What's up everyone. New to the forums here.

Just got my first muscle car a few weeks ago, a 1972 charger se. It's got a v8-318 4 barrel carb. The car is big and heavy (4000lbs) frankly I don't think that 318 is gonna cut it which is why I wanna put a bigger more powerful engine in it. I was looking at the mopar crate engines online and they all seem overpriced 9k-40k. I'm not looking for a 2500 hp engine for $100 but I'd like to have more power then the average Joe. What do you guys recommend engine/performance wise?

Also what is the value range on a 72'? I know it's not one of the most desirable years like the 68-70. I plan to mod this car to show car status but id like to think later on I could get ballpark what I put into it, even in trade, someday I'd like a 68-70 charger,70 cuda, or a 59 Cadillac coupe.

Thanks guys

 

It's not clear to me what you expect. A good runnin' 318 can surprise you, and a good runnin 360 might just be plenty, be an easy swap, and still get reasonable mileage.

A B/ RB swap into a SB car requires a LOT more parts

 

The engine runs fine and it's loud as hell too. The stock engine is only around 150hp According to the specs,which is kinda sad, I want to put a bigger more powerful engine in it.

What I'm asking is, are their any crate engines you guys would recommend that aren't too pricey, or is it better to just build the engine?

 

If you don't have the mechanical skills a crate motor is the way to go BUT there are lots of options Not just mother Mopar


http://www.jegs.com/i/Blueprint-Engi...oductId=761048

 

NM -

I ran a 318 for about 3 years in my Charger until I swapped in a big block. With the right parts, you can do a lot, just keep your expectations realistic. Cam, headers, intake and carb will be a good start, heads would be a logical next step. I ran massaged 340 HP heads and they added a definite kick to it.

You should already have an electronic ignition, so upgrading that will be a snap. Besides, you'll probably get more out of doing the mods than just dropping in a crate engine.

The above assumes that the engine is basically sound. At the very least run a compression test on the cylinders and look for obvious leaks, etc.

Archer

 

X2

If you have the mechanical skill to rebuild the motor (even if you don't, there are usually always an engine hop nearby that can do it for you), weight the costs of the rebuild with the parts youw ant verse a crate motor. You may be surprised that you can get more bang for your buck with building what you have than buying a already built motor.

 

Get a 360 stroker from Muscle Motors.

http://www.musclemotorsracing.com/en...ler-krate.html

 

Thanks for all the advice. My friend could help me rebuild the engine, so I'll have to weigh my options.

 

Build what you got for now you can always build a bigger motor while your driving it with the 318 then swap it out. To go to a big block you'll need a transmission for a big block,change the rearend to an 8 3/4,modify k frame engine mounts, buy conversion kit motormounts,have a drive shaft made/modifyed,different torsion bars,bigger brakes,bigger radiator the list goes on.I am in the process of rebuilding a 73 charger that was a 318 car will be a 440/auto car and it is quite the undertaking [course we bought it already dissembled missing quite a bit and rusty to boot].See my album http://s1138.photobucket.com/albums/...ger%20project/

 

The Mopar small block crate motors are left overs from the magnum runs at least in the current 360 version.

Two versions. I have worked on both.

The 300hp version was the truck 360 with the stock truck cam, a dual plane intake and a mopar distributor. Thats it! The short block is identical to production trucks.

The 380hp version is the same shortblock but with a cam that ups the lift to just under the retainer to guide contact limit. .. .501 ish.. (do the research on numbers, Im not positive on lift but they can take .520. They switched from dual intake to a single plane intake.

Same heads on both.

Both were underrated.

The stock 250hp truck motors were detuned and dont look to attractive under all the fuel injection and wiring. They ran fat fuel curves to save the cat converters and had ridiculously restrictive exhaust and an intake that peaked HP numbers at 4400rpm. This design hurts my head....Thus low HP numbers..

If you want low budget motor you can beat the snot out of grab a boneyard magnum 360 motor, carb, intake and dizzy. Leave the cam, its a torquey SOB for your 4000lb car)Take the converter with your boneyard motor to keep the external balance square, reuse your tranny. Keep the serpentine belt setup and add a little holley fuel E pump.


Later in life, add RHS, EDDY, or EQ heads to push flow past 250cfm and add some duration and 425HP with decent vacuum is super easy bolt on... Same short block.

Save money for some tires

 

This is some great info!

 

Tim -

Actually, no it's not. What PK isn't telling you is that with a .520 lift cam and any kind of duration, the odds are you're not going to get enough vacuum to supply the power booster or anything else.

The OP want's "a little more power than the average Joe", kinda implies that he doesn't know what he wants or needs - yet.

Based on the parts mentioned, cam, single plane manifold, he's going to be thrown into a higher rpm band and will also be looking at a higher stall converter and/or gears to make it comfortable to drive, not to mention an aux vacuum pump.

Based on the limited info we have, I still think the OP will be better served by getting his hands dirty and doing a few basic mods, rather than dumping a crate engine into the car and not know what other mods are going to be needed.

Later, if he's still into it, he can go big block or whatever.

Archer

 

That converter from the Magnum may not fit his trans !! Unless he wants to update to the 518 trans from the truck. . I built my own 360/360 years ago. Your choice of converter will make or break your performance..

 

Archer,

I didn't leave anything out. As for it not being "great info" that's perspective so its fine with me if you already know this but I think it will still help the OP or someone else if they find the thread. Info is accurate.

YES, the 380 crate runs more duration but thats because they couldn't add lift due to retainer to guide issues but needed to hit a HP mark. You can fix that with a loaner tool to cut the guides down. Dial back the duration for better manners and up the lift. Super cheap motor. Keep in mind they make 300hp with .43 lift truck cam with 119LSA (i think) installed straight up. That is ridiculously small.

Lift and vacuum are not directly proportional.

Magnums use rollers lifters. Technology is different, and you can run a lot more lift than flat tappet with the same duration. Heck, you can use a solid roller lifter with a hydraulic roller stick with no issues too.

Here is my current stick, just went in. It has a little bump, nothing crazy. 218/224 114LSA .570/.565. These are off the shelf XFI lobes. This pulls 16 inches of vacuum with PCM set idle of 780rpm. This can be driven in traffic and runs AC, Power Steering and Power Brakes.

We ran 230/236 .57/.56 in a little DAK and it pulled 11.5 inches.

I just pulled a 2000 5.9 with 128K miles for 100 bucks for another project. I'll keep a book on this build for actual cost. I bet we dont even have to align bore this one.

 

PK -

I'm not doubting your knowledge or veracity. I've just not yet seen a cam with those specs on a normally aspirated engine give the drive-ability you're describing, without some kind of computer control.

In fact, a lot of the people I know running that type of cam due have vacuum pumps.

I'd like to work with you sometime, never too old to learn some new tricks.

Thanks.

Archer

 

In today's market it will cost $2,400 just to paint a car and that doesn't include any body work... You MIGHT get a color change for that but you will have to be a very good salesman to get all the door jams, trunk liner and under the hood done for that..... My advise is to stay with your original offer and it it works out OK...



292 chevy engine

 

ive been a contractor for over 20 yrs
and have run dodge vans
my frist was a 318 it out lasted the body
my second was a 360 86
with a mopar cam and edlebrock intake 750, retrofit 518 410 gears
that motor rocked and the truck had more than enough power for years problem free

nick named lightning eater
5860 average weight
good motors 360 /518 good trans
318 love em my latest is awesome