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Ballpark estimate for the cost to do a 5.7 Hemi swap in a '70 Charger

Kern Dog

Life is full of turns. Build your car to handle.
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I'm considering all options for this car:

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Currently, it has it's original 383 with a MP 280/474 cam and it isn't that impressive. It has a decent 727. I want to retain an automatic transmission of some type.
I've thought of a stroke kit from the 440 source, I've thought of going with a stroked LA or Magnum 360/5.9 to take advantage of the anxiety reduction I'd feel with a stock based roller camshaft. I'm also open to the idea of a 5.7 Hemi. The advantage of the LA/Magnum or Hemi is that I could use an A500 or A518 trans to get that great overdrive gear. Big block automatic overdrives mean aftermarket stuff that will cost a lot more to do.
The only people that I have seen do the late model Hemi seem to really go all out with it....so much so that it is far more expensive than I want to deal with. I've seen nobody do a build with factory manifolds, a carbed intake and a Chrysler OD Trans.
I have no immediate plans for any of this, I'm just curious about the options.
The absolute simplest and cheapest would be a roller cam and stroke kit for this engine so the exhaust and induction can be retained and a 500/518 with a B/RB aftermarket bell housing attached to it. THAT or a Gear Vendors to tack onto the end of this 727.
Low tech but it would work.
The 5.7 Hemi swap is interesting though. I'd retain the stock K member and suspension. I'd use the 6.4 exhaust manifolds that a buddy gave me.
The engine mount brackets and transmission crossmember from Holley....

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The 5.7 I have is still in my 2007 truck and is still running great even at 407,000 miles. Of course, it will need to be rebuilt so a longer stroke crank kit would be great. Still, it is a truck engine so the oil pan is wrong,

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and so is the front end accessory drive...add in the costs for those:


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That alone makes it a deal breaker. NO way I'd pay $3400 + for all of this stuff. I'm at $4300 just to get the engine in place and I still don't have a computer to run it or a fuel system to feed it and the engine internals have not been touched. No wonder people go BIG when they do this swap....They must figure that if they're spending $6000 before ever touching the inside of the engine, they might as well go all the way and use a new crate engine.
At this sort of expense, I'd be much better off going with the stroked 383 with a roller cam and Gear Vendors. I'm just looking for more power, some comfortable freeway driving and reliability. The old fashioned engines are not high tech but they can still work good enough for me.
 
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This guy did a 5.7 swap in a 70 Challenger with a 6 speed attached....

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Almost $4000 for the supporting stuff, not including the engine itself!
Next he added up stuff directly related to the engine:



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He did have "Dyno Tune" in the $1474 number, something that may not be necessary.
All of this is just to install a regasketed engine, not a new or rebuilt one.
 
Do you want ac?
If not the eagle truck accessory drive is fine. Later one with electric ps if you don't have ps in that one.

The carb intakes are rare and kill tq from the dynos I've seen, race only IMO.
 
I haven’t done a modern swap but know from others who have that it is not cheap and will cost more than what you think, every time. Even with a 5.7. Stand alone wiring harnesses, oil pan and pick up, exhaust, complete fuel system, all the fit stuff, and then custom ‘needed to do’ nips and cuts here and there will run the bill up for sure, probably try your patience too.

What do you want out of your car performance wise?
 
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Following , just for grins
If I was to do another car , I would go modern engine with OD trans for sure

The 5.7 hemi and the same auto you are thinking , less electronics to deal with

Deep down Im thinking a stock 5.2 or 5.9 wouldn't move that big *** car along well enough for me
 
If money is the driving factor then don't do a G3 because it will get expensive. Sure you can keep the costs down but to do this you will be making compromises that you probably won't be happy with.

I still have not fired up my 71 Charger (although this is mainly because I have been procrastinating), but all in this is the most expensive car I have ever built. Now I used a crate 5.7 ($6K), a TKX kit ($6K), a Holley front end kit ($2.5K), Holley Terminator X Max ($1.5K), TTI Headers ($1k), etc.

That said and now that I have essentially done this I believe I could do it again vastly cheaper if I went with a used engine. I don't think the exhaust manifolds will work, perhaps the 6.4 ones do but the 5.7 ones run right into the firewall. That is something I would spend the money on.

There are a number of 4150 style intakes out there but they are not super cheap and used ones would be scarce I think. I wouldn't ever run a carb but each to his own.

As to wiring, check these guys out (vastly cheaper than Holley)
Hemi
 
I've been researching aces efi and can't find much. There is some online feedback that they do not respond quickly or at all on their tech line. They have some great deals for retrofit tbi for the old engines if they are reputable
 
Just as a data point for you Rocket Restorations quoted 50 grand to do a 5.7 hemi auto and add AC swap into a B Body.
 
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Plan on 10k to do a decent 5.7 swap. A 2009 or later eagle headed 5.7 Hemi will yield much more power watch the engine masters episode about it.
 
TTI, Schumacher and some others do mounts, headers etc. TTI tells you which pan, starter plus have more info available. Hotwire and some others do the electronics. Many of those advertise in the MCG[ Mopar Collectors Guide].
 
Computer and wiring you need to research carefully, what I've seen is OEM computer and hotwire harness isn't necessarily much cheaper than Holley and you get full control
 
All the more reason to DIY. Gotta figure that at least 2/3rds of that is labor.
I was talking with a local resto shop the other day who reminded me that every 40 hours of labor is "about 7 grand".
 
Yeah. Labor is up there in many areas of the country.
One hurdle will be the FEAD[ front engine accessory drives] package. There are passenger car and truck versions. Greg, this might be a good time to add to your reading collection. Lots of info available here.
Hemi Engine Swaps: How to Swap
 
Just as a data point for you Rocket Restorations quoted 50 grand to do a 5.7 hemi auto and add AC swamp into a B Body.
Holy schmolly.

There was a 67 Coronet 440 2 door hardtop advertised a while back on FB marketplace for $25k, It was up on the east coast somewhere . And was a done running driving car
simple 5.7 hemi with a A500 OD auto I think

Looked damn nice in the pictures I saw of it. Was gold with white interior. And working AC
 
Yeah it ain't cheap. But if you figure costs to rebuild a 440 vs the swap.. I wish I had done a 6.4 swap instead of the 540 build.
 
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