71 roadrunner.. Old school or new school

[Blest4343]

I have a chance to get a srt8 6.1 for my 71 roadrunner ... But I like the old school 440 as well.. What would you go with and why?

 

[tallhair]

440 .. Bad *** looks and ease of maintenance and mods and of course torque which rules on the street. 440 still has the edge and you can use all the cool stuff like 6 BBL, A/G hood etc.

Of course the 6.1 has lots of HP and Torque too, but not as much Torque as a 440 w/ aluminum heads, performance intake, carb and mildly better than stock cam .. or even just stock early 440 HP .. almost 500 ft lbs of torque

 

[Photon440]

SRT8 6.1 Jeep? SRT8 6.1 Charger? Challenger? Chrysler 300?

Your '71 may or may not do a 5 second 0-60 time, or have the same ride or handling, or interior appointments. But the newer car will still be depreciating in value, and yours probably isn't.

Are you looking for something fun to drive that may be more practical for every day usage?

What do you think you'd rather have a couple of years from now? I know that if I traded, I'd always have second thoughts and regrets. But it would be easier to find another SRT8 down the road.

 

[Dennis H]

440. NOTHING beats the panache of a big block Mmopar. John Herlitz 71 Roadrunner design is stuff of legend.

 

[tallhair]

He means 440 or SRT8 6.1 to put in his 71 RR Photon

 

[flypaper]

i have thought of finding a wrecked charger,
tear away all the outer panels off it and then drop a gutted 71 body down to
the outer rockers and wheelhouses
right on top of the complete charger chassis and mate them together at the rockers
all the mehcanicals would be new charger down to the dash/seats/chassis/ ect
and the outer body all 71 rr.

i have seen it done with a 70 rr.

 

[Photon440]

He means 440 or SRT8 6.1 to put in his 71 RR Photon

Well now I know that. I guess I misunderstood, thinking it was a vehicle trade.

With that in mind, I guess it still depends on what other mods are planned. Remember, those 375 horse 440s were a gross horsepower rating. MM tested a well tuned stock '71 model and pulled 225 hp. at the wheels. The new engines really are quite good. If you want to do a lot of mods to the 440, it will still beat a stock 6.1. On the other hand, if you want to help your car's handling, the 6.1 is modern, precision cast and even lighter than a small block chevy with more power than a stock 440 ever had.

I wouldn't be embarrassed to lift my hood and display an SRT8 engine in my old musclecar.

-=Photon440=-

 

[rrTor-Red]

I'd agree with the 440....0r a stroked 400

 

[Harper]

I would go 6.1
although it will be a huge undertaking, once done you can get parts just about anywhere locally and plus you could do a cool write up for the rest of us on here
pros
new model engine, and if you went with the engine trans, EFI deal, you would have the 6 speed overdrive (which would be awesome on the freeway/interstate) would make it driveable anywhere, better gas mileage etc..
cons
440 sounds nice when you say, "I have a 440 under the hood" however that does not mean its cool when stoping to fuel up IMHO

 

[Bruzilla]

When I went away from Mopars and started driving a Ford Gran Torino for a few years, the first thing I noticed when I got back into Mopars was "the rumble" that a 440 has. The older engines just give off a vibe that newer engines just don't offer. You can hear the newer engines, but you can't feel them.

There's a host of great reasons to put a modern engine in a classic car, but my view has always been if I want a modern engine, I'll drive a modern car. Old engines are just too much a part of what makes driving old cars fun, so I would never put a modern engine in one.

 

[kb73rr]

i have thought of finding a wrecked charger,
tear away all the outer panels off it and then drop a gutted 71 body down to
the outer rockers and wheelhouses
right on top of the complete charger chassis and mate them together at the rockers
all the mehcanicals would be new charger down to the dash/seats/chassis/ ect
and the outer body all 71 rr.

i have seen it done with a 70 rr.

Here it is done with a 68 charger.
http://www.mopar5150.com/myprojects.html

I saw an episode of West Coast Customs where they did something like that too. It didn't look like a project for the faint of heart.

 

[satman72]

When I went away from Mopars and started driving a Ford Gran Torino for a few years, the first thing I noticed when I got back into Mopars was "the rumble" that a 440 has. The older engines just give off a vibe that newer engines just don't offer. You can hear the newer engines, but you can't feel them.

There's a host of great reasons to put a modern engine in a classic car, but my view has always been if I want a modern engine, I'll drive a modern car. Old engines are just too much a part of what makes driving old cars fun, so I would never put a modern engine in one.

I agree with Bruzilla on this. There is something odd (to me at least) in seeing a new engine in an older car. IMO, if you're doing a Pro Mod type of car where you're changing suspension, interior, paint style, some body mods... Then for me it works. But trying to keep a car looking stock then popping the hood and seeing a new motor just seems wrong.

 

[747mopar]

I have nothing against putting a new 6.1 in an old car but I have to agree "there's something different about the sound of a BB Mopar". I've thought about the same thing but it's the simplicity and the looks of a good old fashion BB that made up my mind, besides someone has to show the younger generation that the old still rules.

 

[WileERobby]

If you want a new Hemi, then just buy one of the LX cars, as I did... I love driving my new Mopar for what it is, and my old Mopar for what it is...

 

[super-bee_ski]

I am "Old School"...
BUT: In this case I would go "New Hemi"
A Hemi is a Hemi....

 

[Hemi31]

6.1 stroked to 426. 550 hp and 550 tq all by 4k rpm and carrying all the way to 6800 rpm. Pulls 4400lb land yachts to mid 11's all day long, imagine what it'll do in a 3500lb Charger.

 

[Ron 73]

I guess most of guys with a Mopar will always love and covet the HEMI, In my old school thinking i, if i had a choice to make it would be the 440.. tuff decision when you have a chance to get one, always cool rumble of the 440 is my only reason...

 

[day1glo]

If you want a new Hemi, then just buy one of the LX cars, as I did... I love driving my new Mopar for what it is, and my old Mopar for what it is...

That's how i feel. If anything my Hemi Ram only wets my appetite for a true old school V8.

 

[2fuzy]

the modern stuff just doesn't have the feel and that is what puts the grin on my face when I drag one of my chargers out for the day