Ok doing a 72 cuda for dad. He's totally up in the air in what to do. It's a 340 auto car. We have a NOM 340 but needs rebuild/machine work. Figure 4-5k to do that he says. Looked into doing a 5.7. He can buy a new replacement through his dealership for like 3600 but then add in the extras for wiring & related parts thinking be in that 5k range too. He has been looking at various adds in Mopar muscle but worried on who's good,bad and ugly to stay away from. The car is all painted original B5 with the V21 hood. It will have black vinyl top and black stripes. Not overly worried about it being 100% correct he just wants a fun cruiser nothing racey just nice sound and fun. Last car he restored was his 69 satellite convertible in 1985. Always said he cant afford to. Now he can. He's 74 this year still works at the dealership he's been at since 1965 full time. Totally bugs him to spend money so it's been hard getting him to except any way it's expensive. He's been a mechanic all his life but said if he rebuilds the 340 he will just have machine shop build it. He has looked into putting a pair of edelbrock alum heads on it just for flowing better and cost of what he would have in the heads on the motor just to get them to flow good and being able to run pump gas.
So what's your views on advertised crate engines? Who is a good oneto deal with? Like I said not looking for horsepower to spin the earth but a nice respectable number. Or would he be happier with a 5.7 if we can get that all figured out(I have posted on that and gotten good feedback back that I'm not as scared as I was before with wiring it all up). Or take the 340 put a set of heads,carb & intake and build it?
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 06:09 AM
I would buy a 340 4 inch stroker kit for it and have the machine shop do the work to the block, maybe he will want to assemble the motor himself
I would buy the Eddy heads also
Who makes the stroker for the 340? Should also ask if you know of a supplier for any thing let me know
Thanks
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 06:18 AM
I haven't bought a kit in a lot of years, I usually buy the parts and make my own kit
Try Manicini Racing, Hughes and others that advertise on here and in the Mopar books
Sorry for not being able to provide more help
Thanks guys I value the views keep them coming.
Posted By: Dodgem
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 05:58 PM
Posted By: dogdays
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 07:02 PM
$5000 to get either a brand-new Hemi or a stroker LA motor?
It's a no-brainer. Seriously. The Hemi makes more power, gets better mileage, is brand new, and weighs a hundred pounds less than an LA motor.
I'd say even if the Hemi costs $2000 more than the other engine, no matter what other engine, it's a deal.
Also, the Hemi will add value to the car over everything other than a numbers-matching 340. I know this isn't part of the calculation, but it's so, anyways.
This website should have theme music. I suggest Jethro Tull's "Living in the Past" would be appropriate for 90% of the active posters.
R.
Posted By: mkdart
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 08:34 PM
Cory, Get in touch with Rod Bloomer at BPE. He puts together
custom smallblock kits for about the same price as a shelf
kit.He can give you 4.0,4.125 or 4.250 stroke,good guy to
deal with too. Mike
Posted By: can.al
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 08:44 PM
at 74 i doubt he wants a 550 hp motor that will cost a bunch and get
terrible mileage.
Probably be very happy with a 325 hp 340 or 360 that will run on 87 octane,get good mileage and be fast enough to be fun to drive.
Yeah he's not looking for a race engine just a nice cruiser. Probably never drive it more than from Sioux Falls to twin cities but mostly just around town. He ran a hemi duster in D/A in the 70's so he's been there done that. I'll show him the links and anymore that come through.
Posted By: Silver70
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 09:29 PM
A 5.7 hemi for 3600 then complete swap for 5k? Someone is dreaming
You'll have the 1400 in ecu and wiring alone. Then there's fuel pump, radiator, engine mounts, headers/manifolds that fit and so on. 5k would realistic with a used junkyard engine.
Posted By: 2boltmain
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/28/14 09:33 PM
How about this place? I know they are recommended for buying the Engine Quest Iron Ram heads for the Magnum 318 360.
http://www.cmengines.com/Engines/PerformanceStreetEngines/tabid/63/Default.aspx
Posted By: Brian_wo
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/29/14 04:32 AM
$950 for wiring and $50 for a used 2005 ECU,at 74 I am betting he wants a car that starts every time and runs great,that screams 5.7.
I hope to have my 5.7 swap done in my 67 this year so that we can take some long trouble free trips that dont break the bank.
Quote:
A 5.7 hemi for 3600 then complete swap for 5k? Someone is dreaming You'll have the 1400 in ecu and wiring alone. Then there's fuel pump, radiator, engine mounts, headers/manifolds that fit and so on. 5k would realistic with a used junkyard engine.
Posted By: PossessedDuster
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/29/14 07:13 AM
Wow no one has said 5.9 magnum swap yet?
Aside from the recent Mopar Action articles there are lots of stock short block magnum builds out there. Cheap, plentiful, newer gasket technology and way cheaper swap then a new Hemi
Good web site for some info
http://www.magnumswap.com/
Posted By: 2boltmain
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/29/14 04:38 PM
"Chrysler 360cu 350hp Lopey idle 9.5 compr $3996 $3396 $1896"
No comments on the above link? OP asked about crate engines and this place has a 350hp 360LA LONGBLOCK for $3396 and no comments?????
Have you used them before? Interesting prices.
Posted By: gch
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/30/14 12:22 AM
You have lots of options.What is more appealing to him?And which one will take the least amount of time to sort out??
A 5.9 magnum swap is a cool idea and a matching OD tranny isn't a bad idea.
With modern aluminum heads and a stroker kit or 360 shortblock will make plenty for what he wants just don't over cam it.You can still swap n an OD tranny and mileage will greatly improve.
Old school may be old but it still gets the job done with some modern additions.
I think he'd love to do the 5.7 but I agree there is a lot of unknowns since we have never done one before. As farcas the late model 360's I'm not sure if he'd want to go that route. Mainly I think if he stayed with the small block I think he'd want to keep it looking close to a 340. If that makes sense.
Posted By: PossessedDuster
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/30/14 04:30 AM
Go to the link I posted. You can dress a 5.9 magnum with LA front sheet metal so looks wise it will appear like any other LA.
The bonous is you can find a good short block to build from in a wrecker and save machine shop costs by keeping a stock bottom end and going from there.
Probably the cheapest option to get to the 400hp mark.
Posted By: ERAT340
Re: Crate motors good bad n ugly views? - 01/30/14 05:15 AM
Hes old. He can or he cant now afford it your opinion or his ? DO your research, stay away from overpriced CHINESE crap. Keep it simple. Doesnt have to scream, doesnt have to last 40 yrs. Think more what makes HIM happy.
He can afford it. He just has a hard time spending the money. I've told him I'd rather see him enjoy his fruits of all these hard years of work and saving than see him worry about spending any $ and not enjoying it. I personally would like to see him build the 340 than order up a crate motor but he I think wants to know his options. He learned well from my grandpa that no matter the amount of $ you spend you best have a good reason and info on what you are spending it on. Grandpa was a wise old man who believed you best fix it yourself before paying someone else to fix it for you. Dad is pretty much the same way. Which I was surprised when he said if he goes with the 340 he will take it apart but just have machine shop build it. Not that he's never built a motor before. 48+ years wrenching I'd hate to guess the number of engines and trannys he's built.
