I figure I'll chime in since I'm part of the subject matter in this video. I agree with everything Jamie said. In my case, I fully intended to get carried away and I will continue to do so and the car will be just the way I want it to be. To be honest, there's nothing that exotic on the car. The upper control arms i bought 6 or 7 years ago for $350 for another project and the heim joint tie rod ends I got for free and my strut rods were shot so I got those firm feel units for under 200 bucks shipped. I'll get the sway bars on and I won't have to think about it again. As for the engine, it's a good compromise of power and drivability with just enough vacuum to make the brakes work. The transmission wasn't that much more than a good four speed and I sure love being able to blast down the freeway at 70 at 2500 RPM. On the other hand, I'm currently building a Coronet 500 that is everything Jamie is talking about. Stock style pretty much everything, just upgraded a little bit with the best factory type parts and it's going to be great. A real daily driver and I'm looking forward to that one as well. The only thing I'm really surprised about is that nobody's giving me a hard time about my engine bay being painted black😅

@Littlehotrodshop

Жыл бұрын

And FYI, I can swap a carburetor back on in 15 or 20 minutes. I just have to change the fuel pressure regulator and bolt on the carb. I set up all my linkage to work with the sniper or the 4150.

@mokeimusic

Жыл бұрын

Your car is on the road, that is all that matters

@Ross046

Жыл бұрын

You built a stunningly great car.

@moparedtn

Жыл бұрын

Black engine bay? Damn GM heathen. Out, evil spirit! OUT! There, I just performed a Mopar exorcism. You'll be fine now. - Ed on the Ridge

@mattcasoni

Жыл бұрын

Omgosh you pained it black???

The red Charger, with the hiked up rear end, is the epitome of my childhood hotrod look. The back end up in the air meant it went fast. At least to an 8 year old in the mid/late 70s.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

You know I’m all about it. Haha. I will ruin it by going a bit closer to stock eventually. But for now… it’s awesome.

@gregbenwell6173

Жыл бұрын

I am right there with you, a car isn't fast without foot and a half long shackles holding up the rear of the leaf springs and a set of slot mag wheels (before Duke's Of Hazzard days)!! And i was literally 5 years old (in 1969) when my neighbor brought home his brand new blue Daytona Charger, with the pointed front end and the huge wing on the back!! Funny that same car years later appeared in an issue of Mopar Magazine (circa 1990), after the son of the originally owner restored the car back to original!!

@EFI4EYE

5 ай бұрын

Same. When I fell in love with muscle cars they had air shocks, Cragars or Keystones, traction bars and decals all over the rear 1/4 windows 😂

Just found your channel, thanks to Uncle Tony...this video is EXACTLY what I’ve been telling people for years! Love it! I’m glad someone else thinks this way...

I remember being a passenger in a 68 Dodge Dart slant six , cold night, heater on and the driver , my buddy.. out running the cops….. unbelievably,… we got away. Don’t remember what we did. Today 50 years later it’s been back to basics for me. Incredible that your cuda even in its weathered state If it’s running it gets many thumbs up even lots of attention from the ladies.

I hear you. Some mods, ok. But let us never forget what makes a Mopar...Mopar. Also let's remember why we fell in love with these cars. It wasn't because someone swapped in an LS.

@dinadaughtry8993

10 ай бұрын

Those are the words to live by, so tired of LS this LS that

Embrace it! Remember the days Mopar guys would walk up , look at the fender tag and vin and tell you how it’s not correct?

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Yeahhhh… I roll my eyes at those guys too. Lol. I’m all in on day 2 modifications, period or vaguely correct upgrades, safety stuff, and adding options that weren’t original to a given car. It’s the spirit that’s important to me. That and cheap fun.

Simpler the better , having had 3 pertronics electronic ignition thingies fail , ive reverted back to points , easy to fix on the side of the highway

Hi gys, I agree 100% that you don't have to spend $100,000 plus on a rebuild of my favorite muscle cars any mopars. I'm 75 yrs old combat veteran , I'm not building anything these days due to health issues but I've built a few molars in my day. I owned one 426 hemi '69 GTX. But I built many other mopars, As body's By bodies etc. I really liked 340s, 383s, 413s,440s. I even built a 440 hot rod Chrysler 300 letter car. Had !it's of fun passing checks n Fords!!! Like your videos!!!

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

That’s awesome. I’ve never had a Hemi. Some day… thanks for being here with us!

Best mods: late model starter, yeah it don't have the classic sound, but works great! Brakes, Cordoba 11.75 with adjustable brake pushrod to delete the booster, with a 2 bolt aluminum master cylinder from an 85 diplomat. Not too hard a pedal with plenty of brake "feel" .handling, borgeson steering, it doesn't make it corner harder than, but at least it will go in the direction you want it to. Engine, stock magnum 360 with a carb and electronic ignition, enough power to be fun. Trans, a518 od, so I don't get passed by the minivans on the interstate. I did all these and all were junkyard sourced except the steering box. Oh by the way, I tried EFI, hated it. Edelbrock carb for me! Your results may vary

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Nice, nice. I like it. Personally, I find nothing wrong with the original style starters. But do have minis on some. Borgeson is fine. Firm Feel factory works well though - and it fits right.

