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Racing a 5.9 magnum

Posted By: Crabra

Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 05:20 AM

Is anybody racing a 5.9 magnum engine.I have spent some time on magnumswap.com.I think it's in my future.Any thoughts?My car is a 72 duster with a 318.Best time last year 15.72.Won once runner up once.Having more fun than I should be allowed.
Posted By: n20mstr

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 05:36 AM

Great engine even in stock form. My son has one in a duster from a junkyard runs low 12 on motor and has been 10.99 with a plate . Stock motor except for cam intake and headers.
Posted By: Crabra

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 05:43 AM

Magnumswap.com says the same thing.I have a chance to buy a 80k motor for 725.00 what do you think?
Posted By: n20mstr

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 06:17 AM

Originally Posted By Cramar
Magnumswap.com says the same thing.I have a chance to buy a 80k motor for 725.00 what do you think?


My son paid 300.00 and sold the whole intake/wire harness for 100.00 , don't know how many miles on his motor but it does smoke sometimes. His came out of a 98 jeep ? You will at the minimum need an intake carb, oil pan and figure out the front cover. We took all his front cover etc off his 318 so you can do the same. Sounds like a good deal for you. Rebuild the motor and even all stock stuff you should have an 11 sec car pretty low budget
Posted By: Polarapete

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 07:25 AM

A local Mopar guy races a Duster in Super Stock with a 340 and a late full size Dodge truck with a 360 Magnum in Stock. The Duster runs in the 10s and the truck runs high 11s and that is with the stock though tuned FI system. His name is Kelly Thomas and he is a serious racer in NHRA Division 6.
Posted By: gdonovan

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/09/16 02:37 PM

Originally Posted By Cramar
Magnumswap.com says the same thing.I have a chance to buy a 80k motor for 725.00 what do you think?


Price is sightly steep but might be ok depending on your area.

I have a 5.9 in my '74 Duster, 13.0's with 3.55's out back and 3675 lbs with driver. With the 3.90's being installed later this winter it should be in the 12's all day long.

Very mild motor. Used roller cam from Dakota forum, dual plain intake, 750 AFB, 1 3/4 headers and 1.88 heads from Enginequest.
Posted By: Rob C

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/10/16 07:43 AM

FWIW, MP's create 360's are 5.9's. Stock long blocks with bolt on goodies and a cam. Underated in the HP ratings as to not get creamed for not having that advertised rating.
Normal 360/380 create engines dyno'd north of 400.

Copy it but with a better cam and enjoy the heck out of it.

Another FWIW, use ether Hooker Super Comp headers at 1-3/4 or TTI stepped.
Posted By: sgcuda

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/10/16 02:02 PM

There used to be some guys on here that made a jig to drill magnum heads with LA patterns, for better intake selection. They used to rent them out to other members on here, but don't remember who made them.
Posted By: 71yelladustr

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/10/16 05:09 PM

I have a junkyard 5.9 in my 3300lb Dakota that goes 11.70s with ease. It started out as a 160k motor so I took it apart to inspect it. Just needed rod bearings but the cylinders still looked great! So I dingleberry honed it and put in a set of std. KB107 pistons and a Hughes 234/238 hyd. roller cam. For heads, I used a pair of MP iron R/Ts w/ 2.02 in.valves that were lightly ported. Topped it off with an Indy single plane and an 850 carb. I'm happy with this engine so far and I believe it has quite abit more potential as it is. It would be hard to convince me to build an LA engine over a magnum in a less than 450hp application. The salvage yards are littered with these great little engines that make exceptional power for little money. Not to mention they are reliable as hell and dont leak oil.
Posted By: jeff1974

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/11/16 02:35 AM

That would be Hot Rod Dave. He made the jigs referred to, and I think he wanted $30 apiece for them back in the day. Hit him up if your interested
Posted By: 11secdart

Re: Racing a 5.9 magnum - 12/11/16 06:08 PM

The crate short blocks are great, I put my W2 heads on one with a 590 lift mechanical cam and went 10.70s with it in my Dart, after spinning a bearing we upgraded to a forged crank, Scat rods and JE pistons and I Went 10.40 a best , 549 hp and 450 tq on the dyno. I just took it out last year to put in my 408 and it still ran strong after over 1,000 runs. I wish M/P still offered them, I bought a used 5.9 Magnum short block on here a few years ago to do for my D150 some day.

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