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

[icetech]

Don’t you love how the YouTube guys make it seem so easy, especially when they get their parts for free


For what it’s worth, I put a lunati flat tappet cam in my 440 a year ago, I haven’t had any troubles. The car is as close to a daily driver as you can with current gas prices. 15 mpg, plenty of power to have fun with, but not too much it can cruise around city like everyone else. Sure it isn’t a rocket ship, but like a few said, keep it simple.

have you looked into this, pricy but it’ll get a 518 behind your big block
92457 / Ultra-Bell Big Block Chrysler to TF727 or A518

Roadkill and Roadkill garage were the worst with that.... "Here's our budget build... with our $5000 gearstar trans and a $3000 GV OD.." And our blueprint engine... this whole build somehow came in at $2500.....

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Roadkill and Roadkill garage were the worst with that.... "Here's our budget build... with our $5000 gearstar trans and a $3000 GV OD.." And our blueprint engine... this whole build somehow came in at $2500.....

The original roadkill and roadkill garage was not. When motortrend took them off YouTube they started making them push the products they wanted.

Sorry @Kern Dog if I started the slippery slope to thread derailment, was not my intention. I am probably in the same boat as you, modern engine swaps with all their benefits are interesting, but then you start pricing things out and the interest fades away imo

 

[padam]

I too would love to get my hands on a modern hemi.

I was thinking of getting a clapped out Charger RT with a 5.7, strip it out and hot rod it some.

 

[Phantomx]

Anyone recall the duster that Tony Angelo wanted to hemi swap for cheap? He couldn’t believe how much it cost to do it compared to LS swap parts. I guess Chrysler did a good job at marketing the hemi as something special since everyone thinks they’re worth a ton of money. Let’s be real, the 5.7 is the modern day equivalent to a 383 2 barrel and the v6 is the 318. If it came standard with a v8 it was a 5.7, there are literally millions of these things around but people think they’re special. It’s no wonder people want to LS swap everything. It would’ve been nice if chrysler had embraced the aftermarket like GM did, this stuff would be more popular and cheaper.

Travis..

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Anyone recall the duster that Tony Angelo wanted to hemi swap for cheap? He couldn’t believe how much it cost to do it compared to LS swap parts. I guess Chrysler did a good job at marketing the hemi as something special since everyone thinks they’re worth a ton of money. Let’s be real, the 5.7 is the modern day equivalent to a 383 2 barrel and the v6 is the 318. If it came standard with a v8 it was a 5.7, there are literally millions of these things around but people think they’re special. It’s no wonder people want to LS swap everything. It would’ve been nice if chrysler had embraced the aftermarket like GM did, this stuff would be more popular and cheaper.

Travis..

I’ve looked into LS swapping my Datsun 280zx, it’s not near as bad as gen 3 hemi, but it’s no cake walk either.

 

[padam]

 

[Phantomx]

Yeah the LS isn’t pretty, but neither is a modern hemi really. Let’s face it, if you wanted to LS swap it, between fb marketplace and pick-n-pull you could have it running before Christmas for less than Greg payed for the car. This is why I say to add overdrive and work with what you have in the engine compartment. And maybe a gear swap too since you’d have overdrive to tame it.
Travis..

 

[padam]

Yeah, just hear it too much, “Bro, you should LS swap it.”

Below is the stuff that gets us all steppin and fetchin. That and I see some sweet gen 3s at the track that really haul ***.

 

[Billccm]

Whomever can come up with the recipe to do a modern Hemi swap at a reasonable price could be successful as a business.

There's three 1968-69 B body guys in my area with 5.7 hemi swapped cars and none of them will discuss the cost involved. This guy told me that 50 grand is probably realistic.......

 

[icetech]

Yeah, just hear it too much, “Bro, you should LS swap it.”

Below is the stuff that gets us all steppin and fetchin. That and I see some sweet gen 3s at the track that really haul ***.

View attachment 1764363

And that proves why you hear it so much though.. you can do a junkyard LS with turbos for under 5-6k and make 700+ hp... instead of 19k. Just sayin... i

 

[Phantomx]

I would also like to say, the 5.9 mag/od would be a good combo too. The old 300hp mag crate motor was just a stock truck engine with a carb intake. Stick a reasonable cam in it and your in the mid 300s for power and have the desired bolt-in trans option. These are also pretty easy to find in the junkyards still. I’m a huge fan of 360s though.
Travis..

 

[padam]

I would also like to say, the 5.9 mag/od would be a good combo too. The old 300hp mag crate motor was just a stock truck engine with a carb intake. Stick a reasonable cam in it and your in the mid 300s for power and have the desired bolt-in trans option. These are also pretty easy to find in the junkyards still. I’m a huge fan of 360s though.
Travis..

He should be able to get close to 350, 375 with the engine in the car without too much trouble

 

[Phantomx]

He should be able to get close to 350, 375 with the engine in the car without too much trouble

Right, which is why I said throw some good heads on it and maybe a more modern cam. But, I went back and re-read Greg’s first post where he brought up the mag