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  #1  
Old 12-01-2000, 12:18 PM
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MoPaul MoPaul is offline
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I bought a 96 Avenger ES with the idea of driving her until she dies, which could be a long time with the Mitsu 2.5 litre. After which I would cram my 340 from my Charger and place into the Avenger. After much consideration I have decided to keep the 340 in the Charger and put another engine into the Avenger. I have an unbuilt 440. I will be purchasing some worked RV heads from a friend. The exhaust will run to two, stock-type, dual port mufflers, just to keep the appearance looking "right for the car." A 900 cfm Holley TBI unit will be going on top. This is a long term project. There is no problem with money or urgency. I want a fully streetable, fairly quiet, 440 Avenger. Has anyone else here done this? Currently working on this? I will be running nitrous. I am not concerned with hitting the 9's. I am more interested in just doing it. I find my pleasure in what I do, and have done, not in being the fastest around.
I will also be trying to keep the hood profile as low as possible. The intake will be as low as I can find. Optimal ponies will be quite limited, but this is just for fun.Just looking for tips. Thank you.

------------------
73 Dodge Charger Rallye Coupe
96 Avenger ES

[This message has been edited by MoPaul (edited December 01, 2000).]
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  #2  
Old 12-01-2000, 01:07 PM
mtrv8n mtrv8n is offline
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Um, I would think that a cast iron 440 would weigh more than twice what the mitsu engine does. Never mind trying to tie the crank to the tranny(isn't the mitsu transverse?), you'd have to re-inforce the front end just to be able to make it around a corner. Then, how do you make the thing pass inpection? It would still be subject to avenger exhaust specs for '96, which is why so many of us use older cars to do the street thing. We don't have the same emission regs that new cars do.
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  #3  
Old 12-01-2000, 02:30 PM
montrose ram montrose ram is offline
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Hope you do it, MoPaul! Have seen small bocks in Daytonas but never a 440! The 440 would be heavy, but, if you could hook up power steering you would'nt notice. The progect would take some inginuity! Hi-Perf. Mopar has a "Progect Avenger" right now--dropping in a small-block, tho.But some of the same suspension mods may apply.Good luck-- hope to see the results here some day in not too distant future!
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  #4  
Old 12-01-2000, 08:08 PM
powerwagon powerwagon is offline
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My 2 cents worth-it sounds really cool. Don't forget to upgrade the suspension-that 440 will be well over twice the weight of the Mitsu-because I believe the Mitsu runs aluminum block/heads, while the 440 is cast-so you will have to do some heavy suspension mods. Also, you might look into getting a better braking system too-because the car will be VERY nose heavy. You can get bigger discs brakes from various manufacturers. Have fun with this-let us know how you do-it's going to take a lot of work-but it sounds cool.

powerwagon

P.S.-are you going to convert it to rear wheel drive??
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  #5  
Old 12-01-2000, 11:44 PM
Dr. Righteous Dr. Righteous is offline
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It sounds cool. But it sure isn't something I would ever attempt. How would you fit the drivetrain in a FWD car? There is not tranny tunnel. The torque that the engine would produce would twist the unibody into a pretzel.
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  #6  
Old 12-02-2000, 12:33 AM
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MoPaul MoPaul is offline
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Yes, she will be a rear wheel drive. I have a 727 from the same vehicle. There isn't a tranny tunnel, but the exhaust runs down the middle, providing the space for a driveshaft. I am hoping the cutting for the tranny area can be hidden for the most part by the console. The rear wheel wells are completely in the trunk, so the back seat area shall remain unaltered (hopefully). I want to keep all the amenities intact, including power steering, for which I have the pump. I even have an air conditioner.
She currently has four wheel disc ABS. This, I may not alter until after the swap, if there is some way of converting the rear. My knowledge of ABS is limited, at best. I am not currently prepared to show my ignorance by getting too deep into this part.
As for the suspension, again, this will take much more investigation. Fortunately, I have an excellent MoPar boneyard at my disposal.
I also have a welder of 20+ years who would love to be a part of this project. Perhaps we can put enough under her to keep her straight.
The Avenger is not a light car anyway. Afinal weight of around 4,000 lbs. would not keep me from being happy. That doesn't matter to me. Only that I am doing it. I will lighten what I can and strengthen what I must. But I want to be proud of her when I am done.

------------------
73 Dodge Charger Rallye Coupe
96 Avenger ES
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  #7  
Old 12-02-2000, 12:41 AM
40Coupe 40Coupe is offline
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I'm going to college at Wyoming Tech. One of the instructors in Street rod is building a Avenger like this. He has made a full frame (its not a unibody any more) for the car. I'm not srue what he is running for a suspension in front he has a four link in back. Its now rear wheel drive and its tubed out. He is making a custom floor for the car. From what I have been told he plans on using a wild 440 in it. People have told me it's going to be a street car.

40 coupe
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  #8  
Old 12-02-2000, 01:03 AM
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MoPaul MoPaul is offline
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As for inspection, that was my reason for coming back to the state in which I currently reside. THERE ARE NONE! Only by getting caught by a random check point, will you ever be inspected. I have yet to get caught in over a decade of driving. Not to mention, they usually let you go through if you have inspection stickers already in place for the last 5 years, or so a law enforcement friend has told me. I will not be removing my current stickers. And I will have two catalytic converter shells in place. Here is where my welding buddy comes in to save me.
How much weight can be saved by going with aluminumn heads? My apologies, weight was never an issue with the Charger and I am not a big fan of aluminum. But after reading other posts here, I believe that aluminum heads and an aluminum intake may be for the best.
I also appreciate the encouragement very much. It is good to find a place where I am among the least knowledgable.
40 Coupe, is there any information on this project available online? Does the instructor come here? Any contact information would be greatly appreciated, preferable online. Nothing personal, I just prefer to keep my online activities separate from my offline life. Thank you, all.

