/6 Build Question?

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jeeper

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I have a couple of /6 cars and I have been thinking about the engines in them.

Isn't about one HP per CID a good rule on those while still maintaining good drivability?

I ask this because I remember Hot Rod's build up of a /6 Duster a few years ago. It seems they stripped it and got it to run 13.90's.

What are you guys running in the quarter with /6 cars? MPG?

Most I see run in the 14's, but I'm just curious as to what you have achieved.

Thanks, ROB
 
If my memory serves me the Hot Rod \6 build obtained 13.90's with 4.30 gears and a shot of nitrous. I believe the car was low 15's without the nitrous.

It takes quite a bit of work to get a \6 into the 14's. The \6 I ran for a few years in my 68 Barracuda had the head machined for 9:1 compression, stock size valves, Comp 252S cam, offy 4bbl intake, Holley 390 4bbl, 6 into 2 headers with dual exhaust. The engine was in front of an A833OD tranny and 3.55 gears with a sure-grip. The best this set up could muster was low/mid 16's which put the horspower in the 190 range at the crank. This was a huge improvement over the stock \6 and was quite enjoyable to drive but there was no way you could consider it to be fast.
 
I read about a guy that had around 400 hp out of a carbed slant. Cant remember who, what, where. Slantsix.org has a few racers over there, they may know more.
 
dgc333 said:
It takes quite a bit of work to get a \6 into the 14's. The \6 I ran for a few years in my 68 Barracuda had the head machined for 9:1 compression, stock size valves, Comp 252S cam, offy 4bbl intake, Holley 390 4bbl, 6 into 2 headers with dual exhaust. The engine was in front of an A833OD tranny and 3.55 gears with a sure-grip. The best this set up could muster was low/mid 16's which put the horspower in the 190 range at the crank. This was a huge improvement over the stock \6 and was quite enjoyable to drive but there was no way you could consider it to be fast.
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BUUUT, if you want some perspective, go test drive a brand new Kia or Hundai. I was shocked to find that my Swinger with no mods besides a Super Six and Dutra Duals could EASILY leave a Rio or a Spectra in the dust, even if it's a 5-speed. So, fast is relative — what are we comparing it to? V8 A-Bodies? Not fast. Half the other cars on the road? At least as fast as THEY are. And that makes me feel better.

VM
 
I agree. My mild 318 powered 73 Duster with 2.76 gears will run low to mid 15 second e.t.s, which isn't blazing, but it is still quick, especially compared to 65% of cars today. It satisfies me even more since its a cruiser.

As far as the slant goes, i would go with the aformentioned combo that dcg333 ran in his B'cuda. That is still decenly quick and will still give you decent fuel milage.

To get a slant into the mid 14's or low 15's, you will lose most of the drivabilty and smoothness that the "leaning tower of power" was known for.

Justin
 
MOPARJ said:
To get a slant into the mid 14's or low 15's, you will lose most of the drivabilty and smoothness that the "leaning tower of power" was known for.
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I agree, unless you run boost. :) That's what I'm looking at, someday... The slant's design is just ASKING for a turbo. And I fear I won't be able to resist forever...
 
I'm just considering my options. I am building a car now, but due to a variety of factors, it is probably not a long-term keeper. I live too far away from anywhere to realistically drive anything that doesn't pull mid to upper teens at least for MPG.

So this leaves me with the option of playing with something more practical. I have considered early Foreign cars, I am also looking at building a Valiant. I have a 64 2-door post which I really like. I am shopping for another 64 here in a week or so.

I know my dead stock 318 Duster was fun, and it probably wouldn't have broke into the 15's.

I would imagine an early Valiant with a 4-speed OD, and a 4-barrel with some headers etc. could be pretty snappy and get decent MPG.

I know the older Japanese cars like I mentioned in the other forum have a hard time doing anything much for acceleration.

Thank you for the input and ideas. Just thinking for now.

Currently, I am building a 440 Dart Sport. Nice and practical! It has 3" exhaust and so forth so that is something fun for this year.

I try and do a project car a year, and I am looking at next year for the other build.
I'm an autoshop teacher for those that don't know.

ROB
 
The key to building a quick slant is in the head.

The head was never improved from the 170 motor.In other words the 225 has the same head as the 170.

Shave,install bigger valves,and port the head and you will see a huge difference in performance.
 
vynn3 said:
BUUUT, if you want some perspective, go test drive a brand new Kia or Hundai. I was shocked to find that my Swinger with no mods besides a Super Six and Dutra Duals could EASILY leave a Rio or a Spectra in the dust, even if it's a 5-speed. So, fast is relative — what are we comparing it to? V8 A-Bodies? Not fast. Half the other cars on the road? At least as fast as THEY are. And that makes me feel better.

VM
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My Cuda was certainly faster than the typical bottom of the line econobox but that still doesn't make it fast. If a car can't run a low mid 15 sec 1/4 then I just can't consider it fast.

