high horsepower 318

[mopar_head]

im new to the forum and i got a 318 '73 charger, i am also new at this, haha im only 16 but i wanted to know if u guys can give some pointers and/ or advise so i can get a high horsepowered small block so i can show up all those dam kids with there ricers ( calling my car a grandma car cuz its a 73) they'll never understand , anyways just want ed to know if u can help me out! thnx!!!

[71440charger]

if you want to keep your 318 then put 360 heads on it then you will get some power just my opinion at 16 all you need isa 318 with the 360 heads beacuse i know how i was when i was 16 and you are just going to burn that motor up anyway and i know this beacusei burned 3 motors up with my old dodge d-50 from 16-17yr old so go with the 360 heads on your 318.

[dodge freak]

16 oh my, look that car is heavy and that motor is small. You can get it to go fast but do you have $3000 or so to spend. You need a  4 bbl intake, headers carb. camshaft, a good spark box, I like msd and 3.91 gears in back. And has the engine been rebuilt, if not its 33 years old and is junk to try to hot rod. And your trans will most likely go out on you when you get the motor running good. Maybe I should have said $5000. This is why people just yank it and find a good 440 and trans to put in. If the engine has been rebuilt and still has a 2bbl get a 4bbl and a carb. Change the cam too while you are at it. The heads need new springs but I am not sure if you are ready for the 360 heads, but they are good to find and put on later. Then get at least 3.23 -3.55 gears for the rear end. That get you going but still won't take care of the $30,000 cars on the road.

[73-charger-383]

i've got a new cam i can give you.  it was in a 318 that i got with the car.  i don't know the specs on it, all the kid knew was it was "real big", but the guy who was helping him along knew what he was doing.  The cam was for a 318 with 360 heads with an aftermarket carb and intake, and a high stall converter.  I'm not going to use it on anything, so if you want to give it a try, just let me know.

[Beer]

im new to the forum and i got a 318 '73 charger, i am also new at this, haha im only 16 but i wanted to know if u guys can give some pointers and/ or advise so i can get a high horsepowered small block so i can show up all those dam kids with there ricers ( calling my car a grandma car cuz its a 73) they'll never understand , anyways just want ed to know if u can help me out! thnx!!!

Funny, my 73 was my wifes grandmothers car (origional owners)...
What you have is a classic. As the ricers deprieciate, your car if you bring it back to life, with appreciate in value...
While they are running around getting tickets acting a fool and causing accidents, you got that big ass back seat area (as well as front area if ya have a bench seat), to hang out with your girlfriend...

My wifes grandmothers car now has a small block all forged stroker 402, machined out of the origional 318.  Its 414 HP N/A, and may get a 150-200 shot of Nitrous next year. Not bad for a grandmothers car.





Beer

[dodge freak]

Thats just what every 16 year old needs, hey then the cops would never notice me.

[Bandit72]

one thing i have to say is keep "relatively" quiet exhaust on it...my first car would set off car alarms..(got in alot of trouble with that one) and my second car would rattle with windows in the local pharmacy when i drove by (got in even more trouble with that one) and all the trouble i got in wasn't because the cop saw me do anything wrong...it's because he was 5-6 blocks away and HEARD me do something wrong...or i would get called in for waking people up in the middle of the night...just a thought

later 

[71440charger]

one thing i have to say is keep "relatively" quiet exhaust on it...my first car would set off car alarms..(got in alot of trouble with that one) and my second car would rattle with windows in the local pharmacy when i drove by (got in even more trouble with that one) and all the trouble i got in wasn't because the cop saw me do anything wrong...it's because he was 5-6 blocks away and HEARD me do something wrong...or i would get called in for waking people up in the middle of the night...just a thought

later

ha ha that must have sucked yea right i bet the girls wanted to ride and the older guys will know what i am talking about (and my second car would rattle )

[dodge freak]

No he is right a quiet exhaust helps you get away with alot of stuff. At night time mostly but its always good not to be very loud. I have a deep tone exhaust thats loud but does not carry far. I would get it even more quiet but its good to have when you pass on the side, keeps others from moving in to your lane. I have found if people think they will get hurt they keep out of you way. A loud car seems like it can hurt you more than a quiet one, not sure why but it does. Those trees that make no noise are the killers by the road really.

