Bruue1

Hello,

I recently bought a 1980 Dodge Aspen Base Model Tan Sedan, it has a 225 slant six motor, about 64,000 miles and is solid, more or less.

This was the same year, color, and model as the first car I owned when I was fifteen. I am 41 now. I painted the one I had when I was fifteen flat black, then I proceeded to destroy it. Then I destroyed car after car until I was about 20 years old. Then I learned how to keep beat up old Toyotas running because I did not have a choice. Now I make more money, I drive newer Toyotas, it is what it is. They break down less often.

I came across this new Aspen for $2500 and I couldn't pass it up. I love driving it, nostalgia is crazy, and its more fun to drive than newer cars. I've learned how to fix tings now. I think I'm going to fix this old car up, like I should have done to my first one.

I got the Dutra 225 rebuild book and have been watching Uncle Tony videos on youtube. I'd like to pull the engine this winter, rebuild (shooting for 120-150 hp and decent gas mileage), and put it back in.

I wanted to say hello, I look forward to reading through this forum. I'll attach a pic of the car. And pics as I go along.
I have a few questions:

Is there any aftermarket support for K/Crossmembers, control arms? At the very least I want to get some used oem junkyard replacements and refurbish them before I pull the engine, so I can just rebuild the whole front end once the engine is out, and do it quick. I wouldn't be opposed to some new, shiny, aftermarket parts, I'm just not finding anything at all for F Bodies

I'm also looking for new leaf springs, shackles, and hangars, any suggestions would be great, but I do have some ideas about this already. I wouldn't mind lifting the back end a bit but I would settle for leveling, (the rear leans a bit to the left, the springs are old)

Iowan

Welcome to the forum,
Whit such low mileage why do you think the 225 needs to be rebuild?

Bruue1

I just want a little more power.
It runs fine right now and cleaned up kinda nice lookin, the whole compartment did
It vapor locks, and the belts squeal, but whatever, doesn't bother me. I'll get new belts soon and figure out if I got a bad pulley or not.
Like my first one, it is milky as hell under the valve cover, oils fine, so is the coolant, but there is something happening there, I mean its thick white, so bad I'm not even going to try to clean it until I'm taking the whole thing apart.
I'm sure it would still run forever, but its gotta be pushing less than 100 hp?
Plus I want it all pretty, with an aftermarket hyperpak and two barrel carb, Chrysler red block and bolt on chrome from Australia
I've never built an engine and I want to. I'll probably find a different core, rebuild that. Get the front end parts together. Then try to swap it all out. Who knows.
I am serious though. I've built a couple houses, and a camper that I sold for 6500. I know what I'm getting into, its just that a lot of it is new to me.

The only real rust is on the engine crossmember and front control arms, I'd like them to be clean and new looking, I'll need to pull the engine to do that

Thats what I'm thinking, then I'll be able to hit 75mph on the freeway, and get there in under a minute too. I've been driving the car a lot, I'd like it to be my daily driver in the summer, but it needs to be a little faster for that.

Bruue1

I have thought about cleaning under the valve, getting a new PCV valve and seeing if the milk comes back. If it doesn't just painting the engine where it sits and buying my fancy intake and exhaust. But I'd rather just know its new, I guess. And I want to do it. It'll be my first engine, like it was my first car.

I hope to build more. I'm getting to a place where I might start having a little time, and I need a new hobby.

Iowan

Probably the best performance improvement you could make is changing the rear axel gear to a 3.25.

Bruue1

Thank you. That sounds like a good idea, probably pretty simple too. Maybe I'll do that when I do the leaf springs later this summer, see if it helps

Skwerly

oooooooooh man i love that thing! nice write up too. welcome!

Bruue1

Thanks for lookin. Glad you like it. I got a photo album on here now with some more pics, I need to figure out how to attach thumbnails from it to these posts so I can skip all the HUGE photos.

I have some updates. I'm sick of the slant six and am done pretending that I want to rebuild some sort of reasonable slant 6 car. A 40 year old car is not a reasonable purchase, its fun. I don't think I'll try to build an engine either, I'll buy a crate.

When I was 15 y/o I wanted a V8.

I'm thinking Jegs 360 310hp/400+ Torque, Magnum Force front end (crossmember, coil overs, tubular construction, etc...), 8 3/4 rear with sure grip, disk brakes, slight lift, and new leaf springs. Of course frame connectors too. Flat black paint (make the chrome pop), dual exhaust. Over the next two or three years. This winter will be the back end, I'll start there.

It doesn't need to be a drag car, just a bad *** car, I want to shred tires and slide around corners. My boy is 12 right now too, were going to build it together, he's not gonna want a slant six either.

My brother in law deals parts, he's going to find me a reasonable 65-70 B Body 8 3/4 rear. I'll post up pics of the rebuild as it happens.