At the same time I had the \6 in the Cuda I had an 89 Shelby Daytona that ran low 15's and my wife has a turbo PT Cruiser that runs high 14's to low 15's. The PT gets mid 25-27 mpg on the hiway (auto) and the Shelby would get 31-33 mpg on the hiway compared to 19-20 for the Cuda.

I now have a 360 that makes twice the power of the \6 and only gives up 4 mpg on the economy side. It's run a best of 13.7 and several more tenth's in it if I can get the rear suspension sorted out so I can get some traction.

It's just the work necessary to make a \6 truelyy run quick is extensive and can be accomplished with a v8 far easier and give up very little in economy.
 
jeeper said:
I try and do a project car a year, and I am looking at next year for the other build.
I'm an autoshop teacher for those that don't know.

ROB
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Hey Rob,

Do you build your project vehicle each year with your students or are they for yourself?

I built a Slant 6 Duster drag race car with my church youth group a couple years ago. We weren't concerned with gas mileage obviously, but the build was pretty mild with a 9.2:1 compression by milling the block and head. We run a 4 barrel and open headers with a 3.91 gear. The car weighs about 2,700 pounds. Best ET is a 15.85 with traction problems. I'm confident with better traction and some more tuning it will easily run in the low 15s.

There are a handful of dedicated daily driver Slant 6 owners that race their cars and are concerned with mileage as well over at slantsix.org. Most run carbs, but several have adapted EFI to their slants and there are a couple turbo daily drivers as well.

The big draw for most of the guys running the Slant 6 I think is that it is different. It is much easier to build power with a V8 and not lose much gas mileage, but most guys remark that their Slant 6 cars get more attention than the typical V8 car because it is different.

Rob
 
I will have to agree that when I had the Slant 6 in the car it got a lot of attention at cruise nights. But I always felt like I had to justify it when some one asked what the car had and the hood was closed. Even though the 360 doesn't get the attention the built \6 did I am so much more statisfied with the car and I certainly don't have to say well it's faster than a Kia. :)

Slant6.jpg
 
You rarely see a worked slant6 in Australia now as most just go for the local hemi6.Bear in mind the last of the slants in Oz was 1969 so they've been obsoleted a long time over here.
I learnt building engines (and breaking them LOL) with slants.
Call it a return to my mis spent youth but I 'm accumulating bits to do another one.
Anyway,here's a pic of my car and engine from 1983.Ran a best of [email protected] car weighed 3060lb without driver and I was 132lb back then.

4ztluac.jpg

537xkk8.jpg
 
dgc333 said:
I will have to agree that when I had the Slant 6 in the car it got a lot of attention at cruise nights. But I always felt like I had to justify it when some one asked what the car had and the hood was closed. Even though the 360 doesn't get the attention the built \6 did I am so much more statisfied with the car and I certainly don't have to say well it's faster than a Kia.
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Sorry, aside from discussions of encouragement with slant-owners like this one, I've outgrown the type of conversations which involve me saying "my car is faster than your car" or "his" car, or "that" car. Nor do I race my car, illegally or otherwise, or enter my cars in shows— I just enjoy driving my old car as opposed to the hermetically-sealed, soulless new cars that cost ten times more than my Swinger. And I don't feel the need to "justify" what I drive to ANYONE.

Is the point of adding a "Slant 6 Discussions" section to forabodiesonly.com to convince the slant owners to swap in a V8? Not everyone's ultimate goal is "How fast can I go with the least amount of money?". If going fast is the the priority, why don't we all swap in big blocks? Or better yet, switch to Chevy engines? Or heck, just buy Camaros in the first place?

IMO, Mopar folks like to be different, rather than just buying a Ford or a Chevy. Among Mopar folks, A-body owners like to be different, rather than just buying a 'Cuda, Challenger, or Charger. Slant guys and gals are often the same. We like to be different. Most of us know we could always go faster with an engine swap, but sometimes it's the journey that matters, not the destination. I've had WAY more fun wrenching on my slant than the three V8's I've built, so to each his own.

Otherwise, why not retitle the "Slant 6 Discussions" section to "Slant Six Engine Swap" section?
 
We all know we can put a V8 in our slant cars to make them go faster.But for me it is about the cool factor.I have a sense that this is how this car came into this world this is how it is going out.The attention my car gets at a show is priceless.People love coming up and talking about the old slant.Fathers talking to there sons with a slanted hand motion explaining the motor. I had this car in a local show,parked next to a Hemi Cuda.There were people surrounding my car looking,with nobody next to the Cuda.(Should have seen the look on mr.Cuda owner).Old hot-rodders coming up and saying "that car is bitchen".This is what it is all about.I got to admit I was very close at one time to putting in a 340 motor.Those thoughts are nothing but the past.

Picture 022.jpg


Picture 264.jpg


081_81.JPG
 
The cars are mine. I live too far away to build/repair cars for others, as in 50 miles from a parts house. Our school is also in a budget crisis and has been for some time so building my own cars helps from several standpoints. I have traditionally built 4x4's. I have substantially remodeled about 7 of them. I'm more of a big wooly tired 4x4 guy than car guy at this point.

