I picked up a '66 Coronet 500 in mid June, originally a 318 with air. It came with a 360, 440, and 2 727's. I sold off the 360, the small block 727 and just sold off the 440 this weekend. I've been getting the Super Bee more road worthy and have been driving it every chance I get. Plan 1 for the '66 was to throw the 440/727 with a borrowed 3.91 in it and do it on the cheap, just to get it on the road and enjoy it. Plan 2 was to move the 512 into it from the Bee and put together a 6-pack engine for the Bee, cruise it more. Now I have trouble with the idea of taking a running car apart again to make another one run. I have access to a dirt cheap motor home 440 that is complete, my 727 is just about finished, and I've been through the brakes and installed the 3.91 in it. New front wheel bearings, rebuilt calipers(one has a metric bleeder screw in it. ), new Dr. Diff hoses, all new brake lines, new master cylinder. I ordered new wheel bearings for the rear since it looks like the grease has been washed out of the current ones, and the axles are out anyway.
What have you all done with smogger engines? Change the cam and springs with a Hughes Whiplash kit, oil pan, pickup, mounts , intake and a coat of paint and run it? The thing that held me up from using the other 440 and the motor home engine is the cast crank. The convertor I'm going to pick up is an 11", so I would need a weighted flex plate.
Maybe I should find a 318 Poly, get the air working, and make a daily driver out of it...
I find very few can be effectively indecisive like me.

Can`t help with you with the deciding but my first car was a 66 Dodge Coronet 500 with a 361 BB 727 8 3/4. I will always have a special place in my heart for that car. I wish I had some pics.

My first muscle car was a '66 Satellite that was originally a 361 car. It has a 383 in it at the time. I grew up looking at a '66 Coronet 440 in the barn, so I have had a love for them as long as I can remember. I finally got one many, many years later.

It's better to start with what you want the car to do, in the case of non-OEM-restorations.
Kinda like "a tool for every job", decide on its job first, then build to that.
For example: one hot street car or racecar, one stock, a truck, a late model with AC & such for trips, that kind of thing.
Otherwise what happens is a confused build, or a car you don't use, and money spent you can't recover.

Plans? We don't need no stinkin' plans! Throw in whatever you have laying around and send it down the road!

What I read from that was "Who cares about b-bodies? Get the 340 Dart done". It was hidden between the lines.

Part of me agrees with Rhino. There have been times when I have gotten hung up in planning and nothing got done.

OP the problem is that you have too many available options and you are being paralyzed by the thought that perhaps if you make a choice it won't in future retrospect be the absolute best one.

I highly suggest dropping $15 on this book and reading it - big eye opener and will free you to make choices and enjoy them without second-guessing.

https://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-Why-More-Less/dp/0060005696

Make the 66 run on the cheap for now, and leave the other running car running.

Since you have the rv 440, I would do what you were going to do with the 318 poly. Throw it in and get the a/c working. Also throw in a 2.94 gear so it will cruise nice.

Cast cranks are a lot stronger than you think. I wouldn’t worry about it, unless you had a 4sp. or more than 600 hp.

My first 4 speed car was a 66 Coronet, it had a 383 4 bbl with a 3:32 sure grip. The car was a beat to death car I got as a trade of a beat to death 66 Dodge pickup. I carried forth the beat to death history for the year and a half I owned it. All I can saw was it was a lot of fun. .

Some guy showed up at my place one day and proved to me he wanted that Coronet was worse then I did, so I let it go.

My point is, sometimes, having a car you have little money in, that you can actually drive it in any way you want at any given time is worth its weight in gold! Unless you are in love with that 66 Coronet, put it together cheap, and enjoy the drive as often as you can. I'd probably ditch the 3:91 gears though, but that might be just me. The 3:91s would detract the highway driving experience too much, and would probably add to the broken parts list, and the local police donation society. Gene

I drove a 66 Coronet 440 with a 440 in it for two seasons while my Bee was tore apart for restoration. It was a CA car and pretty fun to do burnouts it. 3:91 gears.
440 powered the car quite well. Other than this I have no input.
KID

Well, that goes without saying as it is the most obvious choice...