Skwerly

I like that engine setup idea. Just enough power so that it's mean, but not enough to cause real issues.

Iowan

The mopar Fbody has a large engine compartment so there's plenty of room for a 383/400 or a 440.

Bruue1

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I just want it to be kinda cool. A budget build too. The hardest part is spending money that I'm not going to get back. I'd love to build this toy for myself, but I have a wife and kids too, etc...

I'm dropping the 8 3/4 rear and the Magnum Force K Member idea, LOL. Right there saves me at least 9000 dollars. I'm not tracking it anyways.

Living with the reality of it, I'm probably looking for a K member complete with steering and torsion bars from an 80s diplomat or fifth ave that had a 318 in it. I understand the small blocks all had the same mounting points and weighed similarly so that K member should bolt right into my car, have a better steering ratio, have heavier duty torsion bars, and mount a 360 directly to it. If I'm lucky enough to find one with a healthy engine attached to it (like a donor car) it'll probably be a 318, so I'll probably have a 318 in the car too, at least for a while. I got a guy who says he has a 360 core he could build and put in it using some conversion brackets on the current K Member for around $2000, but I have read that the V8 cars had heavier duty torsion bars to support the increased weight; which makes sense, so I believe it. I'd rather have the OEM V8 K member to begin with. This K member is wore out anyways, I would rebuild the new K member before installing, new bushings and paint.

For the rear I'm just going to get a sure grip from Dr Diff for the 8.25, I think 27 spline, some long leaf spring hangars and some E Body leaf springs from summit. From what I've read thats the work around for the lack of new F Body Leaf Springs at a decent price. I'm still going to lift the back end, and paint the car flat black, eventually. It'll get disc brakes back there too.

I was thinking about selling the car for a little while, I installed the radio, I've had my nostalgia rides with it, and it takes up space in the driveway, and its never going to make me money, but now I think I am going to keep it, I'll just take a much slower, less expensive tack with it.

I won't even be buying parts for the rear end until this Sept/Oct at the earliest. Maybe not this year. For now I'm just gonna keep driving it around town as it is and stay off the freeway. The slant six runs better and better all the time. I'm still having fun with it. I'm just extremely busy. But yeah, I think it'll happen, this is just going to be a slow growing thread.

Its cool to have you guys, I'll post things as they happen.

Skwerly

What gears you thinking out back, whatever is in there? I'm strange, I always go against the crowd with those. But then again, I'm not really a racer type. I like the tall freeway flier gears. You get to feel the low end torque ma Mopar hands out so graciously, and passing at speed with a mild 318 is fun! I believe the gears in my Fury are like 2.7 bad boys.

Iowan

Fbody values have gone up but if you're in the car hobby to make money building cars probably is the wrong motivation.

Bruue1

Skwerly

Probably burn out gears, Iowan was telling me 3.55. Probably 3 something. I'd have to see how well the refurbished KMember handled. I would like to be able to drive this car 80+ on the freeway, but to be honest, the way the front end is now I wouldn't feel safe, and trust me, I do some crazy ****. Skwerly, this front end is squirlly, I've been hot rodding around the country highways, and it understeers like no other car I can remember. If I'm heading into a curve with a 40mph suggestion, I'm dipping in or running out if I'm taking it at anything over 50. It must all be so loose.

Iowan

Yeah, I'm surprised how much some people think these F Bodies are worth. I'm also surprised that so many of my 12 year old's schoolmates think its "cool". They definitely have a different frame of reference than I.
I'm not trying to make any money, leave that to the Rust Brothers.
It's a fun car. I love it.

I was out in the rain a week ago, did a neutral drop and laid a good track up a winding hill. It was fun.

Skwerly

Aha! Okay, I think that's a great choice. Different arena, but I do have a gears story.

I had a pretty extreme off-road Jeep Cherokee for many years. It of course evolved and improved as it went and as I could afford. Once I stepped up to 35-inch tires, I loved the thing sooooooo much more. It could conquer the rocky trails much smoother and easier. But I understood that my 3.55 gearing might have been a little anemic. And while I did street the Jeep often, it wasn't necessarily daily on freeways and whatnot so I threw 4.88s in them.

Too much. Waaaaay too much.

The thing trailed like a beast but on the highways, 65 was the new 85 and it oddly seemed to lose a lot of low-end grunt. Looking back, of course, I'd have gone with 4.56 or maybe even just 4.11s but I tell ya, I missed my 3.55s something fierce.

Bigger is not, not always better.

Bruue1

Looks pretty spiffy! The car feels quicker, and sounds better too. Gasket, paint, degreaser, cut off wheels; $30 upgrade.

We are going to keep this car. I'm going to keep the slant six too. My son and I took a bunch of vacuum lines off of the carb, got ri of the charcoal can, painted the valve cover (replaced gasket), and cut up the stock air cleaner and painted that too. The car feels a little quicker and sounds better and might run better too.

