very mild 360 build.

-
abodyjoe

abodyjoe

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2004
Messages
24,391
Reaction score
13,758
Location
Berlin,N.J. 08009
I'm going to try to keep this thread updated during the build.

just going to be a very mild build. i want the car to be a simple cruiser that still has a little pep. its currently a running/driving car so i'm doing this motor and a 904 i had in the shed. this way i'll have the new motor/trans laying there ready to go in. nothing wrong with the 904 in the car but i'm doing a low gearset 904 for this motor and didn't want the car down too long when the swap occurs.

this is a bone stock 1974 360 that has around 60,000 miles on it. it actually ran very well in my old dart. i had put an oil pump and timing chain in it years ago when i stuck it in my old yellow dart.

pulled it out of storage yesterday. today i rinsed it off and will be taking to to my buddies garage tomorrow. hopefully pull it apart tomorrow and see what it may need. hopefully i can get away with minimal machine work.

IMG_20240310_142838.jpg


IMG_20240310_142842.jpg


IMG_20240310_142849.jpg


IMG_20240310_142854.jpg
 
Last edited:
most of you are familar with our dart but here is is if you don't know it.

original paint (except for the wheels and scoops) 70 dart .

73-up disc brakes
RMS upper arms and strut rods
1" just suspension torsion bars
hellwig fron sway bar
8 3/4 rear with dr diff large bolt axles
11x2" drum brakes
3.23 sure grip
15x7" rims with 225/60-15 tires
exhaust is early 340 manifolds and full TTI 2 1/2" X pipe exhause to the rear bumper.
360/904.

just never been real happy witht he 360 thats in it.. its a bit too much for what i want. its fun and we have driven it all over but its time to mellow it out a bit more so we can really put some fun miles on it.

hope to have it done and have a good amount of shake down miles on it so we can take it on Sick 66 in october. thats gonna be about a 4000 mile trip, the motor init would probably make the trip but it would be a miserable trip. i believe a more stockish motor is going to be much better for my needs. plus maybe jamie will drive it more being less tempermental...

DSC_0091.JPG


14359129_10154078779994862_6864288226296951107_n.jpg


DSC_0013.JPG
 
Looking forward to what shop says about engine.

My two cents: . 039 Felpro Performance head gaskets vs the thicker .054 std Felpro gaskets.
 
If I wanted something that mild, I'd just build a stone stock 360. Put a good timing set in it and degree the cam, mill the heads to get compression up around 9:1, put a good loose ignition curve in it and call it done. Tire melter.
 
i had a 360 the previous owner had built to mimic the little red express engine. same cam,wind age tray etc. it ran well enough in my 74 dart to win a bunch of street races but was mild enough my wife delivered pizza with it. That may be the sort of build you are looking for.
 
RustyRatRod said:
If I wanted something that mild, I'd just build a stone stock 360. Put a good timing set in it and degree the cam, mill the heads to get compression up around 9:1, put a good loose ignition curve in it and call it done. Tire melter.
Click to expand...

pretty much what it will be. i have two cams here that i'll decide on.. maybe even buy one if there is a better choice. i have a performer RPM intake that will go on it too.. but thats on the running car right now so that will wait. if it needs to be bored i have a new set of KB107 pistons on the shelf. if it doesn't need to be bored then stock pistons if they are in good shape.
 
HankRearden said:
i had a 360 the previous owner had built to mimic the little red express engine. same cam,wind age tray etc. it ran well enough in my 74 dart to win a bunch of street races but was mild enough my wife delivered pizza with it. That may be the sort of build you are looking for.
Click to expand...

yea the EH1 motor. my old lil red ran nice.. truck dipped into the high 14's. probably move the dart along pretty damn good. i do have a mp 340 cam new in the box here..
 
It would be hard to pass up the decent gain even the smallest cam can give.
Even a regrind of the original one.
 
Is the motor that was in the yellow car in the 70 Dart? You may have said that but I missed it.
 
273 said:
It would be hard to pass up the decent gain even the smallest cam can give.
Even a regrind of the original one.
Click to expand...

i have a MP 340 cam and lifters new in the box, i also have a hughes cam hew in the box. leaning towards using the hughes that i have.. probably can't go wrong with either to be honest.
 
doogievlg said:
Is the motor that was in the yellow car in the 70 Dart? You may have said that but I missed it.
Click to expand...

well the yellow dart had two 360's in it. first was a mp short block with eddy heads. spun a bearing in that and sold the heads and all from it. this motor was in the yellow dart after i hurt the eddy headed motor.. i put this stock motor in it.. put a new oil pump and timing chain in it. put my rpm intake on it.. a stock high stall converter and 2.94 gears.. i had so much more fun in the car witht he stock motor then i did the build and geared set up.. just a lot more fun on the highway. and hell i could piss in the gas tank and it woudl run and get 17mpg..lol
 
abodyjoe said:
well the yellow dart had two 360's in it. first was a mp short block with eddy heads. spun a bearing in that and sold the heads and all from it. this motor was in the yellow dart after i hurt the eddy headed motor.. i put this stock motor in it.. put a new oil pump and timing chain in it. put my rpm intake on it.. a stock high stall converter and 2.94 gears.. i had so much more fun in the car witht he stock motor then i did the build and geared set up.. just a lot more fun on the highway. and hell i could piss in the gas tank and it woudl run and get 17mpg..lol
Click to expand...

I seemed to remember the pic of it pulling the front tire a little bit but thought it had J heads on it then.
 
abodyjoe said:
I'm going to try to keep this thread updated during the build.

just going to be a very mild build. i want the car to be a simple cruiser that still has a little pep. its currently a running/driving car so i'm doing this motor and a 904 i had in the shed. this way i'll have the new motor/trans laying there ready to go in. nothing wrong with the 904 in the car but i'm doing a low gearset 904 for this motor and didn't want the car down too long when the swap occurs.

this is a bone stock 1974 360 that has around 60,000 miles on it. it actually ran very well in my old dart. i had put an oil pump and timing chain in it years ago when i stuck it in my old yellow dart.

pulled it out of storage yesterday. today i rinsed it off and will be taking to to my buddies garage tomorrow. hopefully pull it apart tomorrow and see what it may need. hopefully i can get away with minimal machine work.

View attachment 1716219613

View attachment 1716219614

View attachment 1716219615

View attachment 1716219616
Click to expand...
I have a couple of questions if that's okay. What gear set are you going to go with in the 904? What heads and cam are you going to use? I'd like to follow this build as I really believe that it will be educational for me.
 
abodyjoe said:
i have a MP 340 cam and lifters new in the box, i also have a hughes cam hew in the box. leaning towards using the hughes that i have.. probably can't go wrong with either to be honest.
Click to expand...
I would be all over the 340 grind IF they had ground it on a 108. But it's either a 114 or 115. ewwwww.
 
abodyjoe said:
yea that was the MP short block with eddy head motor. the heads were painted engine color. best run was a 12.17 with that motor.
Click to expand...
The rust bucket. I loved that thing. lol
 
Dan the man said:
I have a couple of questions if that's okay. What gear set are you going to go with in the 904? What heads and cam are you going to use? I'd like to follow this build as I really believe that it will be educational for me.
Click to expand...

this low gearset will be in the trans. 904 Reinforced Low Gear Set 2.74/1.54/1:1 - A&A Transmissions

heads I'm not sure yet. either one of the sets of "J" heads i have or just the stock heads on the motor now.

not 100% sure on the cam yet.


.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top