Hello all, my name is Cagney and I'm a 25 yr old male from Olympia, WA and I am currently attending SPSCC.

I recently purchased a 1980 d200 w/ a 225 /6 and an a435.

I am proud that I figured this out because it was based off the fact that the guy told me it had granny gear and it was a slant 6. I haven't seen it except a photo but it's a military kid who has to deploy in a couple months and it's up in Lynnwood and I paid 900$ for it. It's forest green.

I've done a ton of research on /6.s

I've read everything on the entire site and I've browsed many slant 6 retailers online.

I plan on painting it the same color, just going over it.
Then I plan on installed formed carpet purchased online.
Of course before any of this I plan on giving her a little tune up and then it's up to addressing the issues.

I am a converted Chevy man... my father was a Chevy man, but I've come to respect the sound of a Dodge; and the look.

I used to own a '78 Scottsdale with a 350, Edelbrock manifold and 4 barrel carb, hooker competition headers, dual 3inch flowmaster exhaust, my friends called it a pavement princess because they all had toyotas and my truck was faster.

I can tell you anything about a chevy, specially the x-body, but I really don't know jack about Dodge, except that I like them, what are some of the things I need to think about the SECOND I get the truck.

I'm thinking, things like I would tell a convert over to Chevy, I would tell them...

#1 Immediately take a hose to the inside of the door and the front fender and remove the mud and debri build-up that creates rot due to moisture build up.

#2 Your engine is going to leak a little, it's built real loose like an AK buts it's still healthy, just use a little thicker oil and once it collects on the engine scrape it off and leave the stuff around the seams to keep it from leaking anymore, you want your engine to be able to breath so you need to clean it off.

Stupid easy stuff like that. Are Dodges famous for the factory glue on the ***** and I should expect it to fall off and use gorilla glue next time. Tell me stuff you think I should know please. It would be very much appreciated.

Now here's a list of my questions.

#1 What type of oil should I use. I read what the site says, but if I went to Wall mart, just fing tell me.

#2 Is any part of the vehicle weak and I should be cautious.

#3 Will I be able to pass someone going too slow who then realizes they were day dreaming and then tries to block me from getting over when I'm facing oncoming traffic? One time someone was on there phone going 15 under on a 50mph road and I went to drive around and they did this with a city bus coming.

One barrel carb, everythings stock.

Welcome aboard Cagney. You have come to the right place to learn about our wonderful "leaning tower of power".

regards Rod

Why thank you... I just read
New member, tune-up questions regarding what cap and rotor and such to purchase, it is VERY helpful..

#2 Your engine is going to leak a little, it's built real loose like an AK buts it's still healthy, just use a little thicker oil and once it collects on the engine scrape it off and leave the stuff around the seams to keep it from leaking anymore, you want your engine to be able to breath so you need to clean it off.

??? Ive always wondered what some of those cheby secrets were, but I especially like this one!! Im glad you made the switch and hopefully you will learn much at the slantsix website. The truck sounds cool but a turbo may be in order if you want to race to pass someone when they are fighting the takeover. The strong points of your new rig will definitely be durability and simplicity. I can not begin to say what you need to do nearly as well as others have already said it, so please read on and enjoy, in my opinion this is the best site ever!

Joe

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70 Valiant 225,super six
65 Dart More Door race car 225/4bbl 8 3/4 3:91
70 Dodge D100 Sweptline short box 225/4spd

Welcome Aboard Cagney,
Most of what you want is in the FAQs at the top of each section. Click on the red links to read more info. ANY 10-30 motor oil will do. 1 BBLs SUCK but can get GREAT mileage in a lighter car. I would suggest converting to a 2bbl. Factory or aftermarket. (I will plug my Aussie Speed Hurricanes ) There are several Factory ones in the for sale section. You WONT need the kickdown linkage which will save you a lot of grief.
The BIGGEST bang for your buck is head work. OS valves (1.70/1.44 from Engine Builder) and MILL the head (or deck if you pull the engine) The factory has the compression down in the 7s. Bring it up to 9 to 1 (you can take .100 off which ease) Yes I said 1/10 of an inch.
Speed...remember that your driving a tank with a 1bbl. I cant advise you on that.
Look at the front spring hanger for 4wd or Springs and control arms for 2wd some of those areas like to rust out.
Slants are a GREAT engine and hard to hurt.
Make sure that your choke and heat riser are working correctly.
Have FUN,
Frank
PS I sell the thick Graphite gaskets for intake/exhaust and hot box PM me if you need any.

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

Thank you everyone for the warm hellos, and much thanks to you Frank, I will probably be taking you up on those gaskets.

Like I said I go to SPSCC, just a little community college, south puget sound. I am not in any automotive courses right now, but next quarter I want to possibly work on the truck while I'm in the course to do the bigger stuff like milling it out and such.

Thank you again Frank Ima look up those Aussie Speed Hurricanes and do some more research.

Wow, you've come to the right place! I have a newer model road barge than yours. Best thing I can recommend doing right off the bat is a good tune up. Plugs and wires, cap and rotor, oil and filter, verify ignition timing, the normal stuff people did in the "old" days. Check the air pressure in all the tires 9regardless of what they look like. Check fluid levels in the brakes, rear diff, and trans.

Then just enjoy driving it!

