10 best engine upgrades

[p24-1953]

so what are the top ten things to do to our little stock enginges? exhaust, split intake? shaved head? also does any one have any sound bites of the duel exhaust setup? so whats yalls rankings?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Hey..you going to be at the get togehter this Saturday..should be a couple cars here that will have these mods in place..be a great time to look them over...

[hkestes41]

so what are the top ten things to do to our little stock enginges? exhaust, split intake? shaved head? also does any one have any sound bites of the duel exhaust setup? so whats yalls rankings?

Here is a link to a YouTube of mine with cast iron headers from Langdons running through 2 inch pipes and 14 inch turbo mufflers.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AxfKQ4KMM9s

[BobT-47P15]

Split manifold with two cherry bomb mufflers.

It also leaks at the manifold.....needs gaskets.

No other modifications. Click on link for brief video.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v96/BobT3/1949%20P15/cpe%20running/?action=view&current=100_1771.flv

[Rodney Bullock]

This is the first time I took the time to listen to a 6 cly with the splits and the carbs. It sounds very good. When I was puting my car together it never accured to me to do this to a Plymouth motor. My chevy 235 has both splits and dual carbs however With the mopar it never crossed my mind. All my mopars exept for the 1940 Plymouth have 440 motors in them. I have 3 mopars. I guess to me Mopar power is always extreme with big motors and lot of torque. When I'm in the Coupe I like the quiet:D

[Don Coatney]

Rodney;

First time? I thought you went for a ride in my hot rod last summer?

[JerryinTx]

Those engine sounds are very enticing! A Mopar flattie sounds great stock, but the enhancements make the sound even nicer.

[blueskies]

so what are the top ten things to do to our little stock enginges? exhaust, split intake? shaved head? also does any one have any sound bites of the duel exhaust setup? so whats yalls rankings?

I say the best engine upgrade is an overdrive transmission... after that, I'd do all of the above...

Here's a couple of clips of mine:

Pete

[Scott1953]

I have a question regarding upgrades.

I would like to do some of the things mentioned here like the split manifold, dual carbs etc but my focus and budget are going to be aimed at the body this summer. My car is a 1953 Dodge Coronet D46. My question is regarding increasing compression by machining the head. Is it advisable to only machine the head and leave the block alone? I ask because it would seem to be a fairly easy and cheap thing for me to have done, as long as I don't have to pull the engine so that the block surface could be machined. I'm sure that ideally you would want to at least have the block surface indicated to ensure that it is flat, but can I get away with just pulling the head and having it shaved and if so, how much is advisable? I'd read somewhere up to .070" but that included taking some off the block, not that it should matter which side you take from, as long as you don't take too much, right?

What say you.

Scott

[builtfercomfort]

Everyone else has got the right idea, but we aren't up to 10 ideas yet... so

Turbo! Or maybe a huge nitrous bottle... spare engines too...

---------

You can make the car fuel injection, fairly simple (as these things go which is not very) if you can find the right early 1990s GM v6 donor, complete with all sensors and computer.

I once read about a turbocharged mopar flatty too, putting out about 300 HP. I would guess the bottom end would be questionable at that level, same with the nitrous, but it would probably work for a wile

[greg g]

early throttle body FI from Ghl Ghls, and some GM cars are closed loop systems with no computor heeded, just a couple of default circuits based on temp input. Used on early s 10 withthe V6. Engine eas used in the Jeep cherokee for a couple years also. Search the web for turbo stude. Fellow plumbed a sutdebaker flathead with a turbo from a Chrysler Lebaron or something similar.

[knuckleharley]

Here is a link to a YouTube of mine with cast iron headers from Langdons running through 2 inch pipes and 14 inch turbo mufflers.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AxfKQ4KMM9s

That sounds really good. What cam are you running? Have any trouble getting the 2x2 setup to work properly?

[hkestes41]

That sounds really good. What cam are you running? Have any trouble getting the 2x2 setup to work properly?

Stock cam. Set up of the 2X2 was just a matter of bolting it on. Everything is right out of the box. The only difficulty and it was very minor was getting the linkage from the pivot point on the head to the arm on the cab linkage. Had to get a rod from Home Depot and bend it to get around the rear carb.

Once that was done all I did was adjust the idle screws to get my idle to the point I wanted.

[Reg Evans]

I have a question regarding upgrades.

I would like to do some of the things mentioned here like the split manifold, dual carbs etc but my focus and budget are going to be aimed at the body this summer. My car is a 1953 Dodge Coronet D46. My question is regarding increasing compression by machining the head. Is it advisable to only machine the head and leave the block alone? I ask because it would seem to be a fairly easy and cheap thing for me to have done, as long as I don't have to pull the engine so that the block surface could be machined. I'm sure that ideally you would want to at least have the block surface indicated to ensure that it is flat, but can I get away with just pulling the head and having it shaved and if so, how much is advisable? I'd read somewhere up to .070" but that included taking some off the block, not that it should matter which side you take from, as long as you don't take too much, right?

What say you.

Scott

Scott,

I have a list on my garage wall of the results of milling the heads on 40's and 50's flat heads. For the 53 Dodge it says the stock c.r. is 7.0. and if .070 is removed the c.r will be raised to 7.7. I've heard you can remove even more. The same list says a 46-50 Dodge ratio is 6.8 and if you remove .090 the c.r. will raise to 7.8. Can't answer the part about milling the block.

[knuckleharley]

Stock cam. Set up of the 2X2 was just a matter of bolting it on. Everything is right out of the box. The only difficulty and it was very minor was getting the linkage from the pivot point on the head to the arm on the cab linkage. Had to get a rod from Home Depot and bend it to get around the rear carb.

Once that was done all I did was adjust the idle screws to get my idle to the point I wanted.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking a 2x2 setup would be too rich for a stock engine. I guess I was wrong once again.

[Harold M]

I had my manifold drilled and tapped with six quarter by one bolts and bolted exaust flange to the manifold.then brazed a divider behind the heat riser. The heat riser still works great, There was no welding or cutting to the manifold.

[plyman 50]

I had my manifold drilled and tapped with six quarter by one bolts and bolted exaust flange to the manifold.then brazed a divider behind the heat riser. The heat riser still works great, There was no welding or cutting to the manifold.

This sounds good, I've been looking for a way to do this myself. Thanks, Dave

[Californian]

When overhauling a Mopar flathead six , use Brass Freeze Plugs , they used to use them on the Chrysler Marine Engines the Crown & the Ace motors, used to get them at Bocelli Chrysler/Mercury Marine in San Francisco years ago, but you can probbly get them at NAPA or anyplace with a good selection of Doreman products...

Tom (09)

[Reg Evans]

I had my manifold drilled and tapped with six quarter by one bolts and bolted exaust flange to the manifold.then brazed a divider behind the heat riser. The heat riser still works great, There was no welding or cutting to the manifold.

Can you post some photos ? Can't really visualize what you mean.

[Californian]

TRW used to offer a set of valve springs and retainers that were not like your regular valve spring collar/retainer they had rotators in the thicker collar to keep the valve from seating in the same spot on the seat thus less chance of burning a valve...Has anyone heard of them being made these day since I havent seen a TRW part in years..

Tom (09)