About That '77....

[Daytona R/T SE]

A guy named Lizzy ?

other than new mounts what will it take to get this thing in there?

Roughly....$20,000.

? no way dude

You're right ...probably closer to $25,000

[RD]

25k? ur joking

[Hemidoug]

25k? ur joking

If you're talking a fresh motor then I'd say 3k all said and done. If the motor needs work your talking another 8-10 grand done right. Then you need to dig into the trans...

[RD]

8-10 grand for a motor? not where i come from and that is done right.  as for the trans.. um... i got that part covered

as for lizey.. i can cover that for him too (cheaply and done right).

[Hemidoug]

Whatever....just know it ain't gonna be a walk in the park....and when you are talking Hemi the price and the complacation just quadrupled....Hemi's ain't wedges....

[RD]

 

[squeakfinder]

   Oh come on, this is good stuff. Don't stop conversing now.

[Hemidoug]

   Oh come on, this is good stuff. Don't stop conversing now.

What's left to say? I don't know what experience he has doing engine swaps but I can tell you how much I have...I've been doing this kind of stuff for the better part of 30 years..in everything from putting turbo Daytona motors in Horizons to stuffing big blocks into vans and all the muscle car stuff in between....but I don't know what I'm talking about....

[squeakfinder]

  Never said you didn't know what you were talking about. I started 16 years ago with a full size Blazer and 9 inch lift and 38 inch tires and 4:56 gears. Then I crammed a 231 buick V-6 into a CJ-2.
After selling that stuff off I had the money to work on my first 68 Charger.

[squeakfinder]

 
Sorry Doug, It was kinda funny watching you argue with somebody.

[Lizey]

ok...now if I go 440 am i still looking at all these problems??

[Hemidoug]

Look, the kid wants to know what is involved...why not learn from someone who has been down this road....that's all.

[squeakfinder]

 
I agree with you Doug. As far as a 440 is concerned, if the car was a 400 You may have to make some changes on the exhaust because the RB block is wider.

[Hemidoug]

ok...now if I go 440 am i still looking at all these problems??

You still need some of the same stuff, but you don't have to worry about moving the brake booster, the exhaust manifolds already exist along with the entire system. You still have to get BB radiator, pulleys/brackets, accessories, and mounts but ALL of those things are readily available.

Look, I'm not trying to talk you out of doing what you want to do, I'm just trying to tell you up front so IF you go down this road you won't be supprised. Customizing is just that....customizing.

[Lizey]

ok...now if I go 440 am i still looking at all these problems??

You still need some of the same stuff, but you don't have to worry about moving the brake booster, the exhaust manifolds already exist along with the entire system. You still have to get BB radiator, pulleys/brackets, accessories, and mounts but ALL of those things are readily available.

Look, I'm not trying to talk you out of doing what you want to do, I'm just trying to tell you up front so IF you go down this road you won't be supprised. Customizing is just that....customizing.

well as much as I want to put a Hemi in it,
that hemi will be there forever...

so i figure ill 440 my '77 and down the road find a '69 to slap the Hemi in

[mauve66]

yes there are things that HAVE to be done but it won't take 20-25 GRAND, thats just pure bullsh$t.  he's not talking about making the hemi a 572 or restoring the car completely , he's taking about dropping the block into the car and driving it to the grocery store

radiator/fans $500 max
motor mounts $250 max
check the rings bearings and timing chain on the motor $500 max
maybe another $500 if they ALL need replacing
throttle cable $50
headers $500
fuel lines can stay, he won't be able to run the motor hard cause the rearend won't take it, probably just an 8.25, he's looking for WOW factor not a strip mauler
shift brake booster $???
even if thats a grand we're still less than $4000.00
the car was a b block so the front end will still hold up, if its old and wore out it had to be replaced anyway, thats not part of the equation
the brackets and pulleys are available used and new so maybe another grand if you dont look hard

[Hemidoug]

That's up to you..everyone has a dream. Just know that Hemis eat a lot of wrenching, oil, fuel, and money....and that's no lie. That's what made them rare cars to begin with....not everyone can keep up with them.

[mauve66]

and a single 4 bbl intake with a modern carb is alot easier to live with now than they were in the old days, timing and compression and ignition will make it all more livable, remember the first years of the hemi it was just a de-tuned race motor with points

[Troy]

Ok, here's my take. Regardless of what is possible, the mistake I see is throwing money at something that isn't a priority (or, better, a dream). I have found myself many times thinking "I could fix that up into something neat" knowing that I have (or can get) cars that I dream about. I think many of us get sidetracked by endless projects that end up being a waste of time, energy, and money when we could have been working towards a goal. I'm not talking about fixing or parting another car to make money to get what we want either. If the ultimate goal is to have a 69 Charger (Hemi or not) then all efforts should be focused on that. The 77 probably makes a great driver and it's cheap. Leave it that way or you'll have a torn apart pile of a car spread over every square inch of work area - probably waiting on more money to buy parts with. When/if it finally gets on the road it won't be worth any/much more than when you started so it's (mostly) useless as a means of funding the dream. The work experience would be valuable I guess but general mechanical knowledge can be had just by maintaining the car in its stock configuration.

Troy

[RD]

dude, do whatever you want, but do us all a favor and dont bring up putting a hemi in a 75-78 b body again or this crap will happen all over again.

i wonder if ray barton said he was going to put a hemi in a 77 daytona if you all would pretty much tell him it wasnt worth it either?  with that.. RD is signing off of this ludicrous topic.

[Khyron]

o.k....... Im out

is Lizey dutch for mustanghater?

[Daytona R/T SE]

.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Personally, I kinda like the later B-Bodies

I'd wouldn't mind having a Magnum.

Here's Lizey's description of his car:


1977 Dodge Charger SE
360 c.i. V8
4 Barrel Carb.
Torqueflight (A727)? Automatic 3-Speed Transmission
Dual Exhaust
Cragar Wheels
White W/ Creme Vinyl Top
SUNROOF!!!  
All Power Options

Could be a cool cruiser, I'd fix it up a little and cruise it just the way it is...

Put the hemi away for a later project...when you can afford to do it right.

[ACUDANUT]

 it's kind of fun "listening" you all. He still has yet to take possession of "said Hemi". I'll believe it when I see. If your just a kid and want a killer car, sell it and have a fun Charger to show off in.

[Cooter]

Believe me ACudanut, it's kinda fun to "Listen" to you as well....





So? He can't have ANY fun in a 1977 Hemi Charger? None? At all?