Did anyone ever ask Mr Shelby.....

[Millerman340]

Did anyone ever ask Mr Shelby.....
Why they built the Shelby Dakota with the 5.2 & not with a turbo 4 engine? My brothers Shelby Dak just had a engine fire & were thinking of tossing in a TIII engine & building it the way they should have..

[dragbaron]

I would have wondered why he didn't put the 5.9 in it instead! I'm sure he was pretty happy to finally get to do a V8 swap, after years of 4-bangers!

Also, why no 5-speed? This is the direction I'm going with mine. Did a 5-speed swap a little over a year ago. Have also got a '94 Magnum 5.9 and a '94 Dakota Magnum V8 engine harness to put in it some day.

[Tranquillity]

Wasn't the Shelby Dakota the first of the trucks that size to have a V8 in it? Trucks are typically a bit more beefier with a V8 rather than a 4 cyl turbo, especially in those days. They also need the torque.

[dragbaron]

Yeah, it was the first I believe. Also the first V8 vehicle Shelby had done in like 20 years!

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

probably because most pick up fans are also V8 guys

pick up truck + big V8 = good times lol

[dragbaron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge probably because most pick up fans are also V8 guys pick up truck + big V8 = good times lol

Oh yeah! HAHA I have to keep at least one V8 vehicle around to remind me of my younger days! Some days I do miss the sound of a cammed V8 mopar through some Flowmasters! My Dakota does have the muffler, but the stock TBI 318 just doesn't quite do it.

[KillerTSI]

If I remember correctly the prototype had a TT 5.2 but it never made it..

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

'course not - it needs a stroked & poked 400

because it's a better block than the 440

400's not so much bigger than a 318 (nudge nudge)

[dragbaron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge 'course not - it needs a stroked & poked 400 because it's a better block than the 440 400's not so much bigger than a 318 (nudge nudge)

Now, now, let's not get carried away here! I'll be content with having a Magnum 5.9, some shorty headers, and a true dual exhaust with two Flowmasters on it, instead of the one in-two out Flowmaster fake dual exhaust it has now!

If I'm gonna have a big block again, it's going to be in an '60s-70s Mopar.

[Millerman340]

yeah we thought about the 5.9 Magnum swap until the truck burnt down ,time for something different

[yellonoma]

I love a turbo dodge don't get me wrong, but they simply don't make the sound of a V8, plus most-but-not-all people would stick thier nose up at a 4-cylinder performance truck, no-matter how much power it made (2.2 TII made the same HP(175) as the S318, but the S318 made 70lbs-ft more torque (over 200))

[Karsten]

I love the 360 Magnum V8 in my 2000 RAMas well as the little 4-banger turbo in my Shadow, each has it's own place.

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

bingo ^

no offence to any of the small block lovers , but I did the whole dart / duster / small block deal when I & my buddies first started fiddelin with cars

I had a b5 blue , black top 73 scamp with the 71-72 duster front end on it & twin snorkel dart sport scoop
small block / 4 spd/ 391 posi with a BRAND new diff carrier (nice score lol)

never really got it finished , but knowing what I do now that I have a 383 for my 66 coronet I can't say I'd ever bother wasteing time on another small block (eventhough the car's an unstarted resto project)

consider , it's vertually the same size as a 360 but makes 335 HP stone cold stock right outta the box so to speak

ya've got a lot work in just catching up to that figure with a small block and if the same effort went into the 383 you get a 400 hp motor just as easy or easier than trying to get good power from the smaller engine
+ every stinkin 383 , 2 bbl or 4 got a steel crank

[Millerman340]

I have the majority of the parts to convert it over to 16 v, to change it back to original the computer iburned up in the fire ,everything is destroyed

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

don't get me wrong though I like the idea of your 2 cam 4 cylinder project

there was a nice little black short box 4 cyl 5 speed truck on the dealer's used lot here a few years back

totally a base model truck that even looked super light weight but 7K was just too much for it considering it's age

a few weeks later I saw a couple of guys haullin scrap metal with it - so much for that sweet little truck - that's about the quickest way to ruin it