Depends what kind of restoration you want. If you go with a 318 why do need to upgrade the brakes. A 904 for a 318 is the same price as for a /6
and the Junk yards are full of raditors for 318s the same price as a /6.

A 300 or 380 crate motor will most certainly twist an A-body IF you ever put good enough tires on it to hook it up.

My '66 is not tied, and it will probably twist, but I don't really care as the body is crap anyway. I may tie it this year just for grins when I start the 150 shots.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

A 380 *MAYBE*. A 300? I don't think so, unless the unibody is swiss cheesed with rust or something.

I'm talking twist to the point of damaging the body- its a given that connectors will help hook *ANY* car up better at the track. Stiffer is always better.

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An A-body that is on good tires WILL twist w/o subframe connectors. Been there, done that. Leave them on tires that spin and you will never bend one, even with a Hemi.

A good motor will twist one with connectors.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

What 40 year old A-body doesn't have "issues" with rust. As pointed out, they are cheap insurance.

99.8% of the ones in Texas

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Personally, I've had WAY more rust issues with B-bodies than with any A-body...

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I have one of each: a Dart with a fairly potent 360 and one with a turbo slant. There is little doubt that the v-8 is the easier way to go, easier to build power, and smoother, with better low end torque when built for power. It is easier to get parts for the v-8 as well. Not only all that, but once the slant is built, it doesn;t get much better mileage than the 360.

That being said, I enjoy the company of, and admire the personalities of the slant guys much more than the v-8 guys. I appologize in advance for any offense dished out to the v-8 crowd. Certainly not all v-8 guys are alike. However, it has my general experience that the slant guys are much more genuinely helpful to each other. There seems to be less chest thumping in their relating to one another. The slant guys are much more resourceful. The slant guys are much more creative than the v-8 guys. You can build a v-8 by following a cook book approach that is readily available, and simply follow the dots, or paint by numbers, so to speak, and the results will be satisfactory every time. The slant however produces more originality from it's crafters. The slant guys have got guts as well. I have had to endure countless proddings by my other hot rod friends who do not understand the appeal of the slant to simply "drop a hemi" in it. That's for a guy with no guts, no imagination, and lots of money.

The slant guys seem to be old fashioned car crafters stilll. They don;t simply pay someone else to do it. They get their hands greasy, and their knuckles busted creating their own cars. When you go to a car show these days, if you question the owners about their cars, much of the time the owner did nothing but write checks. Now I'm really going out on a limb with this one. I'll have to put my flack jacket on after the next comment, but it seems that the serious slant guys have a more intellectual attitude towards their cars, and life in general. I have never been impressed by the attitude that thought it was the height of achievement in life to burn a set of tire treads off the back tires while sitting still. I have met more PHD's in the slant crowd. The slant guys want to figure it out themselves.
Their cars are part of a larger curiosity about life and the universe, and not simply a way to strut their testosterone around in front of others.

The last thing I will say about this is that I have lots of friends with v-8 powered hotrods, whom I admire. It;s just a matter of degree. I would rather spend time with my slant buddies than with the v-8 crowd. I'll get off my soap box now.

Vader

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69 Dart Swinger, 230 ci slant, t-5 five speed, intercooled turbo, 4 wheel disk brakes, tubular upper control arms.

Dartvader: VERY well put! I agree with what you said 100% (well except that part about the burnouts... We all gotta "burn" off a little excess testosterone from time to time! )

I own(ed) all kinds too, and it's just like you say: Ease vs. originality (the creative sort, not the "concours" sort). Depends on which you want more. I want it all!!!

D/W

By the way, I'm helping a friend put a T-5 in his '66 Mustang. What's that switch on top of a '91 Ford T-5 for, any ideas (has a two-wire pigtail attached to it)? The backup light switch is on the side... Is the other some sort of nuetral safety switch? I'm assuming he can remove it and forget it, but we're wondering what it's for. Anybody know?

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

One is a neutral saftey switch, the other is a back up light switch. You can figure it out with a VOM. I forget which is which, as I never hooked up either.

When you get to be my age, there is not much extra testosterone available. I guess I should be a little more understanding of the "younger set" huh? After all is said and done, burnouts are pretty benign.

Vader

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69 Dart Swinger, 230 ci slant, t-5 five speed, intercooled turbo, 4 wheel disk brakes, tubular upper control arms.

Thanks. We're not quite curious enough to wanna buy a '91 Mustang Service Manual! Already found an exploded view that showed the backup light switch, but not the other, so it must be the neutral safety switch.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

voiceofstl,

You'll have to let us all know which way you decide to go with this.

I was happy with the swap in my '72 Swinger from 225 to 318. For me it was an easy way to go faster.

I really enjoy the Slant 6 thing though. I absolutely agree with the others, it's definitely the people and comraderie that got me hooked on the Slant 6 Racing thing. That, and being different.

I'm like Dennis too. I want it all. My '67 Dart GT will someday get that big block put in that's been waiting in storage for the last 12 or so years.

Each approach has it's own intended purpose.

Keep us posted.

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Rob

I’m Mater
The Kentucky Poser

From my experience, a slant draws just as much attention at a car show as a V-8 does. At least it did this weekend.

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

A good engine work can attract views even if the engine is a Slant, I think this got more merit ´cause is more difficult to get parts and good job than a V engine.

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Mopar Muscle is well defend by Slant Six!

Valiant Duster 1971