What would you do?

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If it’s ever been mocked, it was behind my back for sure. When I’m out tearing around with the car on the weekends, guys just make the assumption it’s a 340 or 360 under the hood.

I have overheard a few people saying "the only thing wrong with it is it's a 318" a few times with my Coronet. Gears makes the biggest bang for the buck to multiply your torque! Making engine mods has a much much lower ftlbs/dollar return on investment.
 
The only thing I get when the hood is open is “ man that thing is clean “
Even though a hand full of people who walk up to the car at cruise nights know that Chrysler never built a 4 barrel 318 Duster, they all dig the “stock like” appearance of what the car has going on under the hood.
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The only thing I get when the hood is open is “ man that thing is clean “
Even though a hand full of people who walk up to the car at cruise nights know that Chrysler never built a 4 barrel 318 Duster, they all dig the “stock like” appearance of what the car has going on under the hood. View attachment 1715805326
That's what I'm talking about!
 
Ask @MOPAROFFICIAL about the 302 heads. He knows a LOT about head flow and I don't think he likes them. IMO you might be messin up a good thing. I like the F150. The money hole in the water, meh. lol
 
I have overheard a few people saying "the only thing wrong with it is it's a 318" a few times with my Coronet. Gears makes the biggest bang for the buck to multiply your torque! Making engine mods has a much much lower ftlbs/dollar return on investment.
And those people that say that...... Well, they can just go @#!÷× themselves. :thumbsup:
 
The only thing I get when the hood is open is “ man that thing is clean “
Even though a hand full of people who walk up to the car at cruise nights know that Chrysler never built a 4 barrel 318 Duster, they all dig the “stock like” appearance of what the car has going on under the hood. View attachment 1715805326

It is very clean. You did a nice job.
 
Ask @MOPAROFFICIAL about the 302 heads. He knows a LOT about head flow and I don't think he likes them. IMO you might be messin up a good thing. I like the F150. The money hole in the water, meh. lol
My amazing better half puts up with the old gas guzzlers because I take her out and do stuff like this on the boat! Life is an intricate balance. That boat earns its keep let me tell ya! lol
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Here is my 318 Coronet getting some recognition even though at the time I had no idea who the mustache guy was (don't watch much TV)...

 
Here is my 318 Coronet getting some recognition even though at the time I had no idea who the mustache guy was (don't watch much TV)...


Purdy cool, Jim! It is a pretty car too!
 
ant enuff difference to mess with it unless you port the 302s and go bigger valves! a set of J heads with a good shave will have you buying the most tires!
The 302s are a closed chamber head, right? Fast burn? I think that going with 1.600" exhaust valve's and leave the intake valve's alone. Wouldn't going to big on the intake valve hurt port velocity? I think that going with a good 3 angle valve job and having the valves back cut would be a good idea. The 318's pistons are like. 080" down the bore. On doing a rebuild of the 318 wouldn't it be a good choice to have the block decked so that the pistons would be at zero deck height? I think the pistons needed to do this are KB-167's. Zero deck height would help the compression ratio, flame travel and provide a tighter quench distance.
 
The 318 was Mopar's lowest warranty claim engine, better than the leaning tower of power slant. Your car is gorgeous. If you're happy with it, than it's all good. If you feel the need for a 360, then build a seperate motor from scratch, but keep your happy teen. That's a real cool driver for taking the grand children for ice cream and a drive with the windows down. Just my 2 cents from an old man. Paul.
 
Skimming through but I'm sure many of us here would like to know the exact cam used since "cams for 318's" is a ridiculously debated topic without much in the way of actual recommendations except A- leave the stock cam in, and B- use a .600 lift cam with .400 duration on your 416 with a 6000 stall and 5.36 gears.
 
