just getting a 1200$ or so replacement block.

My 74 RR coded for some cool stuff like buckets, console, sunroof, etc. but was a 318 car.

I had planned on a well built 350ish HP 360, or 400 HPish stroker 408.

My 13 year old daughter is interested in the car and thinks it is neat. While my wife would want to put each kid in a 4 door 4 cylinder Honda with 4 airbags, etc. the car does have the shoulder/lap belts, and disc brakes.

I started thinking, the original 318 is long gone, it has a beat old 78 or so truck 318 in there with like 2 pounds of oil pressure at idle, that is just to make it drive around able to work on, etc.

For well under the cost of a performance motor, 1500$ or less total, I can get a basic 318 long block. This would make the car a reliable runner, but be what, about a 225 or so crank HP engine, less under the pedal for her to get in trouble with than many new V6s.

I already have all the components on the current 318, no new flywheel or anything with the 904 bolting straight up, etc.

Has anyone gone this sort or route? Some of these come with years of warranty.

honestly at that point, I would look at the bone yards for a 5.9 or 5.2.
see what those are going for now.
360 la pan and one of those crosswind knock off intakes for 200 bucks and it is a bolt in.
well the 5.2 should be. 5.9 would need a balanced flex plate.
electric fuel pump.

I think you could be well under your 1200 bucks and have a good start for your stroker later.

bolt up the rest of your la front on it, or if you got it with all the accessories, run with that.

Im sure it would be just as good as stock, and theres some guys racing the reman 360s out there. If a 360 isn't much more I'd go that route.

he said...with less under the pedel for her to get into trouble with!


360 is more gas $ and more trouble for her to get into.

I have done more than a few good JY engine swaps with great results and longevity.

find a nice used roller cam 318 from a JY and add the bolt ons.

I just scored a 88 pre-mag tbi/roller cam 318 from a 5th ave with 65,000 miles on the clock for 300$/90 day warranty.

swaping in a whiplash roller cam/springs/full gasket set/paint for another 500$

800$ total.

cheaper/less down time/more bang for the buck

If they are going to do the stupid no matter what they drive it will happen. That said try a basic rebuild on the 318 stock everything except cam Comp 260 H cheap and reliable Headers and good exhaust Buy a Jeg set. Dual plane intake cheap and easy to find and a Holley 600 dbl pumper. Even with stock gears car will go upper 15s Set of 3.55s low 15s easy.Basic ring and bearing can be done for around $800 if you are willing to do the assembly

Give her a clapped-out K-car!
Every kid wrecks their first car.
Even a '74Runner is worth saving. Make it her SECOND car.

R.

Put a Slant in it. That will keep her out of trouble.

Well,
I did total my first car 1st Gen Monte Carlo with SBC 400 and quadrajet,

and killed the tranny and rear end in my second, a SBC 350 2-barrel 4 door 5th gen Impala,

but aren't girls supposed to not wreck their cars? (first teenage daughter)

Teen girls kill cars faster than teen boys,but they aren't doing 140mph when it turns bad. Give that girl a Yugo,cavalier or something that has airbags.

As much of a mopar guy as I am I'd have to agree on finding the girl something newer,safer, and could afford to put fuel in it without using her whole paycheck helping to pay for all that paper money the government just printed out the past few years ...
I've had more than a few of the isolated suspension mopars and when they're old the steering and suspension handling are downright scary...Something a young girl would know nothing about in that respect until it's too late...
Save the toys for you and save yourself from chasing the car around with a toolbox while she's learning how to navigate the roads...

I think everyone that has replied has avoided his question, should he go with one of the 12 hundred dollar reman short blocks?
I believe he was asking if they are any good...

While I would have loved for my kids to drive a classic Mopar, I agree with what most have said...there's a high probability of it getting wrecked. The theory I subscribed to for my kid's first cars was "heavy and slow with the least seats possible." A pick-up with a slant six (or tired 318) would be my first choice. Looking back I would add "horrible gas mileage" to the list as well. If they wreck it, they'll be better off in a heavy vehicle. Less seats = less distractions. Poor gas mileage means less time on the road. But to answer your question, you could go the route you suggested. After all, you know the maturity level of your daughter. We don't.

I'm goanna weigh in on this.
I had the same thought process on my lovely Wifes'73 Challenger.Asked some of the same questions here.Virtually "everyone" from the magazine guys to a lot of us, there is not a whole lot to be saved by re-doing a 318.The 360 (LA or Mag)gives you more room to grow.Hell, use the 318 2 bbl setup (if using the LA) or put a 4 to 2 adaptor for the crosswind knockoff mag intake to keep it from really putting out much more than "good" torque.Sure as shootin', you'll both be ready for an upgrade and you may end up doing a "good" motor and swapping for the SECOND time.Guess I'm getting old, but I just try my best to do it once, and have some provision for upgrades built in.Smartest thing I did in a long time was enlist an old time master mechanic and did the 360 shortblock in 2 days including a trip to town for cam bearing install. regards, Bear