@dinadaughtry8993

10 ай бұрын

​@@DeadDodgeGaragemy 73charger wants the aluminum k frame and cross member isolaters to get the 72 and older feel plus I think that they are safer and not much more expensive

Brother I agree 100 percent!! My 68 Plymouth Satellite 383 is close to what your 68 Charger is now not as nice but i love it. I see other youtuber's do all these high dollar upgrade and don't get me wrong I'm not really putting them down but not all of us have deep pockets and they always bad mouth how the these old cars were built and how you need this or that to make it drive like a new car. Like the EFI yeah it's nice an all when it is working right but I fine the more wiring and plumbing you have to do the more that can go wrong and if your EFI bites the dust your going to be pushing or calling a tow truck to get it home. But a carb 8 out of 10 times will get you home even if it's not running the best. That why I think sometime less is more.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Exactly this. And I think you know my thoughts on nice cars. Haha. My Charger is pretty nice, yeah, but even it isn’t amazing. I love down and dirty, enjoyable cars. A bit of paint is cool but far from required in my book. I have zero plans to become that kind of KZreadr. I’m not here to sell anybody any expensive speed equipment they don’t need. I’ll take the carburetor, thank you.

Bang on with this video. Why waste $$ when you don't need to. The hobby has got out of control just like you said, you don't need to spend a shit ton of $$ unless you want a trailer queen. Unfortunately the hobby has turned into a business for a lot of flippers and companies selling all kinds of "upgrades" that aren't really needed. Just like everything else in this wonderful world, the car hobby has got out of control and people are being pushed by the big businesses to "upgrade" and a whole lot of people are taking the bait. If you like a classic car, drive it, enjoy it, you don't have to spend a ton of $$ to add unecessary parts.

I have fun driving my 65 Cuda and enjoy the admiration of people who seem to enjoy seeing it on the road.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Oh yeah. You’re instantly famous in one of these cars.

Preach it brother!, I have for many years opined that computers belong on a desk and not in a car, there are vibrations and oscillations that don't register on the butt dyno but play nasty with circuit boards and solder points, plus the heat and cold doesn't help with longevity either. On the subject of handling I once had a 69 Fury 4 door that had very respectful handling, no it wasn't going to win any autocross but was very predictable and you could hang the rear end out and was a ton(or two) of fun.

@johnspencer7291

Жыл бұрын

i currently own a 69 fury 3 coup,383,gets lots of attn at car shows,its b-5 blue too

@indianaslim4971

Жыл бұрын

@@johnspencer7291 sweet, I owned mine back in 1978 so it wasn't a classic yet but it was a great $125 car, mine had a 318 but was pretty quick for it's size.

I'm right there with you, Jamie. It's taken me many years to realize that I can enjoy the cars just the way they came. The whole efi thing is highly overrated and, in my opinion, a huge waste of money.

@VinnyMartello

Жыл бұрын

I’m very happy with the reliability and fuel economy of my HEI distributor and my quadrajet.

@robertheymann5906

Жыл бұрын

Still cheaper and more predictable than most women! Lol Mopars rock!

Took the words right out of my mouth. I’ve been telling anyone who would listen these things for years.

I've always believed that the engineers that designed these things knew exactly what the fuck they were doing, so I've acted accordingly.

It all makes sense! Our 66 Charger still has 383 torqueflite power, manual 4 wheel drums, only real upgrades are ignition and dual master brake system, it’s awesome

@johnspencer7291

Жыл бұрын

I love the first gen chargers!!

@dinadaughtry8993

10 ай бұрын

​@@johnspencer7291i like them All 74 and older my favorite is the 68-69 but my first car ever was a 72 charger with a 318 and of course air shocks and glass packs, not a high performance engine but it was a nice running car and I had dreams of a 440 or 426hemi now many years later i have a project 73charger that has a big block and I plan to get it as close to the dream of my teenage self,as fast for as cheap as I can and still look good and be safe

I agree. What many people do not understand is that the suspension systems were studied by engineers back in the day, and when you change things you upset the original balance. Some cars enjoyed very little factory development, but the Mopars were reasonably well engineered. So, when you modify things in a way that is totally outside the spirit of the era, you end up creating silly machines that ride terribly and handle just as bad. Most people are motivated by fashion when they install the strange tires and suspension systems, and they never really drive the cars hard to realize how much they messed up. Other times, people do not bother repairing old suspensions with proper bushings etc in order to understand how the factory intended for their car to handle and drive. As for the engine conversions ... Many people want to race modern cars (or want to dream about racing modern cars) and fall in the trap of ruining their classic car. When that modern junk hemi craps out, that is the end of the car. Cheers.

Jamie,I'm with you. The only change I did on my 71 Superbee was to do a Mopar electronic dizzy and orange box. She starts every time,runs great, and gets good gas mileage with a Carter 4966.

The best part about Mopar has always been the parts bin. You can/could build a killer car or truck by mixing and matching well engineered and manufactured factory parts. It just took knowledge. Unlike GM who didn't build enough of the really good shit. Or Ford who,it seems, never built the same thing twice.

@albertgaspar627

Жыл бұрын

well, I'm going to have to disagree with your last two sentences :) some of GM's stuff is crap, like the 301 Pontiac--but otherwise you can use parts from a Pontiac 350 on the 400. You can use WS6 suspension pieces on a Nova (they did to make the 9-C-1 cop cars). Pontiacs are mostly designed to generate torque--like the tiny ports on a mope 440--unless you get into the RA 4 and 5 exotica. but you can build one cheap doing just what you said about the Mopars--have knowledge of what works and the OEM parts swap around. Oldsmobile? Wasn't hard to get 13's, just add a C head 455 into a Cutlass. or whip up an Olds 350 for the Omega or Starfire--big bore that could make 365cid with a piston from the 425 big bro, 6 inch long connecting rods, or go find a 403 cid small block. Buick? Wasn't hard to find a 455 in grandpa's car and give Hemis heartburn with a Stage One valve setup done on stock heads by your local machine shop. Chevy? 4 bolt chevy 350s are easy enough to find, how many 4 bolt LA engines are out there? big blocks are still out in the junkyard, how many roller lifter 440's are to be found in junkyards? oh but hey, let's go see what the kids today are doing with the LS swaps...talk about having enough of the good stuff to make over 600 hp affordable.... As for Ford, yes, you do have to know what you're doing, but it's not hard to know the difference between the low deck and tall deck Windsors and make power. the Fox body Mustang took enough names back in its day that FWD turbo 4 banger mopars mentioned them in their ads as competition--heck, Mopar asked Mr. Mustang Lee Ioccoca to bail it out and he asked Carrol Shelby :) What really screws most hot rodders is they build for HP instead of torque, and then want a 7,000 RPM redline to get there. Half the engine components get tossed out as a result and then they complain how expensive hot rodding is because they built a race engine for the street thinking toys have to be expensive. meanwhile, if you live in the rust belt, you're trying to find a rear wheel drive mopar that hasn't rusted and that means no older than the 1990's...what's out there? oh yeah, a Dakota, whoopie.

@tclott316

Жыл бұрын

That’s exactly why I love GM. They’ve always been, up until recently at least, parts bin cars and trucks. And they just work. And they’re cheap and reliable. Can’t go wrong with GM or Mopar. Even though I can’t stand mopar for the most part. And not only that, 60s and 70s mopars don’t really exist anymore here in the Midwest. They’ve either all rotted away (classic mopar) or they’ve been derbied.

@albertgaspar627

Жыл бұрын

@@tclott316 right! Ford, Chevy and Mopar have a benefit, they all built trucks. so finding heavy duty engine parts meant a trip to the junkyard, whereas say Pontiac Super Duty parts meant a trip to the dealership parts department...and then hope you found a parts guy behind the counter who knew what part numbers to look for. But now the aftermarket Chevy big block connecting rods can replace SD connecting rods if you don't like the OEM Armasteel stuff. and ditto on the old Mopars--if you want carburated RWD up here, your options are a Dakota or just maybe some J body that only has fist sized holes in the floor pan.

Honestly this is my favorite car video on KZread. Jamie you were spittin' facts like my w200 spits antifreeze. I 3200000% agree with you on the "a car's spirit is it's drivetrain" opinion. Very well said.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Wow. That’s, like, a lot of percents. Thank you!

Bit of a culture like that down here in upside down land. Dare you use anything second hand, which you recondition yourself, instead of replacing with new, aftermarket, you are called a Tight @$$ Valiant Owner. Re-use your wiring loom, after checking it over, instead of using an aftermarket 'universal' loom, same derogatory name calling. Even re-use engine bolts, heck no! Buy all new ARP for it, or you're a.... you know the word. In short, I agree 101% with you DDG! One line Tony said that has stuck with me. "Have you gotten the most out of what you have, before spending money?"

@DeadDodgeGarage

6 ай бұрын

Exactly! That’s the theory I’ve been operating on for years. It makes so much sense to me. I like doing things the bucks down way. I get so much more satisfaction out of it. Forget those armchair critics… keep the faith my man.

Bought a '69 valient signet 318, 4-speed, 2-door with disk brakes and loved it. Drove it for many years.