I believe you answered your own question in your original post! Beautiful Duster you have there! 65'
 
Take it out and beat the balls off it try and break it to give yourself something to fix...just kidding . Nice car I'd drive it and enjoy it.:)
 
I have overheard a few people saying "the only thing wrong with it is it's a 318" a few times with my Coronet. Gears makes the biggest bang for the buck to multiply your torque! Making engine mods has a much much lower ftlbs/dollar return on investment.

We have a 440 in a 66 Coronet 500 and its a blast but you have a fabulous 68, my favorite year for Coronets. If your happy with it then opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one!!

I'd just tell people, "Wrong? I have a 426 Hemi for it, you think the 440 would be better? The only reason I have a 318 in it is Hemi's are so over done".
 
Oh and those that mock your 318 I will guarantee have not driven a finely tuned 318 with 3.55 gears.... ever?
Couldn't have said it better ! I like my Teen and drive it more than my Hemi 472 car.
 
I set a mild 318 in a '67 Barracuda with 3.55 gears and put the car up for sale. Young man came by and we went for a drive. He said, "I want it!"

Told him to go home and bring his dad back.

Gave his father the keys and said, "Give 'er a test drive."

The dad came back and handed me the keys. "My son will not be buying that car, I want him to live a while longer."
 
Leave it alone.
I don't mean to be mean, but sometimes it just comes out that way. So here goes;
245s are just trouble-makers, except for one thing; they keep the back of the car from dragging on the ground. They make you think your car has power, cuz you can chirp them into Second. But the truth is, if you had power, you'd be smoking them right thru Second gear. And beyond.
But I tell you what; don't do anything until you have some decent-sized tires back there. Then, if you still like the engine at it's current power level, at least you didn't do what I did. Which was try to drive 400Plus hp on 245s/what a joke that was.
The thing is; more power always leads to more upgrades.
So if you have something that yur happy with, leave it alone. Cuz once you start chasing power, the upgrades keep draining the vault.

Here's a couple of examples;
if you fit 295/50s on the back, and your Cross-pin flies thru the cover one fine day; now what? Are you gonna put more money into the 8.25?
Or how about that low-rpm power? Your Early Duster 318 came with a 9.0 compression ratio; but after the big tires went on, the dang engine would barely squawk them so your basically stock convertor is such a PITA, that you swap it out for a 3000, and a few days later, the transmission takes a dump; what now?
Or say you upgrade the teener by 30hp, and two weeks later, you can't stand those 3.55s any more? But you really still want to be able to cruise the hiway, and not wear earplugs; now what?
In the meantime, your new power level is getting you into trouble so fast, because your suspension/steering/and brakes just can't keep up. Not to mention the fuel system keeps giving you fits. And honestly those 1.875 factory tailpipes don't seem to be adequate anymore. Nor is the 22" rad, nor actually any of the cooling system.
And so, on and on it goes.
You could do what I did;

But I strongly advise against it;
especially if you have kids and want to stay married; cuz the Mrs might make you choose.
 
set the 302s aside. As much time and effort (and heart and soul) as you have poured into that car, I don't see it getting out of your hands anytime soon, so someday you might be ready to rebuild the 318 again and you can revisit potential changes. For Now, enjoy the hell out of that BEAUTIFUL car ( and pay no attention to the nitpicking of some on this thread). My stock appearing 318 in a 70 dart is always fun to drive and gets loads of attention.
 
I am SO FREAKIN TIRED of people whose 1st response is "Ditch the 318 and put a damn 360 in its place"..... KEEP THE 318!!!
 
OP is the same as the rest of us..... A hotrod is never finished lol..

Your car, your way. You did a nice job on it but maybe now it's time for the 2.0 version. My only advice is not make it a nuisance to drive. Past that, do what you want. It's a great looking car and you have time in for the quality in the restoration....

JW
 
I applaud your commitment in keeping the 318. Kudos to you good sir!

This winter my car is going in for a rebuild of its original 318. Since I know nothing about picking parts, I'm leaving the details to my engine builder.
 
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