[mopar_head]

if i do get a carb will i need a new intake manifold with egr or non egr? and do 73's come with egr? and wat cfm so u guys recomend for a carb? but thnx for the pointers so far!!!

[Silver R/T]

or put 440 in it

[vh charger]

Hey guys. im in australia and have a 72 vh charger with a 318.
750 dp edelbroke dual plane custom ground wild cam 3000 stally 904 stg 2 kit 3.5 lsd pace maker custom extractors and custom exhust (flanged bolted for drag strip)
and a few smaller other mods (brakes,wheels,seats ect....)
i think standard these wheigh 1400-1500kg but im not sure and my car is pretty damn quick for a small V8.

so before u even start do ur homework or u will waste soooo much money.

[1973dodgecharger]

Dude. i have the same problem as you, im 16 and have a '73 with a 318 and so far everone wants to race me with there ricers, it's starting to get annoying but wene i get my license here in two weeks i can see what my little 318 can do.

[71440charger]

Dude. i have the same problem as you, im 16 and have a '73 with a 318 and so far everone wants to race me with there ricers, it's starting to get annoying but wene i get my license here in two weeks i can see what my little 318 can do.

guys guys guys, please do not i mean do not got out and mess up your mopars they are something special race all you want but be careful please!!!

[Lightning]

and at least do it on a race track.

[HemiMk]

Guys im 17 and i know you would really like to race the ricers kids but definitelly not worth the possibility of wrecking your Charger...or killing yourself trying.....the point im trying to make is that others are jealous of you and your hot rod and that you should just make it fun to cruise in and try not to do so much crazy stuff and that you should know the ricers have way better suspension...sorry to down the Chargers but its true.....and manual or power disc isn't gonna help stopping you if while racing a truck pulls out in front of you and that ricer stops on a dime and you continue right on through the truck and still trying to stop.......sry for the downers weight til your older or take it to the tracks

HemiMk

[Todd Wilson]

if you want to keep your 318 then put 360 heads on it then you will get some power just my opinion at 16 all you need isa 318 with the 360 heads beacuse i know how i was when i was 16 and you are just going to burn that motor up anyway and i know this beacusei burned 3 motors up with my old dodge d-50 from 16-17yr old so go with the 360 heads on your 318.

Without milling 360 heads  it will lower the compression ratio on the 318 and lowering compression is a killer of power.


Todd

[mopar_head]

u guys never really answered my question

if i do get a carb will i need a new intake manifold with egr or non egr? and do 73's come with egr? and wat cfm so u guys recomend for a carb? but thnx for the pointers so far!!!

[dodge freak]

Yeah I think most cars had egr in 73-do you want it-- no unless you have to take it for a inspection to have it on the road. Different states have differnet laws. Here in Michigan NO cars or trucks are ever tested, so you can do want ever you like--just as long as you can drive pass the police like everybody else. You drive with open headers the cops will stop you, if you have headers and its not too loud nobody cares. You will have to check your motor laws where you live, but 33 years is old but in some places they go back to 1967 others it 20-25 years. Like I said if you don't need to pass any tests then get a non-egr manifold. the carb size?? well I got a 650 like everybody says to then I put headers , a bigger cam- don't forget the valve springs too, then I put 3.91 gears and a msd spark box and then I wish I had gotten a 750 cfm. I  have now a 750 hp holley double pumper and love it. So if you think you will be doing what I did get a 750cfm but get a vacuum secondary  carb. It is easier to live with if its too big, which it will be till you do everything I did. Everybody else might say 600-650 and they are right but  you have no room to grow with it if you keep adding more stuff like headers, cam , 3.91-4.10 gears etc. I hope this helps , you can also get a few books like hot rodding the small block mopar to help you.

