Post deleted by Floridamtbiker99

Do a Magnum V8 with a carb (you can make 300 horse cheap)

With your Dakota you would be best off going with a small block. You will save money on suspension and other changes that you would have to make going to a big block. A 360 with the right cam, pistons and carb will make a great daily driver with plenty of go fast for the strip. Plus you can use an OD trans for mileage.

I am new to mopar, I was chevy guy. I like Mopar stuff better.

Always loved the Roadrunners, and CUDA, Challengers.

What is my transmission. It has overdrive.

What year of a 360 to get? LA or Mag engine type? Will it bolt up.

I rather have a carb, easier to do.

Motor mounts? are they different than the 3.9 v6 (based of a 318 LA engine).

thank you.

360 Magnum engine swap would likely be the least expensive route?

Mopar Action currently has an article in it about rebuilding a 360 Magnum on a budget. Also they did a Dakota v6 to v8 a couple of years ago, it might be worth the effort to check their website for the older articles

Your trans should be an a500. Keep it, but rebuild it to take the HP. Find a magnum 360 if you can, magnum 318 if you can't. That's a 92+ for the 318 and I think the mag 360 came a year later? Or was it a year earlier?

Mopar used to sell a crate engine they called the 360ci/380hp. It was basically a truck 360 with a lumpy cam, 4bbl intake. I remember one of the mopar mags did a dyno test on one and squeezed out just shy of 400 hp. That engine came with too much cam to get 22mpg on the highway though. Hell, even a stock cam mag 360 would hard pressed to get 22mpg in a 2wd dakota.

Try to find a 2000-2004 5.9, they have the best cam and make about 340Hp with a 750 vac. sec. carb and a good distributer curve.

Another vote for the 5.9L Magnum swap. I did one years ago on a 87 Ram D150. With headers and a carb it was a solid 14 sec truck.

It may take a slight bit more work but you should seriously consider a late model 5.7L Hemi swap. With a 4 barrel carb intake and a aftermarket fuel injection. You will have a lighter 400hp engine that will get better mileage than any Magnum or old LA small block build.

The gen3 Hemi makes a good swap, but I think it would be more expensive?

Used Hemi s in Florida are going for $4000 to $5000 way out of my budget.

I would to have carb or aftermarket EFI system so I do not have to buy a Computer for it.

Thank you so far.

I got a 6.1L Hemi with the 5-speed Auto off E-Bay for $4,000. I want to use the EFI and such, so the computer needs reprogrammed, and I'm not sure about the electronics for the transmission?

The stock 5.2 magnum will run 14.0's in the 90's w/ nothing more than a computer change. AMHIK. For what you guys want I'd go w/ a cam upgrade, MP computer, headers (cheap and easy) and a nice free-flowing exhaust. That should get you well into the 13's if you want faster then bump up to a 5.9.

You need to get the 22mpg thing out of your head , the only truck capable of something like that has a 5.9 CUMMINS in it.

Is you V6 getting 22mpg ?

No my truck now gets 14 mpg. Why is so hard to get Horsepower and good mpg at the same time?

This forum Is great, However. since you are very new to mopars as your posts suggest, I would find a Mopar club and club members that are close to you so you avoid missteps and the confusion that comes with being a newbee

you kinda need a big (mopar) brother. go to this site http://www.flacarshows.com/ find the next show close to you and seek mopar owner guidance