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Just A Question

metaldad

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to the collector type guys.
i have a 68 coronet 500. has a very nice non original 440 in her.
when i bought her, included in the deal, was the original 318/trans, + old radiator.
i need room. this old iron is taking up precious space.
is there any advantage, to keeping the original drive train with the car?
for 'numbers matching' hype?
to my knowledge, it was operable. how well? idk.
i dont think anyone will yank the 440, (unless it goes kabluey),
and re install the 318, if i sell her. i wouldn't
unless gas goes further thru the roof.
thanks, bob
 
I would keep the original drive train if you plan on selling one day. So whoever buys it could restore it back to original if they wanted to.
 
older pic of engine bay, and car
20170723_103226.jpg
c18.jpg
 
Be honest with your self. are YOU ever going to put the 318 back in?. The car is worth more with the 440. sell the 318 and trans.
 
Beautiful car - and statistically, it will always be worth more the more original it is.
Any desirable, lower production number car always is - that 318 is worth more staying with
the car it came in originally than it'll ever be as a stand-alone sale.
 
to the collector type guys.
i have a 68 coronet 500. has a very nice non original 440 in her.
when i bought her, included in the deal, was the original 318/trans, + old radiator.
i need room. this old iron is taking up precious space.
is there any advantage, to keeping the original drive train with the car?
for 'numbers matching' hype?
to my knowledge, it was operable. how well? idk.
i dont think anyone will yank the 440, (unless it goes kabluey),
and re install the 318, if i sell her. i wouldn't
unless gas goes further thru the roof.
thanks, bob
68 Coronet 500 with a 318 automatic. There were 15,369 if those built. (hardtops and convertibles) Not all that rare with a Teen but very desirable with a 440. That would help me decide. I would sell the original engine/transmission if you don't have room.
 
Be honest with your self. are YOU ever going to put the 318 back in?. The car is worth more with the 440. sell the 318 and trans.
Honestly this is how I see it but there are those that would want the wezzer 318. Being that storage is an issue, I get the dilemma. The 318 & trans is close to worth $200 on a good day. I know people that can’t give away a 318. So yea, that makes the trans worth $200.
‘68 is a good year for power no matter the engine. I’ll call that a plus for the 318.
 
Build a work bench (or glass topped coffee table) over it.
 
68 Coronet 500 with a 318 automatic. There were 15,369 if those built. (hardtops and convertibles) Not all that rare with a Teen but very desirable with a 440. That would help me decide. I would sell the original engine/transmission if you don't have room.
1968 Coronet 500 Convertible - convertible being the key word here.
Only 1,557 built - and this one is pretty darn nice, so yeah - we're talking fairly rare here.
As such, it's worth more the closer to original it is, according to the market - keeping the numbers
matching drivetrain with it makes it more so.
 
Your car , but I would keep the matching drive train.
Myself, I have never understood why folks look down on the 318.
One of the best engines ever built.
Jmho
 
If you'll never sell the car then why keep the 318. The next owner can deal with finding another 318.
 
If you'll never sell the car then why keep the 318. The next owner can deal with finding another 318.

The numbers matching 318?
 
I added power brakes and steering to my 70 Road Runner. I kept all those parts for a few years but finally gave up and got rid of them. I do believe the car is worth more as it sits than with the manual brakes and steering.

Having said that, I have a stroker 500 cubic inch engine and a A-855 5 speed overdrive. I do have the original stamped 383 and A-833 4 speed with my VIN derivative that came out of the car. I will keep those since it is impossible to find them again if they are separated from the car.

If I remember correctly, your 68 318 would NOT have a VIN derivative stamped on the engine. If this is the case, I would dump the engine as any date coded 318 will work if you want to bring it back to "factory". On the other hand, if it DOES have the VIN derivative, I would keep it. You simply can't find that engine again.
 
Around here it's getting hard to find any decent engine of the 60s/70s no matter what size it is. If I had that teen and trans, I'd do a top end job and at least check bearings and stick it in my Belvedere until I was able to get the stuff I really want for it. Have a mostly complete 440 now but that skinny block would push my lightweight car around pretty easily and would probably be good on gas for sure.

Your car , but I would keep the matching drive train.
Myself, I have never understood why folks look down on the 318.
One of the best engines ever built.
Jmho
IMO, there wasn't any bad engines. The only one I'm not a fan of though is the 6....4 main bearings, skinny arse rods, tiny valves and the cam barely had lobes on it. To top that off, no cross flow head but don't think anyone in the U.S. had that....and oh yeah....not much power either.
 
^^^ I agree with the last 2 post & above statement ^^^
if storage room/space is a premium, sell it (the 318/trans)
or give it away to someone in need

it's your car, do as you need
I won't hold anything against you

Nothing wrong with a lowly 318, great lil' engines
I've had many, they perform relatively well for what they are...
(I currently have a 318cid/5.2ltr Magnum in my Dakota 4x4, it's just fine too,
I wish it had more torque, I may do a 390 stroker someday, but it's only 60k miles
)
but;
the RB/440 is so much better, in a 1968 Coronet
IMO it brings the value of the car up
(not that it needs it, very nicely done car)
not everyone is into 100% OE, #'s matching etc., especially today
more are going towards the resto-mod & customs
many selling for as much if not more, especially in the baseline cars
with the added mods, if done right, with quality parts/labor...

(Now if it was a 'rare combo', I'd sing a different tune, but it's not)

I'd assume the car is worth more with the BB too, the way it sits...

if you have the room just put the engine & trans away/out of the way

If it were me;
I'd get rid of it
 
Tough call I guess. You do have it and once it's offed the deed would be done.
I know my 340 Challenger went to Austria. I had swapped in a 472 Hemi but I kept everything to put it back to 340 status. The buyers didn't want the matching #'s 340, I eventually talked them into taking the block anyway because I just wanted to keep it together, they didn't really care. I cared more than they did.
 
Tough call I guess. You do have it and once it's offed the deed would be done.
I know my 340 Challenger went to Austria. I had swapped in a 472 Hemi but I kept everything to put it back to 340 status. The buyers didn't want the matching #'s 340, I eventually talked them into taking the block anyway because I just wanted to keep it together, they didn't really care. I cared more than they did.
Sold a numbers matching 70 383 Challenger because it was mostly numbers matching and didn't want to do what I wanted to do with it. The only thing that wasn't matching was the distributor, coil, valve covers and wheels. The original paint was still excellent too and the buyer started talking painting a different color, going with a 440 and lots of other mods. Should have just kept it and did that myself!
 
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