Im building a 1974 225 with elect. ign. to go in my 1968 charger r/t. Yes real 440, 4 speed dana R/T. Its a stock 1974 225, I purchased a 225 super 6 2 bbl intake and carb. I was going to use a dutra front cast iron header and stock rear section so I can use the choke. I built an o/d 833 trans with a truck bellhousing and a ford ranger HD clutch so I can still use the stock 4 speed shifter. Im using the stock 3.54 dana 60 rear end. I want some go but I want m.p.g thats why the 440 is on the stand. I need suggestions on cam, springs, Mill the head? mill the block? any other ideas would help. Thanks alot

This sounds like a fun project! Just wait until you take the finished product to the first car show, that will get some attention.

Set the stactic compression right at 9 to 1 if you use a mild cam, go higher on compression as the cam gets bigger.

Port Port Port on the cylinder head, use O/S valves if you really want to start making some higher RPM power.

Cam choice will take some discussion and it is a trade-off. Good low rpm & torque with decent MPG or give-up some to get more high RPMs. (and HP)
DD

Next thing that Dana 60 is extreme overkill for a Slant car weight and friction. It is a great rearend for the proper app but you could pick up dyno hp by swaping it for a b body 8 and 3/4. That would be a simple swap and you could keep the Dana 60. Thanks Ron Parker









It Aint Over Until I Win

Ive seen alot of suggestions on valve sizes, what oversized is the easiest to convert to?

SI Valves have the 1.70" intake and 1.44" exhausts that are not too bad to work with. I turbo'd my '70 /6 Duster and went from 18 mpg to 23 mpg keeping my foot out of it. FWIW, I'm just about finished with another turbo conversion kit that is highlighted in Translucent Tropic Orange that would nicely compliment your Street Hemi Orange engine.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

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Not a bad suggestion to swap over to the 8 3/4 "drop-out", seeing that the 3.54 ratio in the Dana will be a little high for the OD 4-speed. (2.69 in OD)

With that trans, I find that 4.10 works pretty good for the street. That will give you a 3.12 ratio in 4th
DD

well Im leaving the dana because of the rareness but dont forget there were alot of dana 60s in 3/4 ton truck with a 225 that did just fine.

Well you cant have everything. Do you want some go or some mpg or suggestions that will help. you cant have the best go and mpg with that dana 60 behind a Slant 6 Trust me on this. Thanks Ron Parker










It Aint Over Until I Win

I agree with Mr. Parker in regards to "go" vs. MPG.

The '68 Charger RT weighs 3775 lbs with a 440 engine in it.

That's a heavy car for a slant. Not impossible, but heavy. If you're going to want "some go" to it you'll have to pep up the slant pretty well, which will likely drop your MPG significantly. Especially when you push the gas pedal pretty hard as you launch from the stoplights.

(At the risk of getting myself in trouble, I would suggest that a 273 would give you a better combination of HP and MPG in your Charger than a slant will).

Sticking with the slant, you might consider two avenues:

1- A 4 speed transmission (standard or automatic) with overdrive, coupled to a steep rear end ratio. This will give you the power you need to launch a heavy car, but still deliver MPG as you get up into OD.

2- A turbocharged slant six. This will help the Charger pull hard once the RPMs build. Some of the turbo slanters claim pretty good mileage.

A lot depends on where you will spend your driving time... city or highway.

-Mac

The overdrive is a good idea...Something like 4.10 gears....I think Doc said something to this effect earlier in the thread.

getting the dana out of there might save you 100 pounds or more...It all makes a big difference....There is a 8 and 1/4 for those cars...they are light....Low gears are hard to find though...Adding to the cost.

Everything is a little expensive...Aside from a super six and dutra duals...Head work can get expensive...A hyper pak is expensive...Performance cam is expensive...No cheap way out of this.

Hyper pak dutra duals...Middle of the road performance cam...Plane the head a little...Port the p**s out of it...Overdrive with a 4.10 it would be an alla around neat driver...Not fast but not a slug on red lights and cruise the highway decently...

you don't have to thrash the dana 60... you can save your original drivetrain like you already did with your 440, and use a dana 44 from a grand cherokee with 4.10 rear, an 833 OD (my choice would be built by passon performance, with a 2.66 first gear, so technically is a close ratio OD... that can outlive your "bad gas pricing times" combo and be pretty much a blast with your 440, dana 60 and some HIGH numerically rear end ratio) and the slant. I'm suggesting the dana 44 because is a good fit under our mopars, and they're as bulletproof as the 60 is. I have one Dana 44 in my car. (OEM) and it's a very nice, stronger differential yet doesn't rob as much power as the dana 60. My car weights 3200 lbs and is still a very good launcher... be warned: my mpg sucked with 3.07:1 rear end and 904. I'll be going to 3.54's and 833

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Juan Ignacio Caino

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Passion performance means it is getting really expensive...

One of the cool things about slants is that parts are so interchangeable from junk yards and have always been relatively affordable.

Start sending transmissions to passion performance and you spend more on the transmission than most of us would pay for an old dart or valiant with a slant 6 in it...

For that reason only I thought the stock truck overdrive unit was best..It should be about the right length too...

Thanks for all the info, the trans I have is a od 833 and I swapped the
output shaft and rear tail shaft so I could use the stock b-body crossmember and a pistol grip shifter, how much do you suggest I mill the head? Im more interested with mpg and some go. This isnt my fast car concidering a have a 9.00 63 dodge. im just looking for a reliable daily driver. I know slant sixes are the way to go because my friend had a 68 plymouth wagon with a six and pulled his boat with it for years. He changed to a bigger exhaust, 2 bbl (which let him keep his foot out of it) and cam(dont know which one). I also have a 1970 super bee original 440 6 pack 4 speed car that just sits under a cover and never sees daylight, I hate that. I dont want another car that sits in my garage, and costs $30 to drive to work 1 day. Thats why Im looking to build the charger, And being a mechanic for over 15 years its not in my blood to drive anything that isnt old or really different. Any further help is greatly appreciated seeing all my friends only know big motors and hemis. I just purchased and am reading the mopar performance slant six book. I still need help with the cam choice. Im going with the 1.70 and 1.44 valves. and how much to mill the head? Also I may use a 318 2 bbl carb. Thanks guys. Tim

I'd build the block and THEN mill the head according to deck height (negative) pistons used, all that stuff. Me personally likes the 2300 or a 4160 for a good slant build. Erson does makes some good cams for only $120 from summit (new cam cores, beautifully built and grind) i have 2 270º from erson. Is good enough for an auto slant with stock stall! so let alone for a manual trans! my 2 cents

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

Very good stuff. After milling .100 of my '72 block...finished deck height is negative .120! Very loose....more than I wanted, but I wasn't sure how much further I could go. I believe some aftermarket pistons are "shaved" to compensate for minor resurfacing. Fine for your boat, bad for performance. Compression must have been 7-1!
I probably have 70 cc chambers too......

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225 Cubic Inches of Iron-Head American Muscle

225 bored .040 /.100 off block, Schneider Cam 224@.050~ .480 lift - Stock valves, blended bowls, Offenhauser intake with 500 Edelbrock carb