------------------
73 Dodge Charger Rallye Coupe
96 Avenger ES
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  #9  
Old 12-02-2000, 06:38 AM
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motorhead440 motorhead440 is offline
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Mopaul, sounds like a really cool project, always remember one sentence, man made it, man can remake it. Nuff said. Good luck.
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  #10  
Old 12-02-2000, 10:22 AM
prostreetavenger prostreetavenger is offline
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If I new how to post some pictures on here, I could show you what it takes to put a 588ci hemi in a avenger! My car is half done. I thought I could do it like you said, simple! sorry it cant be done! My car is mostly a tube chassis now. Some problems are, the new tunnel you will have to make will elimate all heating and cooling components. All of your exaust system will be showing because the floor pan is 1" higher than the rocker pinch seem (older cars are 3" to 4"). You will have to run a strut suspension ($2000). Because of the cab foward design and the rack & pinon placement your carb will be where your wiper mechanism is now. Under the back seat the floor drops way down, not enough room for a drive shaft. The rear trunk floor is to low to put a frame under to mount a rear end. You will end up with a tube chassis race car with a complete sheet metal floor. Not a easy task!
I should be able to license it here under hobbist plates. Mine has 33x21 mickies, on Alumastars, 4-link, strange struts, 16 gallon cell, stock door panels, dash, seats, body. It will be the new chysler silver like on the rams, blacked out windows with silver fathom flames. Good luck, hope this helps. Scott N.
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  #11  
Old 12-02-2000, 12:18 PM
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MoPaul MoPaul is offline
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Red face

Sweet! Thank you very much! Any pictures you could send via email would be fantastic. The heater and a/c was suspected. Thank you for confirming that. That does suck about the exhaust system. I have been trying to figure out a way to weasel around that. Erebuni makes a ground effects kit if it bothers me too much. I will definitely miss the wipers and did not notice behind the back seat. I did figure on losing the trunk, or at least almost all of it.
Don't get me wrong, I still intend to do this. I just see it as more of a challenge now. But I will continue to ponder. I can talk myself into anything with enough time. But now I have a lot more to think on. Thank you so much.

------------------
73 Dodge Charger Rallye Coupe
96 Avenger ES
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  #12  
Old 12-02-2000, 01:43 PM
DusterDave DusterDave is offline
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IMHO, your best bet would be to just use a complete tube chassis, instead of trying to salvage as much of the existing floor/frame. Cut out the entire bottom of the car and start new. If you have the room to use 2x3 frame rails, your frame fabrication will be a little easier.
Going with a B instead of an RB will save you some weight. It may also be a small enough package to MAYBE allow for an A-arm suspension. Don't know that for sure.

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www.mindspring.com/~dusterdave

[This message has been edited by DusterDave (edited December 02, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by DusterDave (edited December 02, 2000).]
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  #13  
Old 12-03-2000, 10:46 PM
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NitroMethane NitroMethane is offline
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Thanx, guys, ya got me in trouble. The boss won't let me inside 20 yards of her Avenger! Won't even let me shop for a small block. Hey, the warranty and loan run out at the same time, Hmmmm...

------------------
Nitro
69 Coronet 440
90 W250 4x4
00 Avenger ES
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  #14  
Old 12-04-2000, 01:00 PM
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MoPaul MoPaul is offline
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Mu-Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!
Come! Be one of us! Okay, "us" is a loose term, as I am not one of "us" yet. But still...
Be advised, though, if you are going to wait, as I am, until something goes wrong with the engine or transmission before you replace it, you will be waiting a long time. I have 110k miles on mine with no loss of mileage or noteable loss of performance. Of course, she wasn't really a "performer" when new. I still get 32 mpg on my commute. I can't pull a motor that has no defects, I just can't do it. But, rest assured, the first little noise and I will tell all my friends that she's flying apart and the time has come.

------------------
73 Dodge Charger Rallye Coupe
96 Avenger ES
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  #15  
Old 12-05-2000, 02:13 AM
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NitroMethane NitroMethane is offline
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No defects? It's a Mitsubishi v6! Doesn't get much more defective than that.

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Nitro
69 Coronet 440
90 W250 4x4
00 Avenger ES
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  #16  
Old 12-06-2000, 03:50 PM
ChristianCuda ChristianCuda is offline
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MoPaul

I would do the small block with aluminum heads in the avenger. I have had this dream since I first saw the avengers and intrepids. I actually may do the Intrepid Smallblock killer machine as it will be alot easier due to engine being longitudenal with a full trans tunnel and less fabrication and the small block should fit under the hood easier and the suspension take it better.

Christian

------------------
Http://ThunderRacing.Knudstrup.net/

68 'Cuda 383 Best of 8.363@83.78 in the 1/8mile which is a mid 12 with a 1.89 60ft
Formula S recreation not original but making like they should have at the factory) Working on adding EFI
69 'Cuda Race Parts Car
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95 Neon 2.0 SOHC best of 16.96
84 Dodge Ram D50 transplanting 360
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