would $3500 for a 360 be too much???

[Guest Anonymous]

hey guys, I know it's been a while since i've posted regularly but i had to go down to saint george. man was it hot, over 102 everyday down there!

 

anyway i know you guys are probably getting sick of me always changing my mind on what i want to run in my zx but what can i say ohter than i just love to bench race

 

okay on to the question, i was talking to a local auto perfromance shop about one of their cars. they have a dart swinger that has been restored and i found out that the original 340 motor had been pulled to put in a new 380 hp 360 motor. so i wandered over there to ask if they would be willing to part with the old 340. the guy said no, he didn't want to seperate that old motor from the car since it's the numbers matching motor. but he would be willing to sell the the 360 crate motor he had put in the dart for about $3500.

 

the bad part about this is that, that is about the same price i can get a brand new one out of summit for. the good part is he will throw in under drive pulleys, full ignition system, fourcore rad with electric fan, a set of bob thorton(?) headers. i'm not sure of the last name but he said there supposed to be the best you can get, i know i won't be able to use them but i figure i can make some quick change off of ebay with them.

 

one of the definite things i like about the motor is that it has got an M-1 single plane intake (think victor jr.) and they have bosses already made into them so all you have to do is drill them out and weld in some bungs and you are good to go for a FI system. he also started it up to let me listen to it, I think i'm in LOVE i've started to learn about cam lobes and lift and duration and how they affect your car but that was the first time i've heard a good muscle car cam in person. that thing sounded MEAN! just to let you guys know it's runnin a hyd. roller 288/292 advertised dur. with .501/.513 lift. he says that with the stuff he got on it the motor is pushing up around 405 with the tuning he's done.

 

also i'm afraid i already know the answer but i wont be able to run a center sump oil pan in my zx will I?

[MYRON]

Seems kinda high to me, but I do not know much about mopar parts. I sold my used

355ci 450+HP sbc motor for 2200.00 with everthing but a carb. An MSD ignition is only around 160 bucks. and You can get some block hugger headers coated by Speedtech on this forum for a very good price. I have an LT1 complete for sale now for 1500 bucks and I know of a modified tranny for it for around 1100.00 you could figure around

3500-4000 for a good LT1 and auto 4l60E

tranny in and running...

 

Just my 2 cents!

 

Myron

[Guest Anonymous]

I'd get on some of the Mopar related websites (do a search on Mopar, or Dodge) and look in they're classifieds (alot of clubs have classified ads on their websites) that'll give you an idea how much people are having to pay for mopar engines these days. It sounds like a nice motor, but you don't want to get gigged if you don't have to.

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[Guest John Adkins]

That sounds like it might a good deal if the motor is in nearly new condition (low miles), since you would be getting a lot of parts that aren't included when you buy a new crate motor.

underdrive pulleys (billet?)=~$200

aluminum radiator= ~$200

intake= $200

ignition system= ~$150

headers (Doug Thorley?)=~$400

Maybe you could make a deal with him to knock off some $$ because you cant use the headers.

 

Mopar parts are usually 20% more than Chevy.

 

If a center sump pan wont fit in the ZX

get a 360 truck/van oil pan and pickup . Most '70s trucks and vans had a rear sump pan.....

 

[ June 29, 2001: Message edited by: John Adkins ]

[BLKMGK]

Will that radiator fit the Z? Make sure that what he's offering you can actually be used otherwise it's no deal at all. Nuthin wrong with a Mopar motor but please document the heck out of the swap if you do it

 

Also, Myron's LT1 is a SCREAMING DEAL for those that haven't noticed! I'm pretty surprised that no one has jumped on that one. I saw LT1 with computer and harness etc. etc. at the GM Carlisle today for a bit over $3K each. Myron's motor is a STEAL at half that price! Heloooo folks?!

[Kevin Shasteen]

Z8Freak,

 

I couldnt remember who it was in here that was doing the Mopar swap-I'm glad you posted again.

 

I dont know about the engine you're looking at-but if he's done any porting, balancing/blueprinting at all-that price add's up quickly to the $3500 price.

 

Also, I dont know how well read you are in the SBM's but the W2 cylinder heads are made for performance. They out flow any factory cylinder head ever made for mass produced vehicles....w/one exception-that being the Boss 302 cylinder head.

 

For some great info & edumacating-you can go to your nearest Barnes & Nobles & look for/purchase or order from them these books:

 

1) The Best of HotRod/Vol12, "High Performance Chrysler Engines" Published by Cartech...has about 25pages of hard hitting SBM info.

 

2) "How to Build Dodge/Plymouth Performance" Published by SA Design. This is an all inclusive book for small blocks & big blocks-has a good history on both the small blocks & big blocks & has some good info on the history of the W2 Cyl.Heads for the SBM.

 

3) "How to Hot Rod Small Block Mopars Engines" & published by HPBooks. This was my favorite for the SBM. I was surprised when reading about the SBM's; their Quench (volume of air between piston deck & comb.chambers in cyl.heads at TDC on the Combustion Stroke) is massive on a stock low performance engine-this means if one were so inclined, could utilize pop-up pistons w/out milling the deck or worring too much about hitting the valves!

 

The third book was the best book IMO as it gives "Recipes" on how to build your SBM from a phase 1 all the way up to a phase 5 performance engine! All three books had good info, but the 3rd book is one you definately want...or should have if you're going to build the SBM.

 

Hope this helped/good luck on your swap!

 

Kevin,

(Yea,Still an Inliner)

 

[ July 01, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

[Guest Anonymous]

I used to have a '68 Charger, and am pretty good with the Mopar stuff.

 

That is a ho hum deal. Mopar makes a 380hp 360cid crate motor. Brand new, electronic ignition included. Roller cam, 2.02 heads, etc. I believe the retail of that engine is approx $3700.

 

Just to feed some fantasies, the Copperhead engine is available as a crate motor through Mopar performance (All aluminum, 485bhp Viper V10, complete with fuel injection system). Retail is high, $10,990, but less than their 528 Hemi stroker crate motor. Go figure.

[Guest Anonymous]

hey guys, judging from your responses you guys got the same impression as me, kinda iffy. ive been thinkin about it and while all the other stuff he was going to throw in with it would be nice to have about the only thing i would be abe to use is the pulleys. and then i would still have to find a rear sump oil pan for it (which isn't to hard but still a hassle).

 

i've got to thinkin and went up to the local dodge dealer and did some pricing. a BRAND NEW 360 short block with 10.5:1 compression pistons for 1200 and then a set of aluminum w2 heads run about 1000 bare, and an m-1 intake is a little over over 200. plus i would have to figure in all the litte things for it that it needs to run.

 

if i end up building it up from a short block (i'm kinda leaning that way since it will be easier to tailor it to the performnce level i want)i want to put in a crank trigger igniton system, hook up a SDS system for FI, forged bottom end for possible NOS use ,custom grind cam and few other go fast goodies. i think i will probably end up spending $4-5K on the motor if i do it that way. but like i said than it will be tailored to the way I'M going to drive it.

 

oh yeah, kevin thats funny you mentioned the third book in your list 'cause i've already ordered it through my local book store and it should be here in a week or too.