Hello /6ers! My name is Chris and I just bought my first MOPAR, a '69 Dart 270 with the leaning tower of power under the hood. In the past I have been a GM guy but in all honesty I am sick of Chevelles and Camaros (I still have a '73 Formula 400, '72 Lemans, and my family's '93 Caprice Wagon with all the SS treatments).

Since opening my own shop I have been primarily working on B-bodys and have grown attached to their style (and issues) so I started looking for an affordable way to get into mopars and an A-body looked like the ticket. Now that I have had it home for a couple weeks I am ready to start modifying it a bit.

I started doing searches on this forum and on the .com one, started printing out info and doing some research however it seams as though most of the articles and threads are dated. I found this out when I read a thread stating that MP has performance parts for /6's so I went to ebay and bought one only to find out there is nothing for /6's. Oh well, at least I know they have suspension parts for the A-bodies. Another example of the dated threads I found was that it says I can get a super six intake for about $50! I have been watching ebay (I need to stop shoping there) and saw them for 3x's that amount!

Could I get some opinions on what to do to get more performance out of the 225, automatic trans combo? A list of current parts providers? Etc?

I know you will want a budget so lets shoot for $800. to a grand tops. I am using it as my summer driver so it needs to be tame, yet sets you in the seat more than it does now. The engine condition is fine, it has 86,000 miles on it. I am sure the heads will need upgrading to hardend seats so some head mods are in order. Though I have never built a /6 before I have the mechanical skills to do the cam swaps and rebuilds. I can live with the nusances of headers if I can gain a few HP but want to stay away from any trans/rear end work for now except for a converter upgrade.

If you need more specifics let my know. And thanks in advance for the help!

Chris

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Chris'
Autobody
Restoration
Service

For starters I would recomend a super six (2-barrel) conversion. I just finished doing this on my Duster and you would not believe the difference over the 1-barrel. The biggest increase I have noticed is the torque increase.

Use www.car-part.com to help you find the parts you need.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Welcome, Chris!

Ebay prices follow their own logic, which can be more of a heard mentality than anything else. Super Six intakes are still cheap at junkyards. $150 is closer to the street price of an aluminum four barrel intake for a slant six. For a cheap daily driver, I'd go with a Super Six. And whatever you do, don't buy a rebuilt carb from a parts store or Ebay. Get one from a reputable carb guy or rebuild a junkyard one yourself.

Other mods besides head work that I'd suggest would be a mild cam and upgrading the ignition with a stock electronic distributor combined with a HEI module and appropriate coil.

Hardened valve seats seem to be sort of a gray area for slant sixes. Many of them don't seem to need them. If you already plan on doing a lot of machine work to fit oversized valves, then go for it. Also mill the head about 0.090" for a little more compression.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Any cam companies or grinds you can recommend?

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Chris'
Autobody
Restoration
Service

For the street, the "mild" Mopar 244 or the Comp 252 would be a good first step.
See what your local cam grinder has to offer.
DD