Re: 52 Dodge Panel Engine Swap

Posted by Hal/WA on May 24, 2002 at 22:34:31 from (208.8.194.58):

In Reply to: 52 Dodge Panel Engine Swap posted by Tip on May 24, 2002 at 20:39:11:

It can be done. Is it easy? No. The only easy swaps are when you can use available factory parts to put the engine of your choice in a chassis that has had, maybe as an option, a similar engine. But if you try hard enough, you can put almost anything in anything. It also can cost an incredible amount of money, or not that much at all, depending on how you do it.

To be practical I suggest getting a whole car or truck with a working engine and automatic transmission. Rustout specials are great for this. That way you get all the parts you need to make the engine and transmission work in their new chassis. You will also probably want to change the rear end because, even if the old rear end is strong enough, you will probably find that it has really steep gears. Lousy mileage and lots of noise with the V8. And the brakes on those old rigs leave a lot to be desired and are getting hard to get parts for. I would look into using a Camaro/Nova front clip or possibly a Volare front suspension. You get disc brakes and a lot better handling than with the beam axle. There are lots of other things to consider and change, including electrical, exhaust and cooling, as well as things you might not think of.

If you have never been involved with a swap, I suggest that you do a search of the car and truck magazines, to see how others have done their swaps. Street Rodder, Classic Truck, Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding and other magazines have showcased hundreds of swaps over the years. You might get lucky and find one using a Dodge of the same era as yours, and save yourself a lot of time and head scratching trying to figure out how to solve problems. There also are books available in "speed shop" type auto stores that are about engine swapping.

If you decide to make a swap, I suggest having a plan that you can do in stages. It takes a while. Make it practical and you can build something that is fun and reliable, and not just like what everyone else has. Good luck!

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: 52 Dodge Panel Engine Swap Tip 08:09:19 05/25/02 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: 52 Dodge Panel Engine Swap Hal/WA 00:14:58 05/26/02 (0)

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