How to make old Mopars better?

[451Mopar]

Depends on your starting point.
When I first got my '71 Charger it did not run, so getting the engine running was a big plus.
The suspension would bottom out going over dips, and lean real bad in corners to where the 14" tires would roll the sidewall,
so a Suspension rebuild, with stiffer Torsen bars and rear springs, and sway bars, and shocks, and 15"x7" rims with new tires were a big improvement.
My '67 Polara needed an alternator, and trans rebuild. The real high 2.7?:1 rear gears were nice for highway driving, but pretty slow from a stop.

For me most changes that make the car more drivable and reliable are better. Many Race / performance changes actually make the car less fun to drive, unless it is a competition only vehicle.
For my taste, overly loud exhaust systems get annoying if you are driving the car alot. Same with low (high numerically) rear gears when the engine is 4,000+ RPM at 65-70 mph. Stripped out cars with race seats are usually not comfortable, are loud, and can get hot inside. A nice interior, with insulation (Heat and sound) is nice to have, along with having functional door seals, and window felts so the glass seals and dosen't make noise.

Quality headers and gaskets that seal are good, but cheap bad fitting and leaking headers/exhaust will just be something to curse.

Just about any 50 year old car with an original fuel tank/lines should be replaced if it hasen't already.

Drum brakes in good condition are OK, Front disc brakes (if a good kit) are a bonus.

Overdrive transmission is a bonus.

Upgraded Alternator and wiring are a bonus if done correctly.

Most of the old cars could use a cup/can holder if you drink and drive.

Some places that can be an issue are engine cooling, fan belts flying off, A/C if original, U-Joints, and wheel/axle bearings.
If you get an old mopar with 8-3/4" or Dana 60 rear, make sure to check the axle bearings are in good condition, greased, and adjusted correctly.
Fail a bearing, and the entire axle shaft, brake drum, and wheel/tire can exit the vehicle. Been there and done that back when I was 16, and 100 miles from home.

Many cars will have the turn signal cancel cam broken. Just replacing the top part of the turn signal switch is not too hard and fairly inexpensive.

Stereo and speaker upgeades are nice if car still has original AM radio.

 

[440 Charger]

Youjust want to sell go away

 

[440 Charger]

Depends on your starting point.
When I first got my '71 Charger it did not run, so getting the engine running was a big plus.
The suspension would bottom out going over dips, and lean real bad in corners to where the 14" tires would roll the sidewall,
so a Suspension rebuild, with stiffer Torsen bars and rear springs, and sway bars, and shocks, and 15"x7" rims with new tires were a big improvement.
My '67 Polara needed an alternator, and trans rebuild. The real high 2.7?:1 rear gears were nice for highway driving, but pretty slow from a stop.

For me most changes that make the car more drivable and reliable are better. Many Race / performance changes actually make the car less fun to drive, unless it is a competition only vehicle.
For my taste, overly loud exhaust systems get annoying if you are driving the car alot. Same with low (high numerically) rear gears when the engine is 4,000+ RPM at 65-70 mph. Stripped out cars with race seats are usually not comfortable, are loud, and can get hot inside. A nice interior, with insulation (Heat and sound) is nice to have, along with having functional door seals, and window felts so the glass seals and dosen't make noise.

Quality headers and gaskets that seal are good, but cheap bad fitting and leaking headers/exhaust will just be something to curse.

Just about any 50 year old car with an original fuel tank/lines should be replaced if it hasen't already.

Drum brakes in good condition are OK, Front disc brakes (if a good kit) are a bonus.

Overdrive transmission is a bonus.

Upgraded Alternator and wiring are a bonus if done correctly.

Most of the old cars could use a cup/can holder if you drink and drive.

Some places that can be an issue are engine cooling, fan belts flying off, A/C if original, U-Joints, and wheel/axle bearings.
If you get an old mopar with 8-3/4" or Dana 60 rear, make sure to check the axle bearings are in good condition, greased, and adjusted correctly.
Fail a bearing, and the entire axle shaft, brake drum, and wheel/tire can exit the vehicle. Been there and done that back when I was 16, and 100 miles from home.

Many cars will have the turn signal cancel cam broken. Just replacing the top part of the turn signal switch is not too hard and fairly inexpensive.

Stereo and speaker upgeades are nice if car still has original AM radio.

This will be a tough one 518

 

[451Mopar]

First off dont say efi that is not the old way. Points and dual and more is better. Transmission wise an 833 or a a Tremic 5 or 6?

Not trying to sell anything, I have done, and re-done several modifications to my cars. Just trying so save you money by not making the same mistakes I did.

On the '69 Coronet, went from an 833 to the Legend Gear and Transmission, LGT-700 5-speed from Kessler. That is behind a 505" stroked 440.
With the 3.54:1 Dana 60, I like the gear ratios of the 5-speed. The original swap kit was not too good, it had the trans output lower than stock, tilting the engine back to where the headers were hitting the suspension. Had to cut out part of the T-Bar hump in the trans tunnel and modify the crossmember to put the trans output the same height as the 833 was. The speedometer output of the trans is a tight fit, it is working, but I should do a bit more clearing for the speedometer cable. The diaphragm clutch is nice. I'm still using the original mechanical linkage style clutch system, not the hydraulic throw-out bearing system.

The trans swap was expensive and not the best bang-for-the-buck modification. Because I had to modify the t-Bar cross member and trans tunnel anyway, I could have chosen a different transmission. This was advertised as an easy swap, which it was not.

If you have more specific areas to address on the car, let us know.

I can say a 3.5" dual exhaust with race bullet mufflers and dumps under the car sounds cool for about 10-minutes, then gets annoying when idling down the street setting off every car alarm.

 

[barbee6043]

^^Noise is relative to deafness and/or age!!!