Hello Everyone: I have never owned a classic car before, but just purchased a 1973 Dodge Dart 4-Door Custom off my elderly neighbour. Its currently at my local MOPAR mechanic's place getting road certified, after which I'm looking at some interior, paint and body work. Now - the engine. It's powered by a 225 Slant Six and I'd like to have it rebuilt at the local automotive place. My question is this (and please keep in mind that I have NEVER restored/rebuild a car before). I'd like to keep the original Slant Six as the power plant, but am getting a lot of flack from 318 and 340 owners in a local club, to exchange it for a V8. I plan on driving this vehicle on weekends and maybe to work once in a while. She'll be wintered in a garage (as it has been for the last 25 years). I don't want to go crazy with a huge Hulkster-style overbuild, but I'd like an engine that performs well, is reliable and offers some fun in terms of visuals/sounds, etc. If anyone could suggest a way forward, I'd really appreciate it. I have a budget that will allow for some performance components, but again, I'm not going to be running any quarter-mile heats. My research so far indicates that the Slant Six will probably suit my thoughts for the project, but I'd like some feedback. I appreciate any help. Thanks!

From what I can infer from your post, it seems you will likely be fine with Slant. Dare to be different (or stupid, as the V8 guys and Weird Al Yankovic would say).

Take a look at the "engine build matrix" thread here and see what makes sense to you, then ask some questions. You can up the output 20-40 HP with some simple changes and still have good driveability on pump gas.

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23314

What is your budget for the rebuild, and do you have a good machine shop nearby?

Best wishes and welcome to the site!

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Congrats on the new ride!

As far as the slant --- Was in a similar situation last june or so.....had just bought our 80 Volare 2 door slant 6 some 6 or 8 weeks prior.....and the slant had oil issues...siezed oil pump.

Well, would have been a great opportunity to go to a big honking v8.....

Except this car was for my 17 year old son to drive. Insurance costs, gas costs, concern about safety etc all factored in. So we rebuilt the /6 and super-sixed it for a little more oomph. We have not regretted the decision yet.

I find myself seaking out slant 6s now at cruises etc....its something cool and different if you ask me.

We added a louder muffler and it sounds decent to us.

And slant 6s can be built so I am told if we ever want to play with it....my son keeps talking about turbos...LOL

In the end, its your car -- do what pleases YOU and makes sense for YOU.

There will always be those who egg you on to go further. I have a 318 in my 72 Cuda....people always ask "you gonna go big block? Hemi?"

Nope. Doubtful.

One day I may go small block stroker.....but why go big block and add weight an already heavy car and screw up my handling?

Nah.....

Its fun to dream, but I am too practical to go with anything too radical...LOL

Hey Guys: Thanks for the welcome. I'm pretty well dedicated to the Slant Six rebuild, I just needed a nudge to fall on the right side of the fence, lol. I appreciate the advice. My current budget is about $4000 (car is already paid for). It will need other work, but I have the budget to do the engine right and that is my plan. My local shop can do the heavy lifting, including the rebuild and testing. I may be able to enlist the help of a buddy who is a gearhead to help me with the reinstall - or I may get the automotive rebuild shop to reinstall it. Just how difficult is this reinstallation process? My friend has a shop with a lift and all the necessary knowledge and gear. Sounds to me like I can get what I want with the Slant Six and not have to overthink the problem too much. Analyze the situation, localize the issue, examine the options, select the way forward and execute the plan without looking back, right? Get. It. Done. Lol. I'll keep you posted and please, keep the advice coming! Cheers, Shawn

Sounds like a sensible way to proceed. You can get quite a bit for $4000.

How many miles are on the current engine and does it run? Have you removed the engine or torn it apart yet? It is not difficult to install the engine, esp if you have a buddy with a lift and such.

I'll contemplate a sensible buildup for you.

Best wishes,

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

The best place to spend money on a slant rebuild is the head. Get oversize valves and porting. In conjunction with your cam choice, spend the time to calculate the dynamic compression ratio to determine how much you should get miled off of the head and/or block. Next up is the cam, then the timing curve and exhaust. You can do all of this for under $4k easily.

We did our R/R in my driveway that actually slopes toward the street somewhat. Didnt have a choice....so other than having to be careful to not let the engine hoist take off on its own (LOL) it was straightforward.

We pulled the hood off to make it easier.

It probably helps to have the correct lifting bracket if you can find one --- the factory used one that was perfectly setup to keep the angles righ tetc.

We used one of those adjustable angle doohickeys and it worked ok but we had issues on chain length etc......more our lack of lots of engine replacement experience than any fault of the lift etc....

We found that the slant really does liketo....er....slant.....when installing....leans toward the passenger side for obvious reasons, so that made things a little harder than just lining up the mount ears and dropping it.....that made it sort of "fun" when we were trying to line up to the tranny, which we left in the car.

I have pulled slants from A bodiues, F bodies, and vans using a cherry picker and a chain. I usually remove the manifolds and hook the hoist to a chain that runs from one of the alternator bracket bolt holes to one of the engine to trans brace bolt holes. If I hook the chain close to the manifold side of the head, it usually lifts level. Unfortunately, it also like to spin so I have to keep a hand on it so it strays rotated correctly.

