So let's say you had a 26 Dodge 3 window coupe and $1200.00 to spend on a motor...

What motor would you choose?

 

hmmm, depends on what you wanna do with it! Go fast or have an enigine that is cool and not too many other people have

 

i'm guessing here....but how about something in the 1200.00 range

 

How about something cool that can still go fast? hahaha

I like Hemis, but finding a good runner for $1200.00 seems to be a pain in the ***.

 

well i'd probably go for some kind of big block, Ford 460 or Cad 500 maybe

 

383, 413, or 440 Dodge motor.

 

I'd try and buy a used Hiway patrol car at an auction. We picked up a running 360 hi po motor in a 79 Dodge aspen for 125 bucks. That car would run.

 

I'd look for a 360 or 383 personally. They are not worth much to the resto crowd so they make great hotrod motors...

2t

 

yep go with mopar. you can probably find a land barge find something pre emissions if possible for a few hundred and you'll have a 383/440 with a 727 and 8 3/4 rear. indestructable.

 

How bout a slant 6?

 

Or a v-10, but good luck getting one for 1200. Do a lot of shopping, maybe you'll get lucky.

 

Slant 6 with a dual carb intake and headers would be pretty cool. If you're looking for a V8 I'd go with a 360. You can find good runners cheap and they make great power. If you're not as concerned about power, there are a zillion good running 318's out there for peanuts. In fact, I just picked a good runner up for free from a guy who put a 440 in his Charger and didn't want the old small block.

 

I don't know about speed but I think this would be wicked in your dodge
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1956-plymouth-flat-head-6-cylinder-engine-no-reserve_W0QQitemZ230008396486QQihZ013QQcategoryZ33615QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Just saw this recently . . . if your into the nostalgia type thing:


http://kansascity.craigslist.org/pts/182216344.html -- '56 flathead 6, from a 1934 Plymouth

 

or you could go early 30's racer and put a 29 dodge motor in it
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1928-Plymouth-motor-4-cylinder-Silverdome_W0QQitemZ150012996190QQihZ005QQcategoryZ33615QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

You aught to be able to buy a complete, drivable, 70's-80's sedan for that kind of money with any one of the big motors. In fact you aught to be able to find something in the $500 range with a running V8. I bought three 455 Pontiac powered cars a few years ago, the most expensive one was $1100. All ran and went. My current beater cost $500 and I drove it home, a Suburban with a 350 and a 700R4. I p***ed up a Dodge (about an 85) before that with a 318, I forget the model but it's the one they used for cop cars for about 10 years. Just avoid the Olds 307, Pontiac 301, or other tiny emissions motors.

Just watch the cl***ifieds in your area, get out and go look -

 

Any big block dodge. I still get running and driving 70's land barges rusted all to hell with 440's in them for $500...

Gets you everything, and leaves some cash over to tweak the motor some.

 

Keep it pre-67 and keep it Mopar--get a 318 Poly.

This one is on the high end of your scale, but the carb alone is worth 1/3 of the starting bid:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/318-...010QQitemZ200009105206QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Poly motors w/ a 727 show up all the time in cl***ifieds and Ebay for under $200. Awesome torque, and they're unique.

If you really want budget, hit up the repo/charity auctions. I bought a 86K mile '78 Lebaron for $135 a few years ago, kept the 318 & sold the trans and body for $50--$85 net for a running engine. And part of the body was probably sold back to me in ****py Harbor Freight tools.

 

I'd go with the semi-Hemi 318. The polyspherical 318 with the cool scalloped valve covers. Not a lot of people using these in hotrods and they are a good looking engine.

Good luck.

 

I've got a 318 and 727 box in my 32 pick up and am running 13s without much in the way of tuning...its so bulletproof and you dont see too many in rods... They are pretty cheap too so lots left over for speed parts.

 

$1200 can buy you a 60's-80's beater.

Buying a complete running car solves a few issues like..

Transmission
Rear end
wiring harness

Otherwise...you should have the pick of the litter if you have $1200 to spend on an engine alone.

I personally love it when guys use an odd-ball engine in a hot-rod.

Y-block
Studebaker engine
AMC V8

 

***mins Turbo Diesel - Oh Yeah TORQUE BABY!!!

 

SBC... more power for the buck.

Sam.

 

If you want to go fast, yeah.

Personally, I'd dig around a bit and find a Dodge 325 Poly or similar Mopar engine like a 318 Plymouth or 354 Chrysler, with the scalloped valve covers. It will leave a lot of people scratching their heads, be true to the body's heritage, look great, be unique, and will make plenty of power to scoot it around. But if you have to rebuild it or the Powerflite/Torqueflite behind it, your budget is gonna be in trouble.

 

I'm putting a 44 in my non trad material/non mopar roadster. But I'm not as purest. For 1,200 bucks you're going to buy much uness you just get luckey. I got a grand in lower end parts alone for my 440.

Look around and find yourself something in your price range that makes you get a willy when you think about it. It don't have to be MOPAR any more than you have to put a Ford in a Ford or a Chebby in a Chebby.

You should probably consider something a little off the beaten track in the cool factor but normal enough that you can afford to pack it when the time comes.

 

Oky, I gotta admit, I like the look of those polys a ton.

Decided to go with a local purchase. '59 Pontiac 389. I think it's enough power to scoot a little three window around well enough.

 

You should be able to get a good running Y-Block for that kind of money, and you might even have enough left over for a cool set of valve covers and a multi carb manifold.

Hotrob

 

Yeah! Put in a SBC, then trade out that old ****py Dodge body for a 32 ford from Brooksville. Might as well trade out that old frame too. While you're at it, get some really cool Boyd's billet wheels, and paint it Boyd's Red, too! That would be cool!

No offense Sam, but I was waiting for someone to say it, and you were the first.

 

well i picked up a old Dodge brothers coupe last week end & plans for it are putting it on a 37 olds frame & susp with running stright 8 3-speed & its not for any other reason then cost olds was cheap & runs good & Dodge cost me way to much in a Swap so will even out

 

My picks (in order)
Studebaker V8 W/ old paxton unit
AMC V8
Lincoln Y Block
MEL
Ford Y block.

Do the stude! Im pretty sure paxton makes modern replicas of their older units. Also, you can get studebaker engines real cheap, give it an overhaul with some 8:1 cr pistons (if their made) and run 10lbs+ of boost.