318 Stroker or MP 360 Shortblock?

[67DartGT360]

I have a catalog from Muscle Motors and in it they list a small block stroker kit for $2000. It is the 408/416 Kit and it uses a 4" stroke and a cast crank along with Eagle H beam rods. The problem I have is this: I want to make about 450HP and run low 12s high 11s with my 67 Dart and a 3:91 gear. MP tells me their 360 shortblock with the J heads I have (w/big valves) 340 intake and TQ will do that. This stroker kit really intrigues me though. I have a 318 already in my garage. Muscle Motors tells me the 318 .030 over and their kit (along with my J heads and 340 intake) will make a 390 CI motor and easily 450 HP. It seems to me the MP short block set up will be cheaper for me, but I want this car to be a driver that I can take to the track now and then and win and I've heard allot about quality control problems with the MP shortblock. I'm also not sure if the MP shortblock will give me the power I want. Which way would you guys go? Thanks!

[CrazySpdz]

To me it doesn't seem like 318 stroking is all that common.

I don't think you can go wrong with that 360 MP short block, since it's up to you to decide what heads [j-heads], intake manifold, and carb you'll run.

The 318 i'm just about finishing will be up in the 250 hp range, almost stock with a cam, headers maybe if the buyer puts them in since the motor will be out, ported heads/intake, 4bbl edel streetmaster, double roller, ...

A lot of people will say there's no substitute for cubic inches. I think you should go with the 360 shortblock, j heads or edel. alluminum, single plane, 650-750cfm carb.... also for the track times, what gearing will you be running?

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73 Charger 400
94 ZJ Limited 318

[67DartGT360]

Well, no matter which block I go with, I'll be using my J heads and my 340 intake w/ TQ. The MP Shortblock is all set up and ready to go, but out of caution, I'm gonna have a machine shop check it out. A stroked 318 will give me a 390 with the same heads, intake and carb. I would probably use a cm similar tot he one in the shortblock. Now do you see why I'm having a dilemma? :-) IN the long run, the shortblock my end up cheaper, but not by much. As for gears, I'll be running 3:91s all the time. I'll have a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to compensate for the gearing.

[Speedy#1]

I like the 318 stroker because 318'S are a dime a dozen around here and 360's are hard to find .Plus you guy's say you get more cube's with the 360 ??390 cubes is 30 more not less then a 360 and lighter too.I think with some head work like deshrouding and a good valve job gasket matching it will run vary well and cheep .Plus you allready have all most every thing you need lot's of ponies for less cash .

[67DartGT360]

Less cash? I'm not so sure. The stroker kit from Muscle Motors is $2000 and then I spend money at the machine shop for them to bore the block and put it all together. I do know, though, that it will give me the power and the ETs I'm looking for and I can tell everyone that it's just a 318! On the otherhand...the MP 360 shortblock is $1200 and already asssembled. I'd still take it to a machine shop and have them check all the clearances and the balance. In the long run, I think the MP Shortblock may be cheaper, but I don't know for sure if it will give me the power and ETs I'm looking for. I guess I'm asking everyone their opinions.

[Tim_K]

With all the bad things I've heard about quality control in the MP 360's, I wouldn't take one if it were free. Well, maybe if it were free, but I'd totally disassemble it and check everything first.

[67DartGT360]

I've heard about the problems too with the MP shortblock. My thinking is that if I'm going to be paying for a shortblock, then rebuilding it anyway just to check it, then I may as well build my 318 into a stroker and put out the extra $1000 for the quality parts. I'm looking for low 12s-high 11's out of a 3100lbs Dart with 3.91 gears and 14" tires. I guess it'll come down to which combo will give me those numbers, hold up to a beating, and not break my bank.

[kchristopher]

If you do decide to spend the extra $1000 and stroke it, why not spend another $50 for a cheap 360 block and really build up some cubic inches.

[69CORONET440]

how much are you gonna pay to have it takin apart and put together? with the mp360 its still a 360 but the 318 comes out 390?! after you get shipping thrown in on the 360 i bet there's not much difference in total$$$-i'd go stroker in fact i might do it too. you have contact info on "muscle motors"?

[67DartGT360]

Well, If I were to go with the Shortblock, it would be cheaper for me to drive from Madison, Wisconsin to Koller Dodge in Illinois to pick it up than to have it shipped. But I am leaning more towards the stroker even though it would be more expensive. I'm still open to any opinions, though. You can contact Muscle Motors at www.musclemotorsracing.com They have an email link there. The address is: 2085 Glenn St. Lansing, MI 48906. Order Line: 888-482-4900 Tech Support: 517-482-4900 Fax: 517-482-1850 No I don't work for them, I'm just getting this out of a catalog. :-) I've talked to both MM and MP and they both tell me that their combo will give me what I'm looking for. Then again, they are trying to sell me their combo too!

[Speedy#1]

You should call Mancini's their just down the street from me and i talked to him a couple months ago and he told me they had every thing in tock to build a 318 troker ,but i don't recall it costing that much money to build i'll call back and let you know.

[Speedy#1]

OK i just called mancini's the crank cost 309$ for the 318 and you use stock rods and around 350$ for some KIETH Black pistons.But the bad news is they won't have any till around the end of September.they have them for the 360 though and cost a little more.i'm not sure about balencing though on the 318 crank i forgot to ask him but around 650-700$ plus bearings is allot cheeper than 2,000$ at MM .But i don't know what M&M have to offer in their package deal but i can see the hole motor being built for less then 2'grand in less you have a lot of head work to jack up the price but you said you had a good set of heads .

[AZPentastar]

Speedy, I would be very interested if Keith Black was making a 360 piston for the 4 inch crank. Just to clarify, Mancinis said that this piston was currently available for around $350.00?