Installation and removal s actually pretty easy. You and your friend can do it. The only tricky part on passenger cars is the engine to trans bolt that goes through the mounting hole for the dipstick. For that one it helps to have some socket extensions and universal joints for the extensions. And patience.

Hi All: The current engine is a spare that was put into the car about 15 years ago. The original was 'making some noise' and the owner pulled it out. He said he put oil in the cylinders. It's been wrapped in a tarp in his garage since. This will be the one that is rebuilt. I'll either keep or sell the spare at that time. Thanks for the buildup info, Dart270...and for all the input from everyone else - that will help a LOT.

Cheers,
Shawn

Congratulation.
Fine idea.
That's going to be the easiest, most satisfactory, and (by far) least expensive way.
When it's their car (and their money, blood, sweat, tears, and time), then their vote will count. It's that simple.

Want to warm up the engine over stock specs? There is a ton of real estate to do that with build techniques, specs, and parts. It's best to define and plan your project in specific, detailed terms of what you want the car to do (and not to do, and to do differently than it does now). And don't think about just the engine; the brakes, suspension, tires, rear axle, radiator, transmission (…seat belts, lights...) on a stock '73 Dart are (depending on spec) somewhere between inadequate and passable for a stock engine; they aren't up to safely coping with a big jump in engine output, so you need to think about (and budget for) the whole car in terms of money, effort, and time.

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Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Sage advice there from SSD. Does the 73 have disc brakes on front? My 70 Dart did not, my 75 Valiant does. The disc brakes make a HUGE difference on these cars! Frankly, stopping and steering are more important than going.

Hello Again:

Thanks to all for the valuable advice. SSD, I'm in total agreement with you. It's my project, so it's my decision. I was just noodling because I thought that if I was going to do something drastic, then this would be the time to do so. I'm not a man who is a pushover, but my lack of knowledge in these particulars tends to bend my ear toward those that do. However, in the light of day, what you say rings true. I'm not building a rocket here. What do I want the car to do and not do? Well, I'd like the car to be a good, solid cruiser on weekends and the odd day to work. I would like to to keep most of it's authenticity, but I would also like to squeeze a bit more performance out of it. I hope this doesn't sound juvenile, but I'd not only like it to look great and respond well, but not having had such a cool vehicle before, I'd also like it to sound good too (a bit of the 20-year old Shawn from loooong ago sneaking in there a bit, lol).

My intention is to have mechanic (referred to me by the local Vintage Car Club) address all the mechanicals and make sure they're ready to go. This would include the suspension, brakes and exhaust, cooling system, transmission and rear axle items you referred to. I agree...no point in going, if you can't STOP going. At the same time, I'll have the engine rebuilt and I guess I'll need to know what my end-game is in that regard, as the other items will need to be in parody with any increase in power output. The interior will be next - and I have a great local husband/wife team who will probably get the nod for that. Bodywork and paint will be last as, for the whole, the body has no holes, only some subsurface bubbling. Due to the same bubbling issue, the Landau roof needs to be replaced at the same time.

75Valiant, this particular '73 has drums all 'round. Something I am considering changing. I may, for now, leave it in this configuration, but of course, I may change this in the future.

I'll post up some pictures, when I can get around to learning how to do that on this forum.

Again, your time and consideration is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Shawn

I'm thinking that I'd like a little bit more power. ... more like a firecracker than a thermonuclear explosion, lol. The easier the build, the better for me and my pocketbook, lol. There is sufficient in the budget to have this done right, so I'd like to do that. I feel that I'm more of the custodian of this car, than the owner, and I'd like to think that I'm restoring a bit of history here. I will do the best with what I have.

Thanks,
Shawn

Right, good, but we're still talking across each other. The basic equipment on a '73 Dart was 9"-diameter drum brakes at all four wheels. They really were not adequate in 1973 traffic and they're downright hazardous in 2017 traffic, even if they're in tip-top shape. Likewise the stock suspension and steering systems are not more than marginally adequate if they're in tip-top shape. The stock exhaust system was too small for even an unmodified slant-6; they specced it as they did because it was cheaper that way. The basic cooling system was marginally adequate. The basic rear axle doesn't deal well with increased engine output, and its ratio is not well suited to brisk acceleration.

Now, there were options in '73. You could get heavy-duty suspension, 10" drums at all four corners (minimally adequate) or front discs with 10" rear drums (fairly good and easily upgraded to very good). You could get heavy-duty cooling, with or without a trailer-tow package that also included a heavier-duty rear axle with a more favourable ratio, etc.

How about this: post a clear, sharp photo of the car's fender tag (the metal plate about the size of a business card on the driver's side inner fender, easily visible when you open the hood) and we can tell what equipment the car was built with. It wouldn't be good to put money into refurbishing small drum brakes; better to put money into upgrading to discs (etc).

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Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I think 2/3 of those cars had the six, they were popular cars but 'many feel that 73 is in the beginning of the decline of the A body, gaining weight etc. A stock 318 version isn't all that quick compared to late model cars. The F-body replacement was actually a bit heavier, but those had the option of the two barrel carb

Tim