You and I are on the same page!! Totally agree with you. It's the way it was that brings back the memories of that time, they were great cars then and still are.

I’ve got a 90 Camaro, and my current plans are: Make it run reliably Make it stop reliably Nothing too outlandish or expensive, and most everything I’m replacing will be with parts that were available or much needed upgrades (like cooling) rather than ULTRA SPARK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. I’ll be dropping in a 350 small block to replace the 305, and maybe a world class T5 if the 700R4 goes out because I want overdrive, and it’s easier just to manual swap it than mess with mechanical automatics. After that, I’m not sure what to do with it other than enjoy driving it

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Some day, I’ll have another one of those. It probably won’t make it to this channel… but I like them.

I know exactly what you are saying about our older mopars! I rarely had anything on my cars that didn’t have a pentaster on it. My last car was a factory 4sp 3.54 dana I wanted to Keesler five speed conversion so badly for the car finally got the crazy amount of money together like $4200 I think had it in the car for maybe two months then went back to the 4 spd nothing wrong with the product at all. What bothered me the most was telling people that is a GTX 440 5speed

I had planned on front disc's and swaybars on my 65 Dart but now I've fell in love with it in stock form.Also the cheap parts and my pile of old OE stuff that I refresh when needed.

@DeadDodgeGarage

7 күн бұрын

Yes! I absolutely recommend at least a front bar. That’s a great move. But beyond that…

Love watching this video! I am rebuilding a 66 Cuda

👍Awesome channel. I really miss driving & working on those old cars. Protect your eyes folks. It sucks not seeing well enough to drive. Thanks J for another good one. We appreciate ya sir!

Doesn’t get cheaper fun than my tdi swapped mk1 rabbit pickup. 60mpg😎 I used to have a 71 valiant 318 that made its own place in my heart. Stupid teenager still couldn’t kill. Your channel has part in inspiring me to wrench for a living again.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Ok that does sound pretty amazing. Haha. I like the TDI. Especially the wee VE pump similar to what was used on the 12v Cummins. I’m glad I could help - although some days I’m sure you regret that decision, as I do. Really only when I have to work on Fords. Haha.

@Ross046

Жыл бұрын

The diesel Rabbit pickup used to be a thing with big truck mechanics. It was the perfect toolbox hauler. A veiled threat to the boss not to piss them off because them and their tools could be gone in minutes.

Man you got some cool stuff,love the 68 my dad had black one,I really like the channel good job man!!

Really excited to see the new project! 🔥

I agree 1000% . To each their own but I agree that their are really simple with the 50 year old technology.

Since I got my Challenger, back when everyone was all about drag racing setups, all the Direct Connection tips and guides were about going in a straight line faster, I wanted mine to be a great handling road car. Even though I never got there (sigh, life...) its still, to me, a novel goal, not joining the crowd. Yes, these are old and classic cars, but not all that long ago they were the daily drivers, work cars, take the kids to school, depend on day to day... the cars you drove cross country to visit Grandma or go on vacation. They still can be with some effort and some exceptions like staying out of the winter road salt. And so they're still worth improving, even if its with later Pentastar-logo'd tech (like brakes! or Magnum engines). Agree with you on complex third party tech that is more than just replacement or evolutionary improvement on Ma Mopar (which includes better sway bars, springs, tires, brake pads, chassis stiffening, etc); that way leads to a fantastic Sunday driver that you can't fully trust to get you home.

I have an early 3rd gen Camaro Z28 L69 with a Rochester Quadrajet four barrel, guess how many youngsters have told me I oughta put on a Holley sniper in place of my carburetor? I don't know myself but a lot, my car runs great exactly the way it is. That's why I'm never changing it. Also, my 40 year old car has never left me stranded on the side of the road in the 11 years I've had it.

Point taken my friend! You hit the nail on the head with this one. Some friends of mine think I went overboard with the "not a Dodge" but in reality other than wheels, tires, and a few minor engine upgrades it's not really all that far from stock.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

There does appear to be a hole in the hood though! Haha. No that’s cool. I’m with it.

There's plenty of parts at the parts store to build a great car. Reasonable pricing, dependability and availability.

New to your channel and absolutely love it! Thanks for making this video I couldnt agree more with your point!

