Looking for a place or person to have a swap and engine build done

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N8Miklos

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May 16, 2015
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South Carolina
I've spent a lot of time in the forums on here and on other websites researching and gathering intel...haha. I want to do a v8 swap....I have the money to do a simple v8 swap. (When I say simple, I mean the basics to bring a 1970 v6 Duster too life with a v8. Give me 350hp there abouts and I'll be giddy. I have been leaning towards the 408 stroker. High performance 360 at a minimum. However, I live in an apartment. So, I can't exactly do it myself right now, or in the near future. I unfortunately just need to pay someone.

I need to find a reputable person or shop to do the actual swap and build the motor. I live in Greenville, SC. I need the shop to be a reasonable distance from me or even an individual that does it out of his garage.

Any thoughts on estimates would be awesome as well. As much as I like the attention a slant six receives....I want more power. I'm not willing to sink thousands into a v6. Just not my thing.
 
Time to rent some space and go at it. F*** paying somebody, you don't learn to fish that way. It's easy.

My advice?

Start with a Magnum, add reground cam. This will put you easy 350HP/400TQ for cheap
Don't dick with cheap headers, get some doug's headers.

Focus on basic aspects of engine building, then go bigger as you get better.



And finally Get a good converter 9.5" Rebuild a 904 yourself. Don't skimp on that converter; all the information is here to do your build. Just have to execute it.
 
I had three paragraphs worth things to say typed up but instead I'll just say this.

Please do a little more reshearch and do some keyboard engine building. Look at 408 stroker builds on here then look up the prices and make a list of all parts.

I can't help you with finding a shop but in my opinion you should look into the budget and aspects of an engine build before hand if over thousand of dollars to a stranger.

Please do not take any offense to this. I see your a newer member and this is a great site with thousands of very very knowledgable people that will be a great help but I feel like this needs to be more thought out.

Also I have no idea what a shop would charge for that but I'll say for a 408 build and v8 swap your looking at around 5 grand in parts to do it right.
 
Thanks for the reply. I agree with what you're saying...and yes for sure you are right.

I do have a specific list started. For both a 360 build and a 408. I know what I basically want, but in my housing situation just can't execute it. It's hard to be ready to do it financially but have no where to do it. I don't want to build another engine in a storage unit.

My main point to the thread was me asking about a reputable person or place...(honest) etc...that could help me get this done rather than me waiting a year until I may or may not have a garage to do it in.
 
Thanks for the reply. I agree with what you're saying...and yes for sure you are right.

I do have a specific list started. For both a 360 build and a 408. I know what I basically want, but in my housing situation just can't execute it. It's hard to be ready to do it financially but have no where to do it. I don't want to build another engine in a storage unit.

My main point to the thread was me asking about a reputable person or place...(honest) etc...that could help me get this done rather than me waiting a year until I may or may not have a garage to do it in.

If you live on the first floor of a handicap accessible building then do it in the apartment. I do apartment maintence for a living and I have seen people building motorcycles in their apartments. I do understand what your sayying though. It is a pain being a gear head living in an apartment. I would go to a race track close by and ask some mopar guys who did their machine work. Usually machine shops will also assemble engines at least. Do the same at car shows...you will have better luck at a car show since most racers do almost of of their own work.

Just get out and start asking around. Some mopar guys are jerks and will ignore you or insult you but I'm sure you will get an answer eventually.
 
the best way, in my opinion is to go to your local car shows and talk to people

From there, talk with the mechanic, it is basically an interview process

And as stated, do your homework on estimated cost of parts so you understand the total cost of work.

And, and get a written statement of work

good luck
 
Thanks for the input so far!

Car shows have been the route I've taken so far. It's been good meeting people...it's been great meeting mopar people. I asked this particular question on saturday at a show and a guy said I should ask on here...so I've got feelers out on both ends. Thanks for the pm's and look forward to talking with some of you guys in person about the project. I'll be checking the thread until I decide who to go with.
 
Since you're already searching the local cruise spots, start looking at local car clubs---and don't exclude non-Mopar types. Some clubs actually have their own shops where their members build their cars. This can give you technical help along with tools, bodies & equipment.
 
Thanks for the reply. I agree with what you're saying...and yes for sure you are right.

I do have a specific list started. For both a 360 build and a 408. I know what I basically want, but in my housing situation just can't execute it. It's hard to be ready to do it financially but have no where to do it. I don't want to build another engine in a storage unit.

My main point to the thread was me asking about a reputable person or place...(honest) etc...that could help me get this done rather than me waiting a year until I may or may not have a garage to do it in.

I'm no help, but have you considered moving?

The money you could save by doing the work yourself could potentially pay a few months worth of rent.
 
I'm no help, but have you considered moving?

The money you could save by doing the work yourself could potentially pay a few months worth of rent.
This is along the lines I was wondering? Once you get this done are you going to leave it outside? For someone to take!!? I've lived in many different apartments that had garages. consider the cost part of the build, and insurance? The cheap part ! LOL

if I had to do my stroker over again or I could think back I would have absolutely done it myself! the money I spent at a machine shop to do it I could have bought a stroker kit at 1400 dollars 2 times and blow it up two times learning and still not paid as much as having a machine shop do it. TRUE STORY
 
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