[Lightning]

u guys never really answered my question

if i do get a carb will i need a new intake manifold with egr or non egr? and do 73's come with egr? and wat cfm so u guys recomend for a carb? but thnx for the pointers so far!!!

just check with your state's emissions laws.

[grouseman]

A couple of things.  Putting a 'big' cam and 360 heads onto a stock 318 and drivetrain, especially in a heavy Charger, will result in a total dog.  No, a pig.  I'm guessing you've got about a 2.76 rearend, correct?  Your present drivetrain is setup with a tight converter to take advantage of lots of low-speed torque.  Everything in your engine is designed around building torque under 3,000 rpm or so.  Add a big cam with more duration - kills compression.  Adding 360 heads - kills compression and flow velocity.  Adding a big single plane intake and/or carb will also kill throttle response. 

First of all, how much do you have/want to spend.  The easiest solution could be dropping in a used 360 or 383 package.  Or add dual exhaust and change the rear gears to something like a 3.55.  A TQ carb and factory intake is cheap and increases breathing. 

You've got to think of the whole package.  Cam, compression, heads, torque converter, etc. all have to be thought of as a matching package. 

What else can you tell us about what you're willing to change? 

[mopar_head]

i dotn got any money been looking for a job for like 2 3 months now but i am willing to make and chages to that car since its not going anywhere soon. but i am willing to do wat it takes to make that car go

[mopar_head]

oh yea...i have no i dea wat gears im running so i think that might be right i dunno..

[deputycrawford]

Mopar Head, start with a job, then go gears, then exhaust and headers. You must evacuate before you can refill. The gears will multiply the torque you have. The headers and exhaust will evacuate your cylinders more efficiently. Then pull more air with an intake and carb. Go no bigger than a 600 no matter what you do with that 318. Throttle response and midrange torque are hard to come by with a 318. Don't make things worse. The 5 horse you might pick up at 7000 rpms will never make up for the major torque loss at 3000 rpms. You would seriously do better to start with a 360 out of anything. They are cheap and plentiful. You will have more horse and torque before you even start to add on. I have seen running 360 engines for $500-$700. That won't even cover the exhaust for your car.

[grouseman]

deputycrawford's advice is bang on.  Do things in stages that won't kill performance.  Nor fuel economy, but you're going to lose mpg if you want hp (generally). 

The only thing I would reconsider is headers at this early stage.  They do help torque in mid-range, but they do lose it down low.  The dual exhaust is still a very good idea, with GOOD mufflers, not noisey boom cans.  Standard iron manifolds - even cheesy 318's - don't start to suffer until 2,500 - 3,000.  Headers are also somewhat pricey, hell to install, and may leak annoyingly.  You could bolt on some scrap 360 manifolds for a bit of a gain. 

A Thermoquad is the best of all worlds for a carb.  Pick up either a factory iron DP intake, or any other dual plane.  But the factory iron piece is excellent albeit heavy.  Dual snorkel air cleaner housing, of course. 

Some other things.  You will be well served with factory electronic ignition.  An easy, cheap junkyard swap if you don't have it already, but make sure it's working at 100%.  Ignition is extremely important and often overlooked.  Also dial in your initial, mechanical, and vacuum advance curves.  If you don't know what to do/I'm talking about - time to do some homework.  This is also a free source of hp gains.  You know the factory can is adjustable, right? 

A viscous or clutch rad. fan (junkyard) or electric fans to free up power.  Install a shift improver kit and make sure the trans is able to shift at the proper RPM. 

One final thing.  There's no need to jump in just yet.  Now is the time to learn, read, and learn some more about how carbs cams heads exhaust etc all work, and most importantly HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.  And I know you're man enough to ignore the tauntings of those juvenile ricers and NOT street race. 

grouseman