thread?
750 mechanical secondaries,strip dominator, 509 hydralic, cheap hedmans, hard *** tall firestones, yeah sorry but this stuff can go on a 318, My point was the 340 was a stock bottom end, not touched with lots of miles.
 
i took a 69 318 4-speed down the track. it had one of the cheap eldebrock junk carbs (650), cam, headers, and stock x heads. it went 13.7. i do not remember the trap spped, sorry
 
If you can get 300 horse out of a 318 it will go 13's in any a body.
max 3500 pounds.
Not to many a bodys weigh 3500 pounds.
300 horse and weight:
(WITH DRIVER)>>>> 3500pounds\300horse=13.95et
3400pounds\300horse=13.79et
3300pounds\300horse=13.65et
3200pounds\300horse=13.51et
3100pounds\300horse=13.37et
This is a well tuned car (to the floor)that has no tire spin what so ever.
mopar muscle did a 318 build and made a final 357 horse power.
With 3.55 gears and a 3000 stall converter went 12.76 at 103mph.
My guess with 357 horse would have been 12.88et.
The numbers i posted are pretty solid as far as power to weight goes.
From bracket racing ,you get a good understanding of power and weight.
What we get use to is talking like 300 horse is chump change,but it's not.
250 horse is pretty good horse power.
Remember that torque is what moves the car.
The mopar muscle 318 made 388fp of torque.
THATS OVER 370 FOOT POUNDS FROM 2750 RPMS TO 5000 RPMS.
It was a good solid runner.
So to answer your question ,yes you can go 13's with a stock 318 bottom end.
I remember when a car going HIGH 15'S in the quarter was a fast street car and a car going 14's was the one to beat.
13's was the fastest big blocks and people couldn't buy anything faster.(you had to build it)
This is when four speeds were everything because torque converters where not what they are today.
OK I HAVE RAMBLED ON LONG ENOUGH :rolleyes: GOOD LUCK\\\\\\\\
 
If you can get 300 horse out of a 318 it will go 13's in any a body.
max 3500 pounds.
Not to many a bodys weigh 3500 pounds.
300 horse and weight:
(WITH DRIVER)>>>> 3500pounds\300horse=13.95et
3400pounds\300horse=13.79et
3300pounds\300horse=13.65et
3200pounds\300horse=13.51et
3100pounds\300horse=13.37et
This is a well tuned car (to the floor)that has no tire spin what so ever.
mopar muscle did a 318 build and made a final 357 horse power.
With 3.55 gears and a 3000 stall converter went 12.76 at 103mph.
My guess with 357 horse would have been 12.88et.
The numbers i posted are pretty solid as far as power to weight goes.
From bracket racing ,you get a good understanding of power and weight.
What we get use to is talking like 300 horse is chump change,but it's not.
250 horse is pretty good horse power.
Remember that torque is what moves the car.
The mopar muscle 318 made 388fp of torque.
THATS OVER 370 FOOT POUNDS FROM 2750 RPMS TO 5000 RPMS.
It was a good solid runner.
So to answer your question ,yes you can go 13's with a stock 318 bottom end.
I remember when a car going HIGH 15'S in the quarter was a fast street car and a car going 14's was the one to beat.
13's was the fastest big blocks and people couldn't buy anything faster.
This is when four speeds were everything because torque converters where not what they are today.
OK I HAVE RAMBLED ON LONG ENOUGH :rolleyes: GOOD LUCK\\\\\\\\

Good info there. Thanks.
 
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