318 Chargers... Does anybody ever restore them to original condition ?

[paironines]

I did. My '68, kept it with the 318 for years. Wasn't restored stock, but the 318 stayed for a few decades until the 440 swap. 

I do remember reading a few years back about a 2nd Gen 318 Charger that was restored to OE specs, I think it was even ran thru the OE Cert. judging at the NATS, IIRC. I think the car was light green in color. 

Was the car a green 68 that had the entire drivers side inner/ outer rocker and part of the floor replaced from a parts car? If so I seen it up close and it was beautifully restored.

[Patronus]

No

[HANDM]

I've got a love/ hate thing going with the 318 in my Challenger.

I love the small block scream winding it out in second.

I hate how long it takes to warm up before driving it....

The Charger with a 383, fires right up and after a few good revs, is ready to drive.

What invariably happens is when I want to drive one, I choose the Charger based solely on the hop in and drive ability.

[A383Wing]

I've got a love/ hate thing going with the 318 in my Challenger.

I love the small block scream winding it out in second.

I hate how long it takes to warm up before driving it....

plugged intake exhaust crossover? Common issue with small blocks

[ACUDANUT]

Nope, it's a smallblock issue.

[Pat1973charger]

I recall a 318 charger restored to original in a mopar magazine featured back in I think June or July of 04. Was a green car i know for sure. I'll look for the magazine in a little.

[HANDM]

Nope, it's a smallblock issue.

Exactly that...... Nothing plugged, every LA that I've had has been the same way......

[ACUDANUT]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade in engine size.  Like it was said earlier, it costs the same to build a 440, as a 318.  Why bother with a LA (aka: Little Ass)
Who looks for a 318 original car...Not me 

[chargd72]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade in engine size.  Like it was said earlier, it costs the same to build a 440, as a 318.  Why bother with a LA (aka: Little Ass)
Who looks for a 318 original car...Not me 

I think it depends on what you want the car to do.  If you want it to go in a straight line fast then yes, by all means drop in the biggest motor you can and have fun.  But a lot of people today, like myself, are building there cars to be all around performers.  I chose to build a 360 "Little Ass" motor because with with today after market aluminum parts you can be close to 200 lbs lighter on the front end than a cast Iron big block.  This will make breaking and cornering a night and day difference.  Plus, with my 408 stroker kit and Paxton supercharger I will happily run any kind of race with someone who put the same amount of money into a big block.  You might be able to pull away from me SLIGHTLY on those long straight aways, but I promise I will run away from you on a road coarse by a larger margin.   

[HANDM]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade in engine size.  Like it was said earlier, it costs the same to build a 440, as a 318.  Why bother with a LA (aka: Little Ass)
Who looks for a 318 original car...Not me 

Dude, the lowly 318 has made the hobby possible for a great many of us. Would I have preferred an RB Charger or Challenger? Sure, could I afford them? Fuck no!

What I have is very dear to me even though they are a lowly LA Challenger and a B Charger........

[archie360]

Second that, owned a few nice 318 cars when I got into the hobby that were a lot cheaper than the big inch stuff.  No not the fastest, but still looked damn nice going down the road.  Had a rallye red 74 318 roadrunner with white strobe stripes.  One day I was parked in front of a store.  Came out and saw a 71 GTO w/455HO stickers parked next to it.  Hopped in my RR and left.  The Goat never knew it was just a little 318 under the hood  

[69bronzeT5]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade in engine size.  Like it was said earlier, it costs the same to build a 440, as a 318.  Why bother with a LA (aka: Little Ass)
Who looks for a 318 original car...Not me 

Dude, the lowly 318 has made the hobby possible for a great many of us. Would I have preferred an RB Charger or Challenger? Sure, could I afford them? Fuck no!

[ACUDANUT]

Handman


"Dude, the lowly 318 has made the hobby possible for a great many of us. Would I have preferred an RB Charger or Challenger? Sure, could I afford them? Fuck no!

What I have is very dear to me even though they are a lowly LA Challenger and a B Charger"


Hold on there dude. I totally agree.  I was talking about when it comes to rebuilding a 45 year engine.  Why not upgrade ?

[RallyeMike]

Not every car has to be a finicky screaming race car. Many people know and love the reliability, longevity, smooth power, and economy of a 318 car. A bigger engine is not necessarily "an upgrade" depending on what you are looking for. If someone already had something fast or a trailer queen, I can totally see restoring a nice driver 318 car for use on vacations and other road trips.

[Mikko]

My other 70 Charger in originally 318 car, still SB car and i like it that way. It was fast done restoration meant for use, get it done for last summer and it was used Basically summertime daily and could even let my friends to drive it to bar and cruisings and sit next to with beverages

"Not every car has to be finicky screaming race car", touche.

Sadly, but i´ve noticed. That more and more faster i build my cars, more unpractical those will be and less i drive them.

[Ghoste]

Which is exactly why I'd like to find a nice 318 one for a daily driver.  Someday.  By accident, not by searching for it.  And cheap.

[dyslexic teddybear]

318s have their place.

I had in the past, likely one of the more looked down on Mopars......78 Volare with RR stripes, 318 and OD 833.

One of the funner cars I've had. It did most everything well.....except getting 2 kids in and out of car seats. Decent power, handled and rode decent, GREAT mpgs.....would love to have another one.

I can appreciate a tire melting fire breather......and a 318 cruiser.

[GOTWING]

When I sold mine it had the 318 in it, when I bought it back 23 years later it had an early 340 in it, I have a 69 TNT 440 for mine to freshen up for it.

[elanmars]

318 chargers are all the RAGE now in Europe...
Go twice as far on a gallon of GAS @$7.50 (£5).

My Moparmate has a 67 Charger with a 318 fully restored and got top-5 in the Euro-Nats...
He can drive it every day, where as I don't drive my 440 cars at all!!!

318's don't get much better fuel mileage than 440's.  Maybe, what 2-3 more per gallon?

A little bit more than 2-3 for sure. I'm cool with my two 318 cruisers currently (1969, 1973), my only issue is that the '69 is down with body work things, and the '73 needs the front end to be rebuilt, and the torque converter fixed, 'cause it's giving me crappy gas mileage (11-12mpg, what I would usually get in my 383 and 400 cars).

[garner7555]

Not mine.  It is a 318 car, had a 400 in it when I got it, but it got a 440 after I got it.    

[HOTROD]

IT really boggles the mind?  People bitch about this all the time it's not like you can go back in time and order what you want!
So we have to improvise you get what you can!
And then you make it your own! Factory only did so much and then they shipped it off And that's what we are doing putting our performance part's on , R/T , SRT, or whatever! !!

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I've rediscovered what a 383 is like & they run great and still have decent performance.

[ACUDANUT]

383's scream and I love them.

[moparnation74]

I've rediscovered what a 383 is like & they run great and still have decent performance.

383's scream and I love them.

Completely

[HANDM]

X3,  love the 383 in the Charger