christiansherman

Well i just looked it up and the 360 i have doesnt even make 200hp...I find that hard to believe but than again it is a very slow car. I always figured it was the trans and rear end they put on there due to it was supposed to be a luxery. The car doesnt really get that great of mpg, my 1990 suburban gets better mileage. My plans are to rebuild the motor but im wanting to get about 300-400hp and still get good mpg. I was thinking about 408 stroker but i bet thats like 8mpg. Maybe even get the car to be around 14 sec 1/4 mile. Atleast ya know. I know an accord that barely has anything done to it and runs low 14s, it beat my car bad.. So if anyone could help i would appreciate it a bunch

mr340

That 'Doba is a heavy car, the T-Top option makes it even heavier than a 4000 pound hardtop,so i'm not surprised that a roughly 2000 pound car beat you. Just getting that sled moving takes more effort than the small block can muster up. Factor in the emissions restrictions on it and it's lucky to move at all. I think you can get more power out of it, but I wouldn't expect High horsepower and high fuel mileage at the same time.

christiansherman

What would be the best option for more power in that car. what could i do the 360 to get it to 400hp. and what rear end

christiansherman

Maybe a motor swap then idk. I think its bullshyt i cant find anything out there with someone doing this to a doba. I see it as dodge's version of the monte carlo, i figured someone would build on. It weighs 4500lbs

Commando

Have you done anything to it, does it still have lean burn on it?

I had the 400 in mine when I got it, only changes at that time were the intake, carb, and manifold back exhaust. That car didn't fly due to weight, but still hauled, could spin the tires real easily and had kick. Now the car flies with the modified 440 I now have in it with a different rear, and modified trans.

christiansherman

Naw man i havent touched it at all. Btw nice azz car man. I know the motor needs a new head cuz the valve guides are done and all. It has 140k. So heres the hard part do i keep the motor or do i put a new one in. I dont want it to be a race car really i just want it to be pretty decent like a camaro or mustang. I guess it really doesnt matter since my plans are to put 17' daytons on it and air ride. But i just want this car to be something people look at ya know. Idk why but i love the way they look, if you look at my pics i have one with the rims and tint, i love that look and thats my goal. I just want it to have a lil power. The gas sucks but im sure you know that

scotts74birds

I dont want to **** on your thread, but your expectations are unrealistic for this land-barge. Not saying they aren't great prairie-schooners, but they are simply limited by their heft. If you want fast, get another car. If you want style, then you may do it with this. But you will just exhaust yourself physically and financially trying to get this pig to perform half as good as a Camaro or Stang. Please learn from MY mistakes and experience! Dont waste your time and money, trying to make this car something it cant, or shouldn't be. If you are rich, then ignore me. If you are a "wage-slave" like the rest of us, then listen to me. You will thank me someday!

christiansherman

I know this is something that will be very expensive i just watched a video of a doba with 600+hp and it ran a 13s 1/4. I do think it would be a badass car if it had a 440 magnum but the gas mileage is what keeps me from it. Its either one of two ways i make it a lowrider that i can cruz and get 12mpg or a muscle car that gets 6mpg and i can only drive once a week if that. Im very unsure, but i am 22yrs old and have my whole life to work on this car. I have always had chevys and it was always easy making those fast due to they already are. This is my first dodge, the only other dodge i have is a 1952 coronet that needs about 15k into it and the cornet is not my priority anytime soon. But idk only time can tell ya know

Commando

If you don't want to spend too much money you can find 440 and trans rather cheap compared to building a motor up. However you do have to get it to fit as you are not starting with a RB engine. It will make you closer to your goal but not accomplish it.

89ram150

It almost sounds like you're wanting something that can make some noise, look cool, and make clouds of tire smoke at the blip of the throttle (oh yeah, and not get 3 mpg). And I think we all agree that the Cordoba is just way too heavy to compete with a "pony car" without doing crazy, thirsty things under the hood.

My opinion, get yourself a lo-po big block (motorhome big block probably the cheapest way to go), with a decent bottom end, put some cleaned up heads on it, headers, maybe a 750 or so carb, and go to town. Torque is where it's at for heavy vehicles (I have a truck). That 440 may only have 200 hp, but it probably has close to 400 lbs of tire-melting torque. And if you keep it from being too radical, and drive it with a light right foot most of the time, you can get 360-ish gas mileage when you need to, and shred tires when you want to.

christiansherman

how do i take all that lean burn crap off, and get it close to 300 if i wanted to keep stock motor

christiansherman

I know for a fact im either going to lower it or bag it with either 18 inch black and chrome rims, or daytons. Now if i lower it with rims i can still have a little power. if i bag it and get wire wheels it would be pointless. I guess really what ive been wondering is how to get best mileage and better performance in general. What i mean is, for example my 52 coronet hast a straight six and gets 14mpg. If i put a bigger motor in it, (theoretically) the motor wont have to work so hard to move the car so it should get better mileage correct? If i take all the lean burn and all off it should get better mpg also correct?

Eazy Mac

I'm going through the same thing myself man. I have a '79 and haven't done anything to it yet but I want to have some speed to it. Don't want to go around town racing anybody, just adding some muscle to some beauty. I was actually doing research when I found this post.

Commando

As for the lean burn, the 400 I have was converted by PO, he put an Edelbrock ram intake, and Holley 650 (or 700 can't remember) double pumper carb, with spacer, and Accel stock replacement dizzy and box.

The 440 I swapped into it was a complete tear down and rebuild with very few original parts, so bad example, but the reason I mention this is to get comparable parts. You can't get a carb that's too small or big either starve engine or flood it.