I got lots of plans, but we'll just do a little bit at a time. There are more pics in our album. Future ideas (as of today) hyper pack, two barrel, headers to single pipe, sure trac rear, new leaf springs, rebuilt front end with original K member, torsion bars, sway bars, all painted up nice and new bushings. etc etc

As soon as I can get a new exhaust on it that air/smog pump is gone, its ugly and I don't like it there. I almost too it today and just cut the exhaust under the manifold, but I don't want it to be too loud for cruising my wife around in to get ice cream, so I'll have to wait a little longer before I can say goodbye.

Skwerly

Now we're talking! I'm sooooo glad you went with this decision. Run the heck out of it like it is, fix it up, have a v8 in the back of your mind for down the road. Perfect! I'm really digging this car.

Bruue1

I'm looking at an extra axle, its an 8.25 out of a 79 volare for $70 complete with the drums. I'm gonna try to pick it up today or tomorrow. I'm gonna put a sure trac in it from Dr Diff and some new bearings. For brakes I'm gonna go picking for a set of rear disc brakes off of a 94-99 Cherokee, unless I'm mistaken.
It'll get electrolyzed then paint.

Here's a new acquisition for the car. I got this 72 slant and the 904 transmission next to it for $50, pulled running, full of oil. This way we can try to build this one while we're driving the car, then do a quick swap. The paint on it looks nicer than the paint on the one I'm driving right now. I like the price tag of these slant sixes. They'll be good to practice on.



Here's the second motor, 72? 225 and a 904 transmission for total of $50, pulled running, full of oil.

Skwerly

Man, can't beat that price at all! So great.

Bruue1

Here's the new axle ($75), in all its glory. I'm hoping it cleans up ok, I think it will. I'm gonna try to strip the rust with electrolysis in my garage.
The second pick is a pair of 1998 Cherokee rear brake calipers and backing plates ($60, maybe I overpaid, but they were there). They are also going to get rebuilt/painted. They bolt right onto the axle to replace the drums.
Other costs for this axle will be the 27 spline 8.25 sure trac from Dr Diff approximately $350, and a set of new 3.55 gears, approximately $100, and some bearings, paint, seals, bolts, and fluids approximately $100.
I should be looking at a new, direct bolt in, disc brake converted, 8.25 positraction axle, for about $700.

Skwerly

super coooooooooooool!

RacerHog

Making some good changes.... Carrie on Mopar Brotha !!!

Bruue1

Thanks Bob! I do think I'll keep this car a while. I have more fun driving it than anything I've driven in a long time. To be honest the whole kit is up for sale again right now. I don't know if I'd sell it or not if I get an offer, I'm still on the fence about the whole thing.

I built a camper and took my wife and kids down the West Coast a couple of years ago, Washington to Southern California and back to Minnesota through the desert and the plains. Went to Anaheim and surprised the kids with a few nights at Disneyland, first time for all four of us at Disney, thought I'd endure it, turned out I loved it, Disney rocks if you got kids! We loved the whole West Coast! It was a good trip. You live in a neat part of the country.

Carry on!

Bruue1

Took off the air pump and deleted the catalytic converter

Pic 2 of 3 New Exhaust, just a pipe with a glass pack, $239 at the local muffler shop

Pic 3 of 3 New Exhaust, just a pipe with a glass pack, $239 at the local muffler shop. I think I'll bring it back and have him extend so its almost touching the bumper.

I'm sorry I don't know how to make these pictures smaller.

Well; I still have the car. Just got it back from the local muffler guy who kept it over the weekend. He deleted the catalytic converter for me and welded up this straight pipe with a glass pack right off the little stub hanging off the manifold.
He also blocked off the air inlet at the back of the cylinder head where the air pump would pump air into the head.
As you can see in the first pic, I finally have the air pump and that huge bracket off the engine too.
The engine bay is starting to clean up.
I can see most of the engine now.
I have to say, the less restrictive exhaust, actually sounds very mean. Its not deep like a dual exhaust V8, but it does have a pretty cool and distinct sound. Through the single pipe, with a minimal muffler, this engine sounds better than I thought it would.
I have been oscillating between keeping this slant six and/or swapping a 360 into it. Today I like this slant six.
It sounds awesome, runs great, I think its a little quicker, definitely cooler, and just running cleaner. At least it sounds cleaner. Its a paradox, or something...

Regarding the air pump/charcoal can delete previously posted:
Of course you want to keep the vacuum line on the timing advance, but there is one other line that runs from the fuel system to the charcoal can, I had plugged this line up and just left it plugged by where the can used to be. This line vents excess pressure in the fuel system into the charcoal can, I think.
Anyways my fuel system was pressurizing, like a lot. I took the little screw plug I had in the end of this hose off, and now my fuel system does not seem to be over pressurizing.

