73 Satellite wagon update.

[BattleWagon]

There doesn't seem to be a "drivers with mild upgrades" forum, soooo, I'll post here, among the threads filled with amazing rides. Ha ha! Anyways, I spotted this car at Pick-N-Pull some years ago. I instantly fell in love and was pretty sad I wound up there. Soooooo many darned good parts on it.

A couple years later I found one sitting behind a shed on my buddies farm, sunk in the mud. He kept it around as a parts car for his daughters 73 RR. Only wanted the engine, trans, and rear axle. After bugging him about the car for about a year he finally sold it to me for $400. I gave him back the 318 and 8.25 rear axle later on. Fuel pump, water pump, and the wheels with tires, cool and and gas, and I drove it home 50 miles with no problem.

Exterior wise I haven't really done anything, other than a bath and a set of wheels. Plan is daily driver, and pull a enclosed trailer with a couple dirt bikes with my daughter and I.

 

[Badvert65]

I would really like to get one of those. I want a big block wagon to tow my Belvedere drag car.

 

[BattleWagon]

First up was a much needed power upgrade. I picked up a low mileage 03 5.9. That morphed into a whole other build when I stumbled across a Craigslist ad reading "Plymouth 340 $700". Called the guy, no anwser. A few days later he calls me back, and still has motor. Said it was complete and he was told it ran. It was in a 70 Cuda he bought from the East coast on eBay to make a resto-mod, and was his first Mopar. I picked it up for $600.

A quick inspection showed a low mileage motor and a set of .030" overbore slugs. Its also a 72, but early production steel crank motor.

I kept getting a little over .500" lift at the valves so I was thinking its way overcammed for a small valve stocker. Popped the heads off and the gaskets were .05sumthin" compressed. Ugh!Bores looked good though.

I ordered a set of .030" compressed MLS Cometic headgaskets with .4.08" bores (or so I thought). Apparently I only had 1 made. So I got a set of Mr. G's at .027" to hold me over.

 

[BattleWagon]

Picked up some odds and ends

Got the 318 ready to yank out

 

[kiwigtx]

Looks like a great project.

 

[BattleWagon]

and in goes the 340.

3" Hooker Aerochambers

Nobody but nobody makes a exhaust for this car, so I modified a 3" kit from Summit for a 71-72 B body 2 door.

Tired, tired alternator, could not keep up with the Hella BiFocus Lows with 55w H1, and Cebie highs with 100w H1's.

$25 120A alternator from a newer caravan

Grabbed a mini starter from a 90's Dodge van too

About how she sits now. Still need a radiator, but I don't have any cooling issues yet.

 

[BattleWagon]

The 5.9 getting ready to get poked and stroked to 406cu sometime in the next 2 weeks, MP cast 4" stroke crank, Eagle I beam rods, and KB hyper pistons will fill the short block. Still deciding on heads. flipping a coin between Alu Edel or Iron Ram.

The original 904 actually has a factory high stall. Will be swapping to a OD A833 soon, and when Jamie catchs up, swap that for his A855

I put a 9.25 Imperial diff in. Didn't like it.

Swapped for a C-body 8 3/4, and ditched the iso mount stuff. Still deciding on rear leafs.

 

[BattleWagon]

Went through the front end, full rebuild

Subframe bushing too!

New adjusters to work with the Firm Feel 1.06 dia torsion bars

I broke one of the shackles. Tip, C body rear shackles work with these later wagons. got a pair of NOS on fleabay for $15ea

Front sway bar was dangling in the wind!

Put Bilsteins on all 4 corners. Worthy!

Another amazing upgrade, Firm Feel StageII chuck!

 

[BattleWagon]

This really helped with reducing sea-sickness going down the road, Firm Feel 7/8" rear sway bar.

 

[BattleWagon]

Interior was pretty gnarly

Being able to open the windows helped, but basically turned the inside into a dirt devil twister.

Bought 3 sets of gauges and 2 harnesses to make this:

Dahs mat made it a little less gross to look at

Ahhhhh, fresh carpet!

Found the cap thingy for the ignition light under the old rubber floor mat. Not sure how it got there.

Lame install, but the wideband has been hadny while tuning the 750cfm Street Demon I put on.

 

[BattleWagon]

So that is where I'm at. Left to do:

Manual trans conversion
Radiator
Rear leaf springs
Install class III receiver
Put 406 stroker in last

At least now its entertaining to drive!

 

[BattleWagon]

Oops, forgot to add, swapped the front brakes to 11.75"

 

[Riverdawg]

Wow, that's going to be a sweet sleeper wagon. Nice work.

 

[BattleWagon]

Wow, that's going to be a sweet sleeper wagon. Nice work.

Thanks! Its getting there. I actually wanted a set of cops wheels, already have some dog dishs.

 

[dieseldazzle]

Is this the one you bought from bill and has been off and on Craigslist?

If so glad you are keeping her.
I bought a few cars and parts off bill.

He once owned 17 winged cars

 

[furryfrog]

Neat car. I like it.

 

[GTXperience]

Great progress so far! Liked the "dirt devil twister" comment because I know exactly what you are talking about.

 

[ckessel]

Long roofs are slick. I would like to get one for the Mrs. to park next to my 65 Coronet.

 

[BattleWagon]

Is this the one you bought from bill and has been off and on Craigslist?

If so glad you are keeping her.
I bought a few cars and parts off bill.

He once owned 17 winged cars

Same one, same guy! Yeah, I had it up once with a few other cars. Fortunately I was able to off something else first.

 

[Budnicks]

Coming along nicely too,
looks like a great project...

I have a soft spot for ol' Family Trucksters/Wagons too
maybe one of my next builds, who knows,
if I run across something I gotta' have, you know how that goes