Regarding the /6, my friends dad always raced them. He build a /6 colt that got 27 mpg, ran legitimate 13's off-spray, and with a tire switch and spray he ran in the 11's. It was built for low bucks back in the 80's.

Apparently he is at it again with a 64. I am up to see him in a few months. I too like the idea of daring to be different.

I'm just weighing my options for the future as far as a summer driver. I am also looking at other cars, but truthfully I have been hoarding and parting out Mopars for about 7 years and I am pretty well tooled up to build them now.

I would have to totally retool my parts and other resources to do something else. Plus it would not be Mopar! I think a mellow /6 with a 4-barrel and headers would be economical and fun to drive.

I'm looking at a 64 later this week so we shall see.

Thank you, ROB
 
Johnny Dart said:
We all know we can put a V8 in our slant cars to make them go faster.But for me it is about the cool factor.I have a sense that this is how this car came into this world this is how it is going out.The attention my car gets at a show is priceless.People love coming up and talking about the old slant.Fathers talking to there sons with a slanted hand motion explaining the motor. I had this car in a local show,parked next to a Hemi Cuda.There were people surrounding my car looking,with nobody next to the Cuda.(Should have seen the look on mr.Cuda owner).Old hot-rodders coming up and saying "that car is bitchen".This is what it is all about.I got to admit I was very close at one time to putting in a 340 motor.Those thoughts are nothing but the past.
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NICE Dart! :)
 
I also have a slant6 in my Valiant and although it's stock, I love it. I have an old Aspen which has a slant in it and I am considering rebuilding it and putting it in my Valiant for a quick w/e swap. I might do it up a little since money is tight. I have heard for years whenever ppl ask about doing up the slant6 the first thing they say is do a v8, its cheaper. true maybe, but the fact that the tranny, driveshaft, rear end, (brakes maybe) are never mentioned makes a difference if you dont have those parts. If anyone has any good slant websites please post them. I have never been the type to do as others do so having a slant6 and keeping it and loving it is good enough for me. SLANT ON!
 
Mopar freak hit the nail on the head. It isn't as simple as dropping a V8 in there. My brother in law was going to give me a big block for my Valiant but after running the numbers for upgrading the suspention, brakes, trans, rear, driveshaft, exhaust, cooling system, fuel lines..... it would have cost me way more than what I have spent to get my slant into the 15's. not to mention all the time I would not have the car to do the V8 swap. I never went a whole day with out the use of my car while building up the slant.
With a simple gear swap in the 8 3/4 I can get 20+ mpg.
 
Having gone through the swap I will agree. When I purchased my Barracuda it was a slant, three on the tree car and had two options (I have the orignal window sticker); AM radio and protection package (factory under coat, floor mats and hood insulator).

My goal when I purchased it was to make a street machine out of it. For the first six months I just assessed what needed to be down to the car, what parts were readily available and how I could fit what I wanted to do into my budget. I scoped out a plan and worked to it.

I wanted the car back on the road ASAP so that I could enjoy driving it. That being said keeping the slant was the best choice and since the PO gave me \6 headers and the Offy intake using those with a cam and some compression increase was the way to go.

I did the body work and painted the car, did a back yard rebuild on the \6 bottom end with a new Comp cam and had the head freshed and decked for 9:1 compression. While i was doing the body work I ran across an 80 D100 pickup with a \6 and A833OD tranny. The yard sold me the tranny, bell housing and clutch for short money so I figured I could make it work. So the car went back on the road with the warmed over slant 6 new paint and a 4spd.

I was still planning a v8 swap and wanted either a 340 or 360 but I was driving the car and enjoying it so there was no rush. The no rush streached out to 5 years and almost 30k miles before the swap actually occured.

I kept my eyes out for deals and found a 73 Swinger that was a V8 disk brake car. It cost me a case of beer and the time to drag it out of the back field of a co-workers house. I stripped the car of all the useful parts. I also ran across a deal on an 8.25 that had a sure grip.

All these parts were cleaned, rebuilt and painted. Over one winter I swapped in the disk brakes and 8.25 axle and at the same time I installed big block torsion bars. Now the drive train was up to snuff to take the power of a hot small block.

I found my deal on a 360 and rebuilt it with a goal of 375-400 HP which it makes based on 1/4 trap speeds. The Swinger also donated it spool mount k-member and the swap was made over a week end in July 05.

I still plan some modification for each winter. This past winter I installed power steering (what an improvement over manual) and put new covers on the seats. The year before it was new rear springs and the 69 side stripe. I would like to add AC sometime in the future but it's a low priority.

I drive this car almost daily from April through Nov and put around 6k miles per year on it. I love the instant power of the v8, getting it side ways with a smokey burn out and the deep rumble of the exhaust.
 
Or you can do what I did(am doing) get one of each. 73 is keeping the /6 so I can drive it whenever, I have a warmed over 360 (about 325hp)in my 70, and I plan to shove one of my big blocks into my Duster. It's win win win! :)
 
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