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Looking for a late 70s early 80 Short bed Dodge. To mod ala Uncle Tony and your input. Thanks for keeping ye olde Mopar alive

I was riding in an acquaintance's new cross over Suv last week. Just a commuter car. He took the curved on ramp in a hurry and pulled a lot of G. I realized that it handled better than any classic Mopar I ever owned, including an E body 'cuda 340 with 245 60 15 tires on custom made 8 1/2 inch rallye wheels on the rear. I'm glad he didn't drive it harder or I'd see it had better acceleration, too. But that is not the point in having that classic car. The 'cuda, or, say a 72 Charger or Road Runner, or 65 or 68 Chrysler 300 is something you never forget. I don't even remember what kind of SUV he was driving. Probably Kia.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Exactly! My point. My feelings on this are exactly like this silly thing I’ve seen a time or two on the Facetubes. It’s a mulleted guy driving a C3 Corvette or something. A guy in a Tesla pulls up and says “My car is faster.” The guy responds something like “your mom’s Nissan Altima is faster. I literally do not care.” And does a big smokey burnout. I want the fun. I want old V8 torque. I want the right smells and sounds. Yes, I want to be able to go down the highway and keep up with traffic. I want to be able to drive around corners. But, like, that doesn’t take much, and no level of modification is going to make one of these cars as good as a modern Nissan Altima. Let’s just enjoy and appreciate them for what they are.

subbed! good content mate, im rebuilding a 440bb soon and your videos are a great help!

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Awesome! Happy to help!

Fixing my 74 challenger with a 360. And just perfectly happy with its power.

Video slap upside the head. Thank you!!

I like your point! Also I think I know of the various sporty roads between Grays Harbor and Oly.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Moon Road -> Gate Road -> Mima Road? Whatever it is, it’s a really neat drive.

I can't help it, I Love driving Cordobas. Go through the smog 360 or 400, wake it up with at least 9:1 compression , intake, carb, 340 exhaust or Magnum for the 400, healthy cam, and 8 3/4 👍

I do love the simplicity of these old cars compared to newer. Every time you add something more modern you take away from that. Then you have to love the sound naturally aspirated V8 makes. Modern muscle cars sound like they are gargling.

Yup, just bought a '91 D150 Club Cab 2wd short bed yesterday that had a heater switch fire roast part of the dash. It was kinda fun driving a simple old truck with sloppy steering, a 318 & 4 speed- and it's going to get properly repaired & stay simple, too. Brakes seemed fine, Clutch seemed fine, NP435-meh-435ing, Hood latch is messed up, but owner said fluids, except PS were OK, and the 318 sounded happy. So- got outta the country and hit I-5, Mrs T & kid in The Chase Vehicle laughing as dirt clods fell out all the 100mile way home. All of our vehicles get names- meet 'Clod' the Farm Truck...

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Haaahaha. Clod. I love it. Those trucks are just great.

Im an outlier here, but i love the 71-74 fuselage styling. They are in no way worse except for the smog stuff, but that can be ripped out.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I like them too! Notice I said “worse” in a questioning way. Haha.

100% agree. Simple is simple to service.

Perfect video and more than that great advice.

🇺🇸👍 I really like the way you think, it’s very close to my own. But that’s a story for another day. Happy Father’s Day ! 👍

But the problem is that they spend a bunch of money without any benefit what you're saying is the same thing I've always said balance your upgrades with the amount of benefit you think the car is gonna get and even a set of well adjusted drum breaks if they are adjusted like they were back in the day by field and you keep them adjusted correctly they'll handle quite depeople don't realize that they require a maintenance and the self adjusters never keep them tight enough so you can't rely on that system You're supposed to do it where you have just a little bit of drag when you turn that drum where you get stuff😅😅

Thanks for talking me out of efi conversion.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Happy to help! I think there are cases where it makes sense, but I just love the simplicity of a carburetor. I’m happy there.

Amen, brother, preach! You are so very right! How do subsequent owners fix these rigged together swaps? And I agree, more than 400 horsepower is really hard to use on the street without getting in trouble... "I'd like to see your Holley Sniper do that in 70 years" - exactly. Ten years down the road, it will be like a floppy disc is now...

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

That’s what I’m thinking! Meanwhile, the stock flathead in my ‘48 Power Wagon is like a hammer, and just like a hammer… it works!

Love the Low Budget Mopars!!!!!! 👍👍

I've got a 66 Valiant. I'm going to do some upgrades to the slant 6. I'm upgrading the brakes with disks from a 76 A-body. I'm going to add a front sway bar and, maybe beefier springs. That's about it.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Excellent choices. I dig it!

I bought a 68 roadrunner 383 auto( no motor or trans) back in the day. Drop ina 318. If I pushed it in a curve hard nuf to slide it was a 4 wheel drift. Cornerin sumbitch!

Since my '76 Valiant sedan was free (V8 & solid), and I have a bunch of parts & pieces I've saved over the years through buying/swapping/trading...340 torsion bars, 12" rotor swap, KYB shocks, JRSpring V8 HD leafs, judicious use of poly, front swaybar, torque boxes, subframe connectors, K-member perimeter welded (with skid plate), welded the tie rod sleeve open side, offset bushings in the UCA, re-inforcement plates on the LCA, 8.75" rear with a brace, 7" wide cop wheels & 60-series rubber. It works great and isn't finicky.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Outstanding! Sounds like a great package. This is my kinda car.

