How hard would it be to swap a 318 into a /6 car?

[B5 Charger]

Does anybody know?  I am looking at buying a 71 Duster /6 and want to know how hard the swap would be.

[doctorpimp]

You'd need a V8 K frame or the Schumacher engine swap mounts.
I think the wiring harness sould work OK Not sure though...

[Nacho-RT74]

harness completelly different. Exhaust pipes completelly different, Tranny too, T bars, sway bar, radiator...

Is almost the same than SB to BB swap, just that a little bit bigger mods, but related stuff are the same.

I dunno about K member on 71... I know on 73/74 for sure.

[B5 Charger]

Why is the tranny different?  Wouldn't it just be the 904?

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm not sure between SB and /6 904s, but at least between BB and SB 727 Housing is different, even internal components are the same... "belhousing" Diameter changes

[tecmopar]

The /6 trans only fits a /6. The swap your thinking of doing is real popular and the parts you need are not that hard to find, go for it. Just to throw you a curve ball, why not drop in a 360 while your at it, good luck.

[B5 Charger]

Well it's for my 16 year old nephew so the less horsepower the better right now.  We really want the V8 swap so he can have dual exhaust more than the horsepower.  I know he can probably get killed just as easy with a 318 as he could with a 360 but I just feel better with the smaller V8.  I can probably get the trans with the 318 but would the driveshaft length be different too?  The engine wiring harness is hacked on the /6 so that will have to be replaced anyway.

[Nacho-RT74]

would the driveshaft length be different too?

Probably, but not sure...

I think the driveshaft length is more related with rear axle than with tranny itself because all trannyes matches with body location when you mount the tranny mount. But I'm not the right one to say that.

Axle is something to think on also. Is /6 car same than a 318 on rear axle ?

[Chryco Psycho]

904 to 904 the driveshaft will be the same , 904 to 727 will shorten the drivesaft 4"

[doctorpimp]

I wouldn't worry too much about the axle etc.  A '71 /6 A body will have the 7 1/4" rear, I don't see a 318 tearing that up.  Also if you get the 318 with a V8 904 trans, the axle should fit as is...

[Todd Wilson]

You will need a 318 and 904 to do the swap.   There is a bell housing difference between the LA 904 and the /6 904.  I am unsure of the K frame issue. I wonder if the small block wouldnt fit onto the K frame. Theres always aftermarket mounts if it dont work.


The big question is why not use the /6  ? Its a great little motor and can be pumped up to run pretty good.

http://www.slantsix.org/



Todd

[B5 Charger]

Well I passed on the 71 but bought a 73 Duster today.  The car is for my nephew and he wants a V8 with pipes.  Can't say that I blame him.  I have a 318 & 904 in mind to slip in there.  I just needed to know about the mounts and driveshaft length.  Looks like it will be a fun build on a tight budget.   

[max]

everything seems to be covered in the above statements. the slant 6 k-frame is different then a v8 k-frame. i read that you can put a v8 in a slant 6 k-frame if you use a passenger side truck engine bracket and on the drivers side use a standard car engine bracket.

i did a swap just like this on a 67 dart and order the schmacker engine conversion kit and i seem to recall that the passenger side engine bracket was extended just like a truck engine bracket so what i read may have some truth in it. 

[tecmopar]

Save yourself the guess work and just get the Schumacher mount kit, the drive shaft should plop right in. As I said, the rest of the parts for this swap are not that hard to find, good luck.

[B5 Charger]

I plan on ordering the Schumacher conversion kit and I have a 1971 318 & trans that I paln to drop in.  I know we will need a new wiring harness but is there anything else I need to think about?  The Duster is a non A/C car but will the new alternator and everything switch over?

[Todd Wilson]

Well I passed on the 71 but bought a 73 Duster today.  The car is for my nephew and he wants a V8 with pipes.  Can't say that I blame him.  I have a 318 & 904 in mind to slip in there.  I just needed to know about the mounts and driveshaft length.  Looks like it will be a fun build on a tight budget.   

Thats a nice looking unit. Wish I could find one like that now. I passed on a Duster a few years ago with a slant.   You should have him read the /6 forum.    That would be a cool car with a pumped up /6.   He can have just as much fun with it as a 318 and make people shake their heads. Also a good engine to learn tuning and timing on and they are tough.  I say Hyper Pak it!


Todd

[dodge freak]

Thats a light car so a six cyc. could make it go alright and the way gas prices are your nephew might like have some money left over to spend. Have a talk with him and see if he still really want that 318 , if he does put it in cause he won't love it and won't take care of it. Also the 318 won't have to be as fine tune to run great everyday, but it his car so let him decide. I am sure not all of us who have a built 440 need it but thats not the point is it.

[jaak]

you might want to consider getting everything out of a 73-up a body from a junk yard... still plentiful , relatively cheep and advantages to 73-up v8 parts are the spool type k-frame with bigger bolt pattern disk brakes, just try to find a car or two that has everything needed for conversion, BTW that 7 1/4 will not hold up to a 318, you need to find a 8 1/4

[tecmopar]

Jaak is right about that one, the 7 1/4 rear is probably the weakest thing you could use, except for maybe a chain drive from a go cart. Start looking for an 8 1/4 now so you'll have it when the other one S**TS THE BED, which it will, good luck.

[B5 Charger]

Probably a dumb question but how do I tell the difference between a 7 1/4 and a 8 1/4?  And will I need a new driveshaft if I do the 8 1/4 swap?  By the way I said earlier that I bought it for him.  I'm not giving it to him he is going to buy it from me when he is able to get back to work and get a loan.  Right now he is in a cast up to his right hip from a spiral fracture and can't work.  For the time being we are going to do some work to try to get the car looking good.  He's a good kid who has been wanting a muscle era Mopar for quite awhile now.  This one came along and the price was just too good to pass up. 

[Blown70]

Probably a dumb question but how do I tell the difference between a 7 1/4 and a 8 1/4?  And will I need a new driveshaft if I do the 8 1/4 swap?  By the way I said earlier that I bought it for him.  I'm not giving it to him he is going to buy it from me when he is able to get back to work and get a loan.  Right now he is in a cast up to his right hip from a spiral fracture and can't work.  For the time being we are going to do some work to try to get the car looking good.  He's a good kid who has been wanting a muscle era Mopar for quite awhile now.  This one came along and the price was just too good to pass up. 

here is an link to a THREAD with an ID chart.  Scroll down to Terrible ones' response.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,14908.0.html

BTW if you are going through the trouble why not run a 8 3/4? 

Tom

[jaak]

The reason I suggested an 8 1/4 over an 8 3/4, is because B5 Charger is mentioned doing a budget swap and an 8 1/4 is a good rear for a 318 and are easy to find and cheep, a body 8 3/4 are bringing good money now and are getting few and far between, if it were a built 340-360, an 8 3/4 would be a no brainer.

[Blown70]

The reason I suggested an 8 1/4 over an 8 3/4, is because B5 Charger is mentioned doing a budget swap and an 8 1/4 is a good rear for a 318 and are easy to find and cheep, a body 8 3/4 are bringing good money now and are getting few and far between, if it were a built 340-360, an 8 3/4 would be a no brainer.

Jaak,  I certainly unserstand,however, I was think of the future.... Most people will not leave well enough alone......   I do agree though with your line of thinking.  Just pondered why myself... personally I would do the swap now..... but again just me.

Tom

[jaak]

Good point, a little extra now never hurts in the long run.

[doctorpimp]

The reason I suggested an 8 1/4 over an 8 3/4, is because B5 Charger is mentioned doing a budget swap and an 8 1/4 is a good rear for a 318 and are easy to find and cheep, a body 8 3/4 are bringing good money now and are getting few and far between, if it were a built 340-360, an 8 3/4 would be a no brainer.

For the full budget thing, I would keep the 7 1/4... 
In fact I would consider keeping the /6 and 904 in there (for now to be a driver) But that's me 
Then slowly find ALL the good parts to make it a MP crate 360 with 727 AND 8 3/4...The 318 is just another "granny" motor - without new pistons, cam, ported heads etc. IMO
You can get dual exhaust made for a /6... and I bet it'll be just as quick as a 318, for the coolness factor!

[dodge freak]

The 318 is a good motor, just needs to rev higher than the 360. The short stroke makes it easier to rev without breaking stuff. Yes you have to change everything but same with the 6, after 4000 rpms its-the 318- A OK. In a 3000 lbs duster it be great. Work on losing more weight if you can, if you can get it under 3000 lbs then it really starts to make a difference. Hot rod mag. a long time ago took a 4500 Cady and started to remove weight-it went from 17 sec. to 13 sec. after it was 2500 lbs. They found after it went under 3000 lbs they were get .15 sec better for every 100 lbs less , over 3000 lbs it was only .1 sec better for every 100 lbs remove. Now they cut the roof  off and all the doors Q.P.etc . You can't do that on the street but anything that you don't need, like A C depending where you live and even carpet can help get that weight down. Heck if it was only 2800 lbs with a good high reving 318 and 3.91-4.1 gears it could get well in to the 13 sec range. There is lots of headers that fit and light weight hoods cause people used to hot rod those cars alot. I don't think its as safe as a Charger if you were to hit something, thats what I don't like about them, otherwise its a Good car, Sure is better than any Grand Am thats for sure.

[doctorpimp]

What I meant was that you could spend $1000 converting a /6 car to a 318 non-performance engine and not get much more performance than the /6 had to begin with.  Everyone was saying that in order to support a V8 you had to beef up the diff etc...
Why not just have fun with the /6 and later on when he's older and responsible enough to have a bad-ass SB in there, then spend the $$$ to upgrade ALL components.

[dodge freak]

See how he take care of it too. When you are that young you change sometimes too, he might want a 2006 Charger in a few years as they will come down in price.

[B5 Charger]

See how he take care of it too. When you are that young you change sometimes too, he might want a 2006 Charger in a few years as they will come down in price.

I doubt it.     This kid has functional eyes and a good sense of taste.   

To get back on track this swap will be done regardless of it's practicality.  I'm asking for advice on how to do it properly rather than opinions as to whether it is a smart choice or not.  Help us get it right.   

[Blown70]

Sorry, you can get a 8 3/4 out of anything if the alxe tubes are what you want for length.  Once they are you can weld a perch anywhere you like Viola.... you have a rear in place.  If you want to find a correct length one I know where there is a couple but they are in MN, and I would have to get them.... Not a fun job.....

[Bandit72]

just build a hot rod slant six...thats what i want to do for an old pickup i have....as for dual exhause you can run the dultra (spell check) duals manifold, and that will split your /6 exhaust into two separate pipes...or you could order some headers....idk..i just got off a 12 hour shift and need to sleep..just figured i'd chime in

[doctorpimp]

To get back on track this swap will be done regardless of it's practicality.  I'm asking for advice on how to do it properly rather than opinions as to whether it is a smart choice or not.  Help us get it right.   

Cool!
Leave the 7 1/4 there, drop the 318 and 904 into her, find a harness for a V8 A Body for the same year range and you're good to go! Cheap and easy!!!
Those Schumacher's for the spool mounts are great, IMO.
 

[B5 Charger]

Good news!  Picked up the car today and it already has the 8 1/4 rearend in it.  If I understand correctly everything else should work.   

[dodge freak]

Leave it to Chrysler to put a 8 1/4 rear end in a light weight 6 cyc. car. Thats why I love Mopars-old Mopars anyway.