Next steps:
I need a new fuel pump and maybe line, mine is leaking a little bit (maybe because I was over pressurizing the system and it was old?) who knows, but it will be fixed. I assumed it would be the line when I heard about it, but when I looked today, it might be coming out the side of the OEM pump, I'll have to get closer to see. The exhaust guy found this for me. He just about chastised me for bringing a gas leaking car to his shop, for him to weld on, but he was right to mention something. He didn't get hurt or anything. He said he wouldn't have done it if he thought it was unsafe to do before fixing the fuel leak, and he found the fuel leak in inspection before beginning work. I would smell gas sometimes, I never even really looked, it was intermittent and never too obvious to me. I was stupid; I'm just way too busy, my days are full. I have multiple relatives that have died in fires. I just had a patient at the hospital last night who had a son admitted to a different hospital's burn unit the same night, 25% of his body burned by a fuel line on an atv sitting next to a bonfire. I have jumped out of a car, that started on fire, due to oil clogging the catalytic converter (that car was my jumper). So the exhaust man is right, I should have taken the gas smell more seriously. I've been driving my family around in this car, with gasoline spraying back on the engine block. Maybe I've had some little fires down there, I don't think so, nothing looks burned, but I cannot say for sure. I did drive it home from the shop, but it will be fixed before I drive it around again. I mean a new pump is only $26.

I'm getting sick of the belt squeal every time I start the car, its not funny anymore, its becoming embarrassing. I'm gonna replace the power steering pump, I think this is where the squeal is coming from, its definitely leaking and covered in old dirty hydraulic fluid, so it'll be to replace it whether or not it has the squeaky belt. Get a new one one, new belt, tighten it up and see if it squeals. After that there is only one belt left, yup, the alternator, but that side is al clean and dry, so I'll be surprised if that turns out to be it.

I've still got that 79 Volare 8.25 axle and the Jeep Cherokee rear disc brakes for the conversion. I'm looking forward to some down time this winter to rebuild the rear end of this Aspen.

My 13 year old son says to me "i've seen a Ferrarri xxxx, a Lamborghini xxxx, a Corvette xxxx, etc, etc, I've never seen another Dodge Aspen". He keeps a mental list of all these cars he's seen on the road. He's into cars, knows all the names of the Muscle cars, names and specs of the Japanese sports and the "super cars". He's right, we've never seen another Aspen on the road. We have fun with this thing, it is cool.

Skwerly

Yeah, I hear you re the /6 vs. 8 issue lol. I have a small 8 in mine, have always wondered if I should punch up to 360 or maybe even 383… or, bigger? Who knows what it'll end up being. For right now I just replaced the busted 318 with a used racing engine.

But, that being said, I like your /6! it's neat. Pop that hood at a car show and eyebrows will go up as people pass. Think how many 8s they see with chrome or black crinkle finish accessories at these shows… yaaaaaaawn lol. I truly think most (adults) appreciate a cool six from time to time. Diversity is important.

Hey, looking good so far! Glad you decided to keep it and have fun.

RacerHog

Awesome... Looking good... Glad to hear your getting to enjoy it some... It's a labor of love... And for the most part, Makes a great conversation peace
Keep chipping at it Doc !!!!

Iowan

I looked for two years for my Volare, /6 stripper with a tree speed no air etc.. I had full intention of installing a 440/727. That was thirty five years ago.

Bruue1

Iowan,
Sweet. Then you know the joy...

RacerHog,
I do love this car. I'm never getting rid of it. And I look forward to getting on here and posting more pics too. Its great conversation.

Today I got after the fuel pup and the power steering. No more gas smell, no more gas leak.

Now we got a good exhaust, good fuel system, new power steering, and tomorrow I'll pick up a new alternator, I still get belt squeal, that's the last pulley left. After that I think I'm done with the engine until a couple of years from now when I swap that 360 in. Next will be the rear axle and suspension.

Thing sounds and runs great! I only wish it was faster, and handled better. That'll come.

Here's pics of my O'Reilley Fuel Line, pump, and most of the filter in one pic. It is nice to see more new stuff in place of that old crap.



Fuel Line Down to the New Fuel Pump

New Fuel Line

Here's a side view of the pump, you can see the top of the new fuel filter too. Just a cheapie from O'Reilley

Skwerly

Good decision to go to O'Reilley lol; I worked at AutoZone for years but always went to the O place for my old car stuff.

Looking great!

Bruue1

I'm in a smaller town, I get competent, friendly service from a most of the guys there. The store is about five minute drive from my house. I'm glad to have them.

Once I was towing a small camper down the west coast with my family. I stopped at an O Really in the middle of a big city in souther California, it wasn't LA, it was north of that, closer to Carpinteria, but I forget for sure. The guys there treated me good too.