@olikat8

Жыл бұрын

@DeadDodgeGarage yup- next is the cam, intake & rebuilt TQ (done by a guy who know them- even put an electric choke), dual exhaust. The PS, trans & oil coolers are from an '80 Aspen cop car, while the radiator, shroud & clutch fan came from a '73 Dart from AZ that had AC & the tow package. It's just kinda fun to improve & enjoy on the cheap. It's not always "Inexpensive" because I am rebuilding/refurbishing before installing, but it's reliable and dependable

Then again plenty ofrof mopars that nothing is being re-popped for new parts. I agree you don't need to try to make every old vehicle a track master. I got my '60 Fury. I am building it like an old school street rod and leaving the drum brakes. It will be getting a '65 383, a '68 Dana and a '68 Chrysler A833-9B 4 speed and a factory Hearst. Fix them up and do what they were built to do, be driven.

I miss my mom's 72 Duster w/slant 6. She traded it in for a new 82 Cavalier 😢. I wish I have it now with my appreciation of its simplicity, reliability and ease of "reasonable" modification

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

😭 that’s not a trade I would make…

Fun and interesting content 👍

Great video containing a well-founded and thoughtful perspective which expresses an essential approach to classic car ownership. I just have one question. Are you related to Uncle Tony?

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

All I’m saying is… there sure is a suspicious resemblance 😅

This was definitely different. Really like classic mopars over any other. Been looking for over 10 years, but still can't find an affordable Charger or Coronet. Those days have passed away. Use to be able to get a 66 to 70 charger for under $5,000 back in the late 90s. Should have bought every one I came across. Now, a broken down stripped down '68 charger is $30k.

@DeadDodgeGarage

10 ай бұрын

I know... last year, I threw everything at the wall and bought a nice '68, after learning first hand just how screwed up and horrible the market for Chargers is - even a POS project that needs literally everything has 100 people trying to buy it in an hour. I was outbid on a car that I had already made a deal for and was going to pick up as soon as the buyer was available. I decided I was going to sell everything I had and buy a good one, or give up and switch to woodworking. Thankfully it ended up being the first option.

On my 🇦🇺valiants sway bar front an back 14x7rim same size tyres all round same shocks all round good set extractor an exhaust don’t jack the rear keep it level . Carb modes maybe bored out less drag fan index your plugs ajust rocker a few extra thou . Hate lap to rubbish . MOPAR for life .👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️.last the biggest air cleaner you can find as your motor work like a air pump . Yep no choke in the carb .👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️.

I have a budget mopar (sort of). 1936 Plymouth that’s bastardized and hybridized but it’s fun!

I've wanted to 5.2/5.9 Magnum MPFI swap pretty much every one of my classic Mopars over the last 10-15 years, and, for the last 3 years, wanted to sniper/FiTech/MSD EFI my 74 Dart Sport. But the more I drive the thing, the mystery LA318 it came with runs super, so why would I mess with it? We put a 833OD and 8.75" in it over the winter and am hoping for more smiles per hour. If it's half as fun as the other stick cars I've owned, I'm not sure I'll get around to swapping to EFI. I agree Jamie - good word and good advice. Maybe a 2010 Challenger will one day be in the garage I don't yet have, but, until then, I think I'll just keep my Dart simple enough for even me to work on it.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Nice! As I have said in other comments, I really do like the EFI Magnum, and I think it’s a great fit for these cars. But - so is a happy, carbureted 318, and it’s so much simpler. There are things to be said for both, but I think my future is mostly full of carbs.

All those car are just the coolest cars that I remember back in the time when I was in high school actually riding in them when they were just a few years old and my friends 68 GTX was amazing. Do you happen to have a video on changing the axle bearings and seals on the first Generation 8.3/4 ?

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I don’t! The 50s/early 60s tapered axle setup? I actually was party to a rebuild of one of those recently but didn’t use it for video. I will plan to do this on the more standard muscle car 8 3/4 next chance I get.

Big thumbs up on this one.

Soo many people should watch this video 👍

For a street car, 250-400 is perfectly acceptable. I daily (I mean DAILY) a 66 Chevy pickup. Stock Buick 350, TH350, 3.08 rear, 32 inch tires, fat sway bar, power steering. In the month of may I drive it 2500 miles. Not fast but it keeps my business moving. You don’t need to fire the parts cannon at everything you own.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

That’s awesome! I love that you’re running Buick power too. Very cool.

Well said. I've been shouting out against restomods for years. Day-2 muscle cars are much cooler. Carbs are great, if you know how to adjust them. Distributors can be made to work well. Even drum brakes can work well. Boiling fuel is a legit issue. Electric fans can solve it.

Subbed! Total sense and agree.