I actually really like that body style and would probably decide to retire my 2000 Durango and put the 5.9 in that car...

It came with a 2.94 gear, the 3.91's are on loan. I was less worried about the strength of the cast crank than the anemic compression and the weighted flex plate.(I have a standard plate, just not a weighted one)

This is where the real confusion sets in for me. I really like the car, I've wanted one since I was old enough to know what a car is because of my dad's car. I don't mind throwing it together on the cheap and enjoying it. But it would likely be a go-for-ice-cream locally more than a highway cruiser. The 600 HP big block is in my Super Bee with 3.54 gears and a 30" tall tire. It is bearable on the freeway with the 4-speed.
My most common vision for the car is a cruiser. A decently powered injected big block with air and a 3.23-3.55-3.91 gear with a Gear Vendors or a 518. Maybe a single turbo. Something that handles well, looks true to the era, and will hold its own on the freeway or the occasional 1320 pass. I just don't think it is the right car for me to try my first Gen 3 swap in. It needs a fairly efficient big block in it. Maybe just driving it and enjoying it is the best route to go for now.

Another reason for its purchase. Giving the Bee some down time for some much needed metal work, interior work, engine touch ups(and possible upgrades). The thought was to put the 512 in the '66 and do some work to the Bee. But that may be a bad idea, as I don't think I have a rotisserie restoration in me, and I don't want it down for 10 years while I piece it back together. Plus taking a car apart I can hit the key and run down the road in seems like a bad idea to me.

I say get it driving and enjoy it. I love that Coronet body style very much by the way. Do you have kids? I ask because some of my kids favorite times they still remind me of is when they were strapped into the 5 point harness in my old Dart. Even in a car seat. The memories made are priceless. No kids that's fine as the memories made just driving the car will last forever. Stay simple on the build. Nothing better than nice cool weather. Put the windows down and enjoy the thrum from the motor. Don't need AC, fuel injection etc. Getting thumbs up everywhere you go is nice. Having teenagers come over when I filled up the tank with the trunk open just wondering what the hell? Then they wait around for me to fire it. Blows their mind.

P.s I ran 3:55 gears. Was awesome to pass another Dart on my way back home from Mopars in the Park on I-35. He was tached out at 60mph. That motor was buzzing!!
I was at 75mph. I believe 3200 rpm.

Sorry, I just had to.

Well played...

I never have a problem getting a plan. My problem is they rarely have substance.

As I remember, the wheel opening on a 66 Coronet does not allow much tire, unless the outer body and outer wheel housing are opened up, or the rear end is lifted pretty high. I believe the 70 series tires I ran on my Coronet rubbed on both the inside and the outside wheel tub. The 66 & 67 Coronet bodies were not very tire friendly. The 65's were better, and the 68s were much improved, but the 66 & 67 not so much. Might want yo look into that if your thinking a lot of power. Gene

Looking at vintage drag race photos of the old days guys with 66-67 b-body cars appeared to run really tall rear tires so they got a decent contact patch only in the other direction.

I do have kids, but they are grown. It seems these days it's hard to get everyone together to take them for a ride. I agree the experience is the memory in waiting, but I have a car I can hop in and roll the windows down and cruise in. I am thinking this one should be more of a long distance cruiser, eventually. Maybe even a daily driver. Although that presents another problem driving 104 miles a day round trip. I think I'm going to put it together and enjoy it like I did my Bee. However, I will try not to break as much stuff to prompt me to upgrade like I did in my Super Bee.

I don't see a lot of power in the near future. It has a 275/60 on it now, I'm just not real pleased with the 7" wheel that it's on. Pretty much the only option for a real contact patch is moving the springs in and mini tubbing it. Which isn't ruled out just yet. But motor home 440 and rebuilt 727 looks like the way to go right now.

