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1970-dart

1970-dart

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ok so i have a 318 in my car now and the original plan was 340 or 360 but got a good deal on a complete factory v-8 dart that had everything i needed for my swap so i bough it and figured i would do the 340 or360 at a later date.

well i bought a 360 from a 73 challenger and its complete minus the intake/carb and distributor and planned on either the stroker or just a good solid 360. i have a chance to get a 340 (short block )that is already built with good parts and ready to finish. my problem is that if i spend a good share of my money on the short block then i dont have the money to finish the short block.

then i am dead in the water for driving my car this summer because the 318 in my car now is in need of a rebuild and it dont make sense sinking money into it when i can be putting it in a different motor.

I have about 2500-3000.00 to spend and i know thats not enough to build a stroker but its enough to buy the short block but not finish it. So either of those options leaves me with an unfinished motor and a dead 318 that stinks and smokes and is not that drivable.

I believe 2500-3000.00 would build me a nice 360 for my car that would be drivable without worrying about a lot more upgrades as far as rear end/brakes and suspension ect

so thats my Delima for the week lol
 
is the 360 a good running engine? did you hear it run? if so drop it in and run it, buy the 340 and save it until you have abit more of a budget to build it (sit in in the corner) that way you have the 340 to build and still can drive the car with the 360
 
the 360 was a running engine when it was removed and it still turns but it was removed many years ago.
 
I tend to go the direction that takes me to driving and enjoying the car as q uick as possible. as been stated on here many times, you need to evaluate
your intended use of the car, and build it and the engine accordingly.

I had read an article printed many years back where Larry Sheppard discussed the route Mopar would take to develop a performance 360 to go along with the mundane ones. maybe someone on her would have some knowledge of it. i's sure modern technology has surpassed now what would have been done back then? with exception of maybe heads they were considering making?
340 adds to value. also consider how hard it can be to find a 40 yr old 340 block that has been bored and abused?? I say go to the bank and hock the wife's jewels and both both!???? LOL
 
no sense it building an engine you don't really want to end up with though, open the 360 up, check bearings, rings and the important stuff have the heads checked and button it back up and run it like that if all looks well
 
this was my dads car that he always wanted to put a v-8 into so i don't want to ruin or heavily mod it. I'm not looking for a drag car ( used to have a low 10 second monster) but don't want it to be a pushover on the street either esp when it comes to my buddies and their 350/383 small block Chevy junk lol
 
you have the 360 and the funds the buy the 340 ?
the buy the 340, swap on the 360 heads, spend another 1000 or so on an intake, carb, gasket set and odds and ends and rock it
 
1970-dart said:
I believe 2500-3000.00 would build me a nice 360 for my car that would be drivable without worrying about a lot more upgrades as far as rear end/brakes and suspension ect

so thats my Delima for the week lol
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I believe you're correct.
 
i have a intake and carb already and not sure(i could check) if the heads in stock form would work with the cam in the 340 and again if i spend my money on the 340 there is no money for anything else.
 
If it was me I would just like said buy the 340 just to have it and just pop in the 360 and run it like that for a while.. Or just pop in the 360 and just drive it like that and forget about the 340..
 
i would absolutely love a 340( thats what my dad wanted) but i just cant afford to buy it and finish it. and just drop and pop is what i did with the 318 and it has frustrated me attacking things on it when i dont know the background and history and its a lot easier to rebuild a motor when it out of the car lol
 
1970-dart said:
i have a intake and carb already and not sure(i could check) if the heads in stock form would work with the cam in the 340 and again if i spend my money on the 340 there is no money for anything else.
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What intake, carb and heads are you referring to?
 
You could budget build the 360. You have almost everything. Crank would need reground new pistons, the heads would need work. Pick the right cam for stock valve gear, etc.
 
Carman340 said:
You could budget build the 360. You have almost everything. Crank would need reground new pistons, the heads would need work. Pick the right cam for stock valve gear, etc.
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Talking to my buddy who owns a machine shop about parts to do exactly that
 
X2 on the advice to check out the 360 you have.

Replace the following when buttoning the engine back up.
1. timing chain. use double row roller
2. intake. use 4 bbl, dual plane. (e.g. Air Gap)
3. carburetor. 625-650 cfm, air valve secondary, electric choke.
4. kickdown linkage. Buchillon Performance or Lokar are good choices

If you determine that the cylinders will need a re-bore, be advised that not all factory 360 spec pistons are the same. The 71 piston sits 0.007 deeper in the bore than the 72 - 86 piston. It's not much. But, if you're buying a rebuild kit with pistons, it's free compression. Of course, if you go with something like one of the Keith Black piston sets you have a choice of depth or even domed 360 pistons. It may stretch you budget, but it's do-able.
 
I say check the 360 out see what it needs,build it and enjoy...as for the 340 adding value to the car NOT unless its a factory 340 car..
 
Buy the 340.

Take off any of the parts you need from the 318 and 360.

Sell the other stuff.

I live in the same world as you do (lack of funds) any parts/work coming in means parts/work needs to be going out to keep my Duster on the road.

Good luck with your decision and your Dart.

Paul

1970-dart said:
i would absolutely love a 340( thats what my dad wanted) ............
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