65 is my favorite of all tie...no push button trash dash, and the 66 face is blah...I could watch updates on this car, daily. I want to get one this year, perhaps I can find one at Carlisle.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

It’s an amazing car. And I agree it’s probably the best of that generation. Mine is a ‘66 but it’s wearing a Dart nose, which is… kind of odd. But it’s grown on me over the years.

I mean, there will always be a faster, “better handling” car. Cars should be about fun, and I think this video says that excellently.

As a guy, who spent an embarassing amount of money, on his 1976 Jeep CJ5 resto-mod (way too many mods to list): I hear ya. Yeah, my CJ turned out nice. But, I rarely drive it. Never in the winter for sure. And the mere thought of taking it offroad, where it might get bashed, gives me cold sweats.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Oh yeah. Dang it. I love those things. I’ve owned a few CJ projects over the years, and all I’ve ever wanted out of one is to be nice enough to drive to a trail, but rough enough to run it without worry. The nicer it is, the less you want to use it. If I can convince one person to enjoy their classic give-or-take as it is instead of going down that road, I will deem this operation a success.

Even if you were going to do that you can get one from jags that is basically either an elder bark or a Holly conversion it's about $900 right now I just priced it the other day

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Interesting

Love 72 charger and the CUDA

I agree 100 percent with this video. Why own a classic car or truck when you're taking the 'classic' out of it? Isn't that the point? I want to drive and enjoy it the way my grandpa did...for better or worse. I want to carry only a few tools/spare parts in these classics that would fix most of the problems you might encounter while enjoying them outside. Emphasis on enjoyment. My power wagon will go anywhere a modern truck will go, stock. And it has. In the mountains, in the snow, granny low. I want it's character to reflect that. You know how many trucks I see on a daily basis with *all* the upgrades that never see a dirty back road, mud, snow or sand? Their only real use is for groceries. Spend all that money for... that? My grandpa would've laughed hard at that. Thanks Jamie.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Exactly! All of the off-roading I’ve ever done was in a stock truck, and I love it. They’ll go all kinds of places, while those pavement princesses are cruising the mall…

Holley Snipers are a lot of work. The sensors are budget ripoffs. I used a Blue Streak TX9 coolant temperature sensor. I used a phenolic spacer to keep the sensors from being barbecued. I used a Bosch wideband O2 sensor. I also used a Walbro GSL 295 fuel pump. The Holley Snipers are a pain to deal with. I still think that it's worth it

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

There are definitely pluses for the Sniper. I just don’t like the idea of having to rely on them continuing to function for years to come.

You got some cool stuff , I like the barracuda w/ the green hood , just bang some dents out and drive it .

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I’m not even too concerned about dents! But I did kick the big one out of the door 🙂

@tedcorey3054

Жыл бұрын

@@DeadDodgeGarage I've always been a ford guy , but always had a warm spot for mopars .

I’m with ya!

Don’t have to be perfect, just needs to be going. The big money parts typically follow once it’s driving.

Things worth changing. Dual reservoir master cylinder if it had a single. Possibly one-wire alternator. That's it. People buy cars for their characteristics and then want to change them. I say clean the carb, get new battery cables, and send it.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Hey, I’ll add poly lower control arm bushings, and a front sway bar I’d you don’t have one. There are little improvements that make a lot of sense but don’t stray far. I’m generally in support of little mods that disappear into the car and improve it. I’m just not really into the tear-off, re-sheet approach of dumping what the car was in the garbage and building an import or a modern car. It’s cool in a way, but it’s not for me.

Love carburettors too much to go EFI My 360 in my Australian A body Mopar Ute is just to much fun

Ive got a 85 318 in a d150,, it quit making power couple months ago, advanced timing a little and power came back but it missed a little, so I replaced timing chain, and now it runs and sounds great when it gets warmed up, just getting on it around the block does it, but it is choppy and high rpm everytime its cold now, any ideas? Its got new plugs cap rotor, wires, its got a choke plate in the exhaust manifold, could it be not opening till the spring warms up causing choppy misses till warm? Thanks for any thoughta

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Well that flapper valve is not supposed to open until it gets warm - that’s how it works - but it doesn’t cause what you are describing. I have seen improper choke pull-off adjustment cause something similar. Your cold idle speed may also be set incorrectly. What kind of carb is this? Factory 2 barrel?

@blakenorman4822

Жыл бұрын

@@DeadDodgeGarage no I pulled the factory 2280 off before I tried advancing the timing to try solving my initial power loss problem, and tried rebuilding it but couldn't get the accelerator pump put back together right, so I bought a cheap carter bbd off ebay, it doesnt have all the same vacum ports as the factory, I was able to hook the factory choke spring up to it and it seems like it opens up a hair when I pump gas before starting and gradually opens all the way as it warms up, I set both idle mixture screws to 1 and a half out, but what you're saying about the cold idle screw I'm in the dark about, not sure what I'm looking at or how to set up the fast idle/ cold idle system

A lot of wisdom here, the kind that comes from experience, but I doubt as a 16 year old it would have stood a chance against the siren song of the aftermarket parts ads. I am dumbfounded at the amount of money guys are putting into their cars, replacing factory parts that worked perfectly well, with questionably engineered shiny new pieces.