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

coconuteater64: HEY!! WATCH IT THERE BUDDY. --- 1980; old days? Old days are any date before my birth date… I have wing-tip shoes older than that… LOL


Oversized_Hat, you have broken the senseless cycle of Chevy worship, and without the usual 10 step weekly deprogramming meetings. Welcome home brother, you have been saved! I too had a brush with the General, a 94 Caprice Classic (for the record, the worst car I ever owned), and a 13 year relationship with a 1500 4x4 Suburban (one of the better hunks of iron owned), a hard confession for a diehard Mopar man… LOL

As Frank said; you have a big old tank with a one barrel six cylinder, it ain’t gonn’ah move real quick in it’s stock form. However as you read through this site, you will discover that a slant can be perked-up by employing several tried & tested modifications from mild to wild, money & technical skills being the limiting factor.

Don’t worry, we are here to guide your hand, and help answer questions as your Slant Six relationship develops. So welcome aboard Cagney, enjoy your Dodge.

Bill

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

LOL, I'm no longer a spring chicken either, but these days what passes as a "tune up" is changing the spark plugs and timing belt.

My dad was a Mopar nut from before my birth, with the occasional dalliance in VW and Subaru. I am sooo glad you broke the cycle of addiction and parted ways with The General (Government) Motors crowd of bellybutton engines! Of course, you're equally screwed, because these tiny six poppers are addictive!

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

#1 I will admit, shamefully, that when kids my age think of a tune-up it's strictly speaking, wires, cap, rotor, plugs, oil, oil filter..... and that's it. My father recently gave me a nice timing light though.

#2 That is so ironic that you called GM government Motors, I've never heard that, my gf is a wee bit older than I and she has two daughters that she home schools and they go to waldorf school every few days and all the parents overseas don't call our schools public schools when they get here, they are the government schools haha.

Tell me more about your Government Motors comment... I'm curious, specially coming from a Dodge enthusiast, I know that dodges were used by the military quite often, did the government go to GM for the Hummer and really bite the big one or something?

**EDIT**

My father used to tell me all the time that he would take real good care of his vehicles and he would never ever hot rod them and if he happen to get on it a little when he went home he'd park it under the carport and either that night or the next day he'd go over the timing and adjustments... I remember asking him, "Everytime?" He said, "Yes."

I don't mind taking excellent care of my truck, I don't plan on going over 4500 rpms, and I would love to fix the timing and just make sure she's healthy the way she is first, maybe even for awhile, that way I can really appreciate the difference if I make a few upgrades.

I really want a nice intake manifold with good air flow and equal length pipes and nice headers designed well. I'm hearing a lot of good things about Holley on this site too... I've always been an Edelbrock man but I heard they take a LOT of tinkering to get just right.

To my kids, a "tune up" is changing spark plugs, timing belt, and oil. They don't do it themselves either, they have me do it!
The US Gummint bailed out General Motors recently, so the name Government Motors stuck. To be fair, Chrysler took a bailout in the 80s, but they paid it all back. As for government schools, my kids never went to them either. We home schooled until high school, then sent them to college prep school at a ridiculous cost! (Thank you, late mother-in-law who, was a real gem).
Good, because a truck that old is going to need some loving care. Cranking a stock, old slant past 4000 rpm is rolling the dice, and it won't make any power at that level any way. Make sure you have a solid foundation before tossing on performance parts. Learned the hard way myself after tossing $1500 or speed parts onto a tired motor, only to watch the blue smoke cloud grow larger first time I drove it hard. Blew the rings out first pass down the strip!

That's true of any brand carburetor. Some like Edelbrock, some like Carter, some like Holley. Just like some prefer Pepsi, some Coke, some tea. Personal preference is up to you.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

The consensus seems to be the opposite here, from what i've read everyone says Holleys take alot of tinkering to get right, which they probably do, but i like em.
Intakes- offy intake, clifford intake, hurricane intakes, supersix intakes theres a bunch from 1 bbl to 2bbl to 4bbl carbs depends one what your looking for
Headers- i've only had 2 pairs clifford shortys and the turbo header i made so i don't know how many different headers are offered have no idea if they'd fit your vehicle but i'm sure someone will chime in.

Kev

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coconuteater64: Yup, Government Motors, if anyone out there has one of these conveyances, you can just take it the nearest US Post Office for warrantee work, or Federal Building…

coconuteater64: Chrysler got the Federal government to guarantee loans need for recapitalization, think co-signer. The loans were repaid ahead of the prescribe amortization schedule. That was the good news of the day, the bad was the K-Car… Two years later; the Minnie Van, K Car limo’s, and fake plastic clad woody wagons & convertibles…LOL

In 1982 I purchased an $844,800 K Car, the most expensive unit they ever made. Had that chunk of dough been plunked down on Chrysler common stock than instead of on 3000 pounds of iron, cow hide, and isinglass, I would have made out a lot better.

In just a few years, Chrysler stock went from one buck to the mid 60 dollar range. 13,200 x 64 = , well you do the math. Oh, yeah, we also snapped up a new Plymouth Reliant wagon that year as well…

Geez I’m depressed now.

Bill

Cagney, never mind all this miscellaneous blather, we’re all board, and have cabin fever awaiting mud season to come to an end so the cars can come out of winter storage.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

We had a lebaron for awhile, black convertible, really nice, nephew got it after me and he curbed it in the snow so it's out of commission.

That is one nice setup you have coconuteater...

If I were to buy a mopar powered car, it would definitely be the Duster... although I love the hidden lights of the charger and I absolutely dig the challenger.

Did it look anything like this one?

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC