71 RR Clone... and so it begins...

3rd Gen. all the way !!! Especially 71-72. Love that front end !

Oh, and Poly, forgot to answer your question from earlier. YES, i am for sure keeping the rear spoiler.

Which, that leads me to another question. When did the cars get the front spoilers ? Were they included as part of a package with the rear decklid spoiler ? Or was it just another check box on the order list ?

was either part of the package or could be ordered separately

You love teasing me with those perfect examples of a RR, don't you. LOL

just use it as inspiration any luck with the door ?

No. I fiddled with the lock rod for a few minutes, but it's a royal bitch to get to. I want to remove the drivers seat so i'll have more room. Trying to navigate the window and regulator, and thru very limited access is frustrating. Today was our big local car show, and i wanted to drive the car up to the event. Not to show it, but just include it in the mix with all the other cars coming and going. Anyway, i focused my time on making it run a little better. Found the electric choke was way out of adjustment, dealt with that and a few other little bits the previous owner mucked up.

Still running way too rich and i think the secondaries are stuck open. Need to research that a bit.

BTW, why does everyone run the AFB Carb ? I see that used on almost every Mopar, don't think i've seen a single Edelbrock even though it's the same carb. ???

Tori said:

I see your point, but "patina" does not have to mean not cared for. Dull, crappy paint has little effect on anything but appearance.

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Hate to disagree with you, but patina most definitely means poor maintenance just as "rat rod" means "I don't have the money for anything but a cheap flat black paint job".

We've all seen old cars with original paint that are in pristine condition because the owners have kept them washed, polished, waxed, and out of the elements. They were well cared for and it always shows. Stone chips, chips along door edges, etc., are inevitable, but crap like faded, peeling paint, and rust are always because someone didn't care for the car and, in my opinion, cars should never be left looking that way.

I'll change my mind the moment someone goes into a car dealership and says "Hi, I want to buy a brand new car, and could you fade and peel the paint, put some good dings in the panels, rust the crap out of about a third of the body, and, you know, make it look like it's been sitting in a field for 20 years because I'm really into the patina look.

As for 440s, an engine is an engine. Going from a SB to a BB usually costs less than rebuilding a small block. The best advice I can give is look around your area for an old neglected C body in your area that's got a good drivetrain. It'll have everything you need, except the motor mounts. Pull the parts you need and sell/scrap the rest. I bought a rusty 73 Town & Country for $800, got a great 440, trans, and 3.23 8.75 center out of it, parted out and scrapped what was left and made about $1,400 off the deal. It's like getting paid to put a better engine in your car.

Bruzilla said:

As for 440s, an engine is an engine. Going from a SB to a BB usually costs less than rebuilding a small block. The best advice I can give is look around your area for an old neglected C body in your area that's got a good drivetrain. It'll have everything you need, except the motor mounts. Pull the parts you need and sell/scrap the rest. I bought a rusty 73 Town & Country for $800, got a great 440, trans, and 3.23 8.75 center out of it, parted out and scrapped what was left and made about $1,400 off the deal. It's like getting paid to put a better engine in your car.

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How much HP from a neglected, full of patina, non-cared for, a late 73+ is a stock 440 vs. a '71 318 ? Didn't stock HP numbers drop after '71 ?

Tori said:

Question 2: The car has 14" wheels. I'm satisfied with the stance and look of the wheel package, that leaves me with jack squat for rear tire choices. 245-60-14 BFG is the only tire, and $150 each.

I would assume swapping to 15" would open up the options ?

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If you're going to do a swap, go with 15 inch wheels. 14" are too small

I have to agree with Bruzilla on his statement

Congrats on your choice of a classic. You have good taste. Put me down as one who likes the beater look. Its a very personal choice, but as long as there isnt any serious rust you should be able to enjoy driving it while you gradually make it yours. You almost certainly picked it up for a LOT less $$ than if it had a beautiful paint job.
And of youre planning on another motor, I agree a 440 is straight where you should go instead of putting a lot of money into anything else.

Thanks Tommy. What's your opinion on a mildly massaged 318 vs. a stock, donor car type 440 ? Is the weight advantage of a small block worth anything in this equation ? Is a 440 that much better than a small block car ?

I'm a GM guy, and if we were talking 350's and 454's i'd be on board, but i really don't know jack about Penta-Stars ;)

Tori said:

Thanks Tommy. What's your opinion on a mildly massaged 318 vs. a stock, donor car type 440 ? Is the weight advantage of a small block worth anything in this equation ? Is a 440 that much better than a small block car ?