Well said!

On the good better best scale….this registers for me in the best column. Now that this is off my chest will you stop over and help me not spend money I don’t have to get my notch back on the road? Lol.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I am definitely here for moral support 😅 I’m thinking you’re a little farther from me than up the road though.

@stannelson2582

Жыл бұрын

@@DeadDodgeGarage lol thanks. My incompetence would drive you to quit and inspire you start playing sad soulful depressing blues music in my honor lol

'70's me would have been shocked, but for 14 years my daily has been a Hemi car with the battery in the trunk (a '09 Challenger R/T, recently replaced after hitting 250K by a '22 Shaker). I've got a flat head '41 Plymouth with a louvered hood, a '57 New Yorker with a stock Gen 1 Hemi, and two 273 cars - a '64 'cuda and 'a 66 Satellite. All I expect of my old cars is to run reasonably well and look cool (they succeed more on the latter than the former, but that's on me)- trying to make any of them perform like my daily to my mind is not money well spent. But to each their own.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly. I’d much prefer to enjoy these cars as they are - as they were built. It’s like time traveling. These super modernized builds are neat. I’m glad they exist - but it’s not my kind of fun.

If you have roundabouts where you live you need sway bars. Other than that most cars handle pretty well.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Need is a strong word… but personally I think they’re a really worthwhile upgrade for just about any driver that may occasionally have to go around a corner.

My earliest memory of riding in a vehicle was in my dads Power Wagon. It was red as it should be. Never forgave him for selling it…

I own a 1963 Ford Falcon van, and I can't count how many times I've been asked if I'm going to put a V8 in place of the 1978 200 six I swapped in...or if I'm going to add front/4 wheel disc brakes/ power brakes. Bother. My little van is the funnest vehicle I own, and wouldn't change any of that stuff.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Damn right! I wouldn’t either. I had an A108 van with slant and three on the tree, and it was one of the most fun things.

I guess 'handling' is subjective, I've driven my buddies 70 charger R/T and it felt scary to drive vs. a 71 SE that I used to have, both stock suspensions other than bushings and kyb shocks

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

There may be something wrong with his car. Worn front end components or similar. I mean it’s 50 years old at this point…

Here's an idea. Paint the MSD box black and put a fake heat sink on it like a factory electronic ignition. You can buy replacement decals for them, too.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I like it. If I were to install one myself it would just be hidden. Under the battery tray is a good spot. But of course somebody else already spent the money and drilled the extra holes…

What is the oil capacity for a 440 with a normal size pan? It’s a 68 Coronet. Thanks

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

Standard pan should be five quarts. The deep pan is 7.

If it came with a carb it stays with a carb. Nun of my dreams cars have EFI they have 3 carbs or 8 ITB's thank you very much. I know I have a problem turbo and carb is a lot of plug reading but it's still the way I would do it.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

I’ve definitely advocated for carbs and turbos in the past. Turbo is one of very few applications where I think EFI really makes sense though.

100% agree with you !

I agree 🙏🏻

So what would be your recipe for making a slant 6 fun? My Scamp is a spectacular cruiser and handling is in good order now after some suspension and brake upgrades. But having any modern 4-banger leave me in the dust at stoplights kinda sucks... I'm interested in more pep, but don't need a mountain of power, but want to maintain good drivability.

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

The problem is, you could double the horsepower of the slant and still probably get dusted by some modern four cylinders… but it could definitely be a lot better. I haven’t built a performance slant myself. I have read about a lot of go fast mods for the slant, and there’s a lot of that information out there. My genius idea for a go-fast slant is a turbo. It’s kind of a weird exercise, and might go against a lot of what I said in this video. But, you know… reasons.

@rich_mc

Жыл бұрын

I keep eyeballing that Torqstorm S/C for the Slant, but budget it is not.... may still end up with it anyways, for, like you, reasons...

It’s ironic that we often start out in adulthood with limited funds and can’t afford a lot of toys. Towards the end of life we have enough in the bank to buy a Concourse car if we wanted, but our turncoat brains finally caught up and we know a fun machine will probably find that tree or telephone pole with our name on it. I sigh a lot now :)

@DeadDodgeGarage

Жыл бұрын

My late 20s-early 30s have basically been one big sigh… the difference is mine is now caught on film. Lol. I used to want a nice old car to drive all the time. Now I have them, but I realize that what I usually want more is to get to work… and to be comfortable and have a nice stereo. Isn’t it interesting how things change?