Would be a good candidate for a Blueprint 408 and I would for sure check with Johnny Mac. I have a small block in one and a 499" stroker in the GTS but if I ever need to make a change I will be looking at Blueprint for sure. He is a vendor here.
Just bought my first mopar. Looking for help!
- Thread starter Boogeyman Racing
- Start date
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Keep the jack set up..... unless you go fiberglass bumpers.
Try Schumacher creative services. They may still yet have some big block swap kids. It makes putting in a big block into a small black K frame a snap. Just a simple cut and drill a hole and you’re done, Bam it’s in.
Doing a big block does require a little more money and not just in the engine build dept. The small block is a bolt is sinch but, LOL, you are down a few cubic inches. (80)
The 360 will run, but, is there a ET your looking for?
Skip the HP number!
Are you interested in cruising this? Cruising it far?
Racing it? Some? Plenty?
Try Schumacher creative services. They may still yet have some big block swap kids. It makes putting in a big block into a small black K frame a snap. Just a simple cut and drill a hole and you’re done, Bam it’s in.
Doing a big block does require a little more money and not just in the engine build dept. The small block is a bolt is sinch but, LOL, you are down a few cubic inches. (80)
The 360 will run, but, is there a ET your looking for?
Skip the HP number!
Are you interested in cruising this? Cruising it far?
Racing it? Some? Plenty?
A lot of good info for you to digest.
Great buy! Drop in an engine you choose, Use this site for help and parts, Don't buy from Ebay unless you absolutely have to, search up what you have using the vin and tag.
Most of all.......Enjoy the build!
P.S. Become a FABO gold member and lose all of the pop up ads!!! That's advice for everyone.
Great buy! Drop in an engine you choose, Use this site for help and parts, Don't buy from Ebay unless you absolutely have to, search up what you have using the vin and tag.
Most of all.......Enjoy the build!
P.S. Become a FABO gold member and lose all of the pop up ads!!! That's advice for everyone.
And if you do a big block, the easier route is to go with a B383/400 instead of the RB 413/426/440. Before deciding, go look at bigblockdart.com and look at what it involves. When it comes to A body builds, even small blocks have their own set of challenges, but your ‘73 has several advantages making it more favorable for a big block. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the 340 based 3.58 & 3.79 inch stroker set ups with TFS heads are hard to match.
Johnny Dart
Well-Known Member
I would clear coat that patina, put in a 408, MT drag radials on the back, and drive the s**t out of it!!!!!
FWIW, I’d skip looking for a 3.79 crank and proceed to a 4.0. The 3.79 is hard to find and normally ridiculous in price. 4 inch slugs are cheaper as well. Also available in Hyperutecic.
I agree if the big block route is taken. A low deck B block (383 or 400) will fit in better with more clearance than the RB (440 or 426 wedge engines) Add in a 500 stroker kit and Woooooooooo - away we go!
I agree if the big block route is taken. A low deck B block (383 or 400) will fit in better with more clearance than the RB (440 or 426 wedge engines) Add in a 500 stroker kit and Woooooooooo - away we go!
Sleeper would be fun. I would not clear coat the patina though. I'd use du-lite kwik seal. Mild 496 and a dana 60. Steel wheels. Squeeze some offset springs in there.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
56K on it. That 318 and A904 aren't even broke in. Not sure what your budget is, but I'd recommend get the 318 and A904 up and running and drive it with that while you upgrade your suspension, wheels, brakes etc for what you decide engine and trans wise later. You can always sell the 318 and trans later on. If body is straight, you can always scuff it down, and prime it with 2K epoxy primer to seal it up and make it look decent while working on the rest.
A stroker small block or big block is both your choice. I'd recommend a 360 bored and stroked to 408 as it will be the same dimensionally as the 318 coming out, unless you just need the wow factor of a big block.
Unlike Chevy stuff, if you run a mopar big block, you need a big block trans. The bellhousings do not interchange with small block.
Another recommendation is upgrading to the later style big bolt pattern. It upgrades to 1/2" lug studs. More readily available brake parts and rotors which go all the way up to 1989 on chrysler fifth avenue, dodge diplomat. The pattern is 5 bolt 4.50" circle. If your car has 10" finned drums on the front, you likely already have the bigger balljoint upper A arms. All you will need for the disc brake swap is everything from the spindle out from 63-76 disc brake A body.
If you have the smaller ball joint upper arms you will have to get the bigger joint arms, or a sleeve kit from Doctor Diff to run the smaller joint arms, Or tubular upper arms. You will also need the 73-76 A body lower ball joints for disc brake cars to do this swap and 4 grade 8 bolts with stove nuts to attach the lower ball joints to the disc brake spindle. It all seems crazy to describe it, but it's all a pretty straight forward swap.
What's on your car currently appears to be a 5 bolt 4 inch circle with smaller 7/16" studs. This pattern is really hard to find decent aftermarket wheels for. And the left half of the car, your lug studs are or should be currently left hand thread. Stud center will have an L or R stamped into it for direction of removal. Change that **** to all RH thread.
Personally I am a fan of wide black painted 15" steelies, black walls, and chrome lug nuts, along with grey primer bodies Cheap and good looking IMHO, I must just be a cheap *** and put my cash into other things
Remember that anything you pull from on this car because of an upgrade has value to somebody else here building a mopar. Do not toss your cast off parts, post them here on Fabo for sale.
I recommend looking at the different build threads while you get it running and driving and sort through it. My build thread on the 67 cuda i own morphed from edgy but street legal asphalt circle track car on the street to a restored sleeper. Plus I pulled the car apart 10 years ago, and it still isnt together.
Sorry if this is a long list I have typed. Good luck with your dart. It's one of the cooler looking years, and in good shape. Hope to see you around here more, and be able to help offer advice. Lots of ideas offered, and a lot of directions to go. Get your feet wet, and read a lot of the build threads, make notes. I have copied pix of ideas from others cars and put em into a file called "cuda ideas" in my phone. I use that as a reference library on the go.There may be some ideas you like you never thought about doing.
Hope this helps
Matt
A stroker small block or big block is both your choice. I'd recommend a 360 bored and stroked to 408 as it will be the same dimensionally as the 318 coming out, unless you just need the wow factor of a big block.
Unlike Chevy stuff, if you run a mopar big block, you need a big block trans. The bellhousings do not interchange with small block.
Another recommendation is upgrading to the later style big bolt pattern. It upgrades to 1/2" lug studs. More readily available brake parts and rotors which go all the way up to 1989 on chrysler fifth avenue, dodge diplomat. The pattern is 5 bolt 4.50" circle. If your car has 10" finned drums on the front, you likely already have the bigger balljoint upper A arms. All you will need for the disc brake swap is everything from the spindle out from 63-76 disc brake A body.
If you have the smaller ball joint upper arms you will have to get the bigger joint arms, or a sleeve kit from Doctor Diff to run the smaller joint arms, Or tubular upper arms. You will also need the 73-76 A body lower ball joints for disc brake cars to do this swap and 4 grade 8 bolts with stove nuts to attach the lower ball joints to the disc brake spindle. It all seems crazy to describe it, but it's all a pretty straight forward swap.
What's on your car currently appears to be a 5 bolt 4 inch circle with smaller 7/16" studs. This pattern is really hard to find decent aftermarket wheels for. And the left half of the car, your lug studs are or should be currently left hand thread. Stud center will have an L or R stamped into it for direction of removal. Change that **** to all RH thread.
Personally I am a fan of wide black painted 15" steelies, black walls, and chrome lug nuts, along with grey primer bodies Cheap and good looking IMHO, I must just be a cheap *** and put my cash into other things
Remember that anything you pull from on this car because of an upgrade has value to somebody else here building a mopar. Do not toss your cast off parts, post them here on Fabo for sale.
I recommend looking at the different build threads while you get it running and driving and sort through it. My build thread on the 67 cuda i own morphed from edgy but street legal asphalt circle track car on the street to a restored sleeper. Plus I pulled the car apart 10 years ago, and it still isnt together.
Sorry if this is a long list I have typed. Good luck with your dart. It's one of the cooler looking years, and in good shape. Hope to see you around here more, and be able to help offer advice. Lots of ideas offered, and a lot of directions to go. Get your feet wet, and read a lot of the build threads, make notes. I have copied pix of ideas from others cars and put em into a file called "cuda ideas" in my phone. I use that as a reference library on the go.There may be some ideas you like you never thought about doing.
Hope this helps
Matt
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Welcome, nice score for $300.00!
If it is in fact a 73, it would probably not have been a 340 car. There were a small number of them sold through 3 dealerships in Western Canada in 71 and 72, not sure the exact number but it wasn't a lot. Sixth digit of the vin is the year, next one is assembly plant. An R in the 7th spot means Windsor Ontario assembly plant. If born with a 318/904 it will almost guaranteed have a 7.25 inch rear end. Lots of suggestions for a build have been mentioned, good luck with your plans, keep us posted.
If it is in fact a 73, it would probably not have been a 340 car. There were a small number of them sold through 3 dealerships in Western Canada in 71 and 72, not sure the exact number but it wasn't a lot. Sixth digit of the vin is the year, next one is assembly plant. An R in the 7th spot means Windsor Ontario assembly plant. If born with a 318/904 it will almost guaranteed have a 7.25 inch rear end. Lots of suggestions for a build have been mentioned, good luck with your plans, keep us posted.
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
Okay I'll check that out as well!!! Thank you!
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That good Sir is a can opening of worms posing that question to this mob! Asking to go modified or keeping it stock is like asking what is best cam! You will get a very wide point of view, the one thing in common is the passion for building A bodies. Do it your way, have a blast. Regardless of your choice there is no end to the opinions on here! I vote stroked 440 with EFI! Or perhaps a gen 3 Hemi stuffed in there! Hah!
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
The shock absorbers on the rear bumper with four tail lights, hint of a beak in the hood line, and what appears to be a 4-1/2 on 5 bolt pattern tell me it is a ‘73. Care to post the first five of the VIN?
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Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
Does it have drums or discs on the front?
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
Yep, 9 cover bolts indicates early 7-1/4, later ones had ten and the tubes went from 2-1/2 to 3 inches about 6 inches from the iron center section. Does it have a 4 or 4-1/2 on 5 lug bolt pattern?
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
Okay thats what I figured. Posted it on facebook market place last night. Trying to sell it to buy a different rear end. And I'm Not sure I'll have to measure it.
diymirage
HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
dont expect too much off of it
they are the smallest and weakest rear end mopar made
most guys when replacing it, grab something bigger, or newer, or both
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Look into the ford explorer 8.8 rear mod in the drivetrain section. Probably the best bang for the buck IMHO. And upgrades to big bolt pattern, same as mopar big bolt pattern.
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
How much would you list the rear end, Tires, wheels, shocks, and springs for??
Boogeyman Racing
Active Member
I found a narrowed Dana 60 with 4:56 gears winter posi. Stranger 41 spline gun drilled axles. With chevy pattern I believe.
There are so many reasons I would use that car for a big block build, but the main two for me are 26 inch core support opening for a big radiator and that it could weigh the same (or less) as a small block A/C car after lightening.
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