I'm a GM guy, and if we were talking 350's and 454's i'd be on board, but i really don't know jack about Penta-Stars ;)

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Lol, no pentastars here.
Nothing at all wrong with the 318. Its just that I wouldnt put any money into one. A strong 340 would be a good motor too, but were not talking about one of them. If youre going to spend money under the hood, you will be wise to invest in a big block.
I owned a 71 cuda 440-6 clone. It was originally a 318 barracuda, but, and you can just trust me on this...that 440-6 was a LOT more satisfying, and in more ways than just one.
If you owned a pony car, Id say sure, build a strong small block if you want, but these are not pony cars. Never forget that these are classic MUSCLE CARS.
Go Big

I smell what you're cookin' I'd love to have a 340 in this, but they are beyond this cars budget. This motor has headers, intake, and 4bbl. Definitely sounds like it has a cam, but it's still running like garbage at the moment so the jury is still out on weather it will continue to grace these fenders or not.

I just met a guy with a 440 in his 69 Charger. Its a basic motor as wel, and i hope to get a ride in it in the future so i can feel what its like and have a better grasp of the two. Right now my mind has thoughts of: 440, 360 Magnum, or 5.7 Hemi swap. I'm not looking for 10sec. quarter mile times, just something i can easily light the tires with as needed. I hope to put an NV3500 behind whatever i install, and then can run some relatively low gears and still have OD to get me down the hwy respectably.

...... the tinkering continues.....

oh how i love these old projects..... i mean, this is the stuff we live for. The reason we take and old hunk, and desire to make it better.

Just look at this bit of "ingenuity"


And then there's this..... how am i the only one that noticed the kinked fuel supply line going to the fuel pump. LOL After it was removed, i cut it at the kink to see just how closed off it was.


Oh, and there's this....

Thanks for sharing the butchery.

Never ceases to amaze what will be found. Would swear the last owner of mine was on drugs..

so was the foil for reflection or earth

Reflection. I should have taken a picture of what i found underneath the foil. 3 new bulb sockets had been installed in the back of the reflector housing. The originals had too much corrosion and rust so they did a work around. It actually seems to be a fair enough repair, and they work. So after a quick shot of shiny siver engine paint, and fresh bulbs, that light is back in action. I'll keep an eye out for a new/ better used one. The other side was pretty much cherry.

Tori said:

How much HP from a neglected, full of patina, non-cared for, a late 73+ is a stock 440 vs. a '71 318 ? Didn't stock HP numbers drop after '71 ?

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Well, that's a tricky question to answer. First, the 71 horsepower ratings were Gross ratings, meaning the power produced by a bare engine (no accessories), running on a test stand, using headers, and with corrections made for atmospherics... which essentially means the power output under ideal conditions. Starting in 1972, automakers started using Net ratings, which means an engine running with all it's accessories and no corrections being made. So 1972+ ratings are much lower than 1971 and older ones. For example, a 1971 318 is rated at 230 HP, while a 1972 is rated at only 150. A "Net" 1973 440 is rated at 275 HP, but if it were "Gross" it would be around 335.

Another consideration is there aren't a lot of stock engines to be had anymore. Most engines have been rebuilt at least once and modified God knows how many times. I bought a doner car that was a rusted out... and I mean rusted OUT, 1973 Chrysler Town & Country wagon that had been sitting since the owner died about ten years ago. This thing had sat so long the water pump had corroded into a solid mass. But, the engine turned, which was what I needed. What was odd was his neighbor, who had inherited the car, told me the previous owner used to race this thing out at Jax Raceways, which I thought was BS until I saw the Stewart Warner gauges and B&M shifter inside the cabin. I put the drivetrain in the Roadrunner, took it out on the street in front of my house, floored it, and left about 40 feet of rubber there. I don't know what was done to the engine, but it's putting out a LOT more than it left the Chrysler factory with.

As for weight penalties, yes, a 440 is a lot heavier than a 318, but what will you be using the car for? If it's a sight & sound machine, i.e., a cruiser that looks good and smokes the tires, then who cares about another 200 pounds. If you're taking it out to drag strips for serious racing, then you aren't going to be racing it with a 318 anyway.

But... even a 1973-74 440 can be nicely bumped up by adding a set of headers, a good aluminum intake, and a decent carb. That'll get you close to the Net for a 440 HP for much less than what it would cost you to get a 318 up there.

Okay, that's the info i was looking for. I'd be plenty happy with 400hp. I'll keep the 440 option on the table. I'm not worried about the weight gains, Hell, i'm a little dude at 130# so, i've already gained some of that back just in comparison to most drivers. LOL

Hi guys,....... A buddy has this 340 air cleaner housing. Would this be the correct 340 housing for a '71 RR ?

The housing has two open inlets, no snorkel.