Back on topic....
Yes. I do have trouble making a plan and often have trouble sticking to one IF I made one.
Most of the project cars I get are non running and need body and paint. If it is going to be painted the same color, I often get the car running so it can be moved around easily. A running car is great for backing out of the shop to clean it in between block sanding sessions, to blow the body filler dust out of the shop, etc.

I really should develop a specific regimen for building cars.
Something like....
* Body and paint.
* Building all SUB-systems such as engine-trans-drive shaft-axle., Suspension, brake and steering, interior and stereo, etc.
* Final assembly.

It would be easier if I had all the needed parts when the project begins but so often, I need to go to swap meets, talk to friends or look online until stuff becomes available. Instead of sitting around, sometimes you have to do things out of order just to keep the project moving along.

I've done a few major projects. I always set up a plan. Some things need to be done before you can do the next part. if you get them out of order, you end up dissembling something to do what should have been done before. After you have to redo stuff a few times, you learn to follow the plan.

1) Determine what kind of a vehicle you want to end up with. A fast race car, and a great driving car are different vehicles, mixing the two usually results in disappointments on both ends. Picking one direction or the other often provides a less strenuous budget. A build may be limited by a financial budget, and/or by a time budget. Its important to pick one style and stick with it until the end. Changing direction in mid stream is costly in both time and money. If you still up in the air, pick the direction that will provide the most useable pleasure for you and your family. You can build the next project in the other direction. I see guys with 3 or 4 cars, all about the same, that are still not happy. Thsat is usually because they tried to mix the uses of the vehicle. If that is you, build the next project with one simple goal, and go in that direction to the extreme.

2) Determine what needs to be done to reach the goal for #1. Example, I'm looking for a great driver. I have a 44,000 mile drive train in great shape in my current build, other then replacing gaskets and seals, and replacing wear parts (water pumps/fuel pumps), it doesn't make a lot of sense to rebuild that drivetrain unless I expect to put over 100,000 miles on the completed ride. With the more then a dozen rides I've built, only 3 ever exceeded more the 60,000 miles after they were roadworthy.

With a single direction, and a list of what needs to be done, you can create a plan that will reduce the back tracking, but that process is a learned process.

Process: Always secure the parts you are going to need for the next step in the process. If you encounter a rare part, or get an astounding deal on something you will later need, pick it up, but generally, getting more then 2 steps ahead of where you are in the build causes issues. You don't need new tires or wheels until its almost driving time, old wore out tires and wheels of the correct size work well for the building and moving around process..
1) Build the chassis.
A) Clean up and repair (or modify) the frame (or under carriage if unibody).
B) Rebuild, replace, or upgrade, the suspension (everything in the front and rear), the brakes (everything involved with the brakes, master cylinder, booster, brake pedal assemble {and clutch pedal assembly if applicable} hard and soft lines, wheel cylinders, calipers and E brake). Make sure the system remains sealed, but don't add brake fluid yet. Buy new lug nuts for the wheels you will be using.
C) Prepare the rear axle Gears, seals, gaskets, bolt it and the rear suspension onto the frame. Make sure it travels freely and smoothly through the suspension travel without binding. Check the suspension travel without the shocks attached. Get the new shocks (all 4 if you haven't already). Old tires the size you intend to use that hold air (for at least an hour) on wheels with the correct off set work good to make the frame a roller. You can check to be sure the tires clear everything on the full suspension travel (again without the shocks attached). You also notice no paint has been applied anywhere yet.

If what you are building is an original car with minor modifications, most the the next few paragraphs will not apply. this is for the more complete custom route.

With a rolling chassis, if a separate cab/body is involved, you need to position the body in the place it will reside on the frame. You need to locate the firewall where it needs to be, you need to determine the height of the body in relation to the frame, and you need to determine how the body mounts attach to the body and the frame.

Once the body location has been determined, and the firewall location is known, installing a mostly complete outer shell of the motor & trans are needed. By that I mean you need a block with heads, valve covers, a water pump housing and water pump (the pullies, fan, alternator & brackets, are also helpful) and the oil pan you want to run (oil filter and oil pump if external as well). All this needs to be bolted to the trans case (manual or auto) you are using. Hang the motor/trans in location to determine the motor mounts/trans mounts & trans crossmember locations. Adjust the motor location for exhaust (headers or manifolds, and pipes).

If your building an existing car or truck that used factory stuff those steps are pretty straight forward.

Once everything fits and clears, pull it apart and paint everything, including the under the hood panels. After the paint has cured, carefully assemble the chassis & bleed the brakes. Install all 4 shocks. Then you build the motor & trans, be sure its build for best use with the intended finished outcome determined in Step # 1 and Step #2. Unless the intended outcome was an all out race car, do NOT build the motor as such. Slightly over stock production power level works well for a driver, too many over build a motor and end up with something that is not fun to drive on the street. Race motors have poor daily driving manors nearly all of the time.

With the motor & trans in the car, its time for the new tires and wheels. Gene

All I can say is that I would have spent the money on the Bee and not get tangled up with another project. Carry on!

Some people can run multiple projects at the same time and keep things organized and moving forward. I only know I am not one of those people.

it's always multiple projects here............
get started on one, then something else breaks !
and i get easily sidetracked by my "buddies". i think they do that on purpose so i don't get anything done................

Poorboy I must say I absolutely appreciate your feedback! You are a magician

I doubt the magician part, its more I have a one track mind. I don't multi-task at all, I plug away one thing at a time, that includes project cars or trucks.

I work in a two car garage, but by the time you get the welder and other stuff in there, it turns into a one work bay garage. I need to start on something and keep at it until its done, or it gets pushed out the door and something else replaces it. I'd be lost trying to work on two projects at the same time, nothing would get done on either of them. I believe more people are like me then want to admit to it.

I tell people all the time: Remember the old TV shows where they showed the phone operator that had to unplug a line and plug it in somewhere else before anything could happen? That big switch board is my mind. I can do a lot of stuff, but only one thing at a time. When the subject gets changed, I have to unplug, and plug into the new subject. If the subject returns to the previous thing, I need to unplug from where it was, and move the plug back to the original subject. I can't do conversations with 3 or more people unless the subject remains the same among everyone. If two people are talking to me at the same time about different subjects, I unplug and watch their lips move.

Working on cars is the same process. I have a 90 Dakota chassis under my 48 Plymouth business coupe. That Dakota donated its chassis somewhere around 115,000 miles. The rear leaf springs, shackles, and bushings were good when the car was assembled. Now that chassis has 187,000 miles on it, and I'm getting a squeak from the rear suspension. At the last oil change (about 2 months ago), while on the hoist, I carefully inspected the rear of the leaf springs for worn parts, and saw the rubber in the shackles coming apart. Its time to address that squeak (read that as its really bugging me now), so new shackles have been ordered. This morning I climbed under the car to see what condition everything else was in. I've determined I should probably also change the rubber bushings in the leaf spring, and I also noticed the insulator pads between the ends of the leafs were also not in the correct place. A local place handles that kind of stuff, so I dropped by his place. He was busy, but told me he thought he had the stuff in stock and I could pick it up in the morning. I could probably buy it online cheaper, but I'd rather support local business. If he had to order it, I would have done that myself.
The next stop was my buddies place (with the hoist) to check his schedule to change my oil and replace the shackles, leaf spring bushings, and the insulator pads. The shackles come with new bolts, so the process will be to be sure the parts are correct, then cut the bolts and install the new stuff. As soon as my parts come in, we will lock in the time with the hoist.
There is that process. Identify what it needs. order the parts so they are on hand, and when the parts are in hand and known correct, start the project, and get it finished. Every step, every time. Gene

Small update. I replaced the wheel bearings and seals on the 8.75 and put it back on the ground over the last week. I'll finish the transmission tonight. I picked up a motor home 440 for cheap yesterday. The parts list is getting shorter, but now I have to figure out what to do to the 440 other than change the pan, mounts and intake and install it.