Help with my Horizon

[Cvar]

Hey everyone, I am new to this site. Well I have a 78 ply. horizon and i am looking for a web site out there that carries after market parts (if they exist). Anything from engine components that might boost hp. (air intake etc.), to exterior trim like a body kit or a lowering kit. can anyone help?

[SL#63]

Lots of people at the turbododge sites swapping turbo motors/electronics into carbed omnis/horizons. There is some increased performance to be had naturally aspirated, but a turbo swap would be much more cost effective!

[Shakota]

minimopar.knizefamily.net is another good site. I have used many of the tips on this page to help with my Shakota project.

Blessings, Shakota

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by Cvar

Hey everyone, I am new to this site. Well I have a 78 ply. horizon and i am looking for a web site out there that carries after market parts (if they exist). Anything from engine components that might boost hp. (air intake etc.), to exterior trim like a body kit or a lowering kit. can anyone help?

Depends on what engine you have and what your willing to do to it. If it's not a 2.2 you will want to swap that in there with a 5 spd. or it wont be worth messing with. With just a carbed 2.2 you can mill the heads .050 and swap in a Mopar Performance cam from the dealer add a or Hedman header and a 500 cfm Holley 4412 I think that's the correct number and you'll have a pretty good running machine to start with.

[ehostler]

DW, it's a '78. Only 1 engine available and that was the VW 1.7l

[dwc43]

That's true, but most swap out to a 2.2 and get rid of that weak 4spd for the better 5spds. More power and parts available for those. It's best to keep the 1.7 dist. and mod it for use with the 2.2 carbed engine. It has mech. advance and an ecu simular to V8's. That's what we went to on Jerry's race car.

[Shakota]

I have a complete 2.2 with a factory Holley carb out of my 1988 Dakota. It needs to be rebuilt, but I will sell it for $200. Anyone interested?

Blessings,
Shakota

[turbododge]

Originally Posted by dwc43

That's true, but most swap out to a 2.2 and get rid of that weak 4spd for the better 5spds. More power and parts available for those. It's best to keep the 1.7 dist. and mod it for use with the 2.2 carbed engine. It has mech. advance and an ecu simular to V8's. That's what we went to on Jerry's race car.

Not true! The 78 Horizon was a lean burn, fixed distributor. You could replace it with a later (I think 1980) version that had the standard advance stuff and a regular ecu. I had a 78 and did the swap, but it cost me 3 mpg right off and really didn't improve performance much. The 1.7 was pretty much a dog, IMHO, and most needed a lot of head work (guides, seals) by the time they hit 50K. The ball joints on 78's were also very weak and needed replacement every 30K. Not a great car to start out with to hop up.

[it's all dodge]

Not a whole lot for that engine. but fwd performance has suspension stuff, like koni struts & shocks coilover or eibach springs- Omnis/Horizons have been known to still spank the modern cars on an autocross. If youu toss the VW engine, go turbo, don't bother looking back, much more drivable and the tricks you can do to a turbo car are lots, compared to a few leftover parts for carb'd ones...why you think there is so many turbo parts-besides fwd perf, turbos unleashed, and forward motion- not alot pushing the carbed ones, but if thats what you want, you can talk to "all motor" on turbododge as he knows carbed stuff good

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by Shakota

I have a complete 2.2 with a factory Holley carb out of my 1988 Dakota. It needs to be rebuilt, but I will sell it for $200. Anyone interested?

Blessings,
Shakota

You don't happen to have a manual bellhousing and tranny for a rear wheel drive 2.2 do ya? I want to convert my brothers 2.6 dirt track Challenger over to the better 2.2 engine. Would be much faster with the 2.2 in it.

[it's all dodge]

DWC just try the 2.5 Jeep engine yeah, I said JEEP. Bigger bore, bigger valves, longer rods

[Shakota]

DWC43, sorry but I do not have the bellhousing.

Shakota
Barefoot-soul.com

[pcrmike]

Um, there was also a 1.6l Peugeot engine available for 78 only. :-)PCRMike

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by it's all dodge

DWC just try the 2.5 Jeep engine yeah, I said JEEP. Bigger bore, bigger valves, longer rods

That's an idea I supose. I would have to do some research on it though. Find out what's available fo it performance wise. Lots more out there for the 2.2. I don't pay too much attention to Jeeps unless it's the old 4x4 Jeeps like CJ's and stuff. I am gussing the Jeep 2.5 has a 5 spd available for it without a transfer case?

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by Shakota

DWC43, sorry but I do not have the bellhousing.

Shakota
Barefoot-soul.com

Thanks, thought I'd ask after seeing your reply.

[turbododge]

Originally Posted by pcrmike

Um, there was also a 1.6l Peugeot engine available for 78 only. :-)PCRMike

I thought the Peugot 1.6 showed up to replace the VW engine, as the base engine with the 2.2 as the optional. 1983-86 years if I remember correctly.

The pre-US Horizons built in Europe used Simca/Peugot engines.

[pcrmike]

Possible, I will consult the official book on the "Complete History of the Chrysler Coprporation 1924 to 1985" once I get home and check that. Found it at a yardsale for 25 cents. Has been priceless. Can tell you a lot all the way back including every single trim and model all the way back to the early maxwells, the early Dodges 1914+ and all DeSotos, Plymouths, trucks, etc. 100% on cars, but only about 50% or major changes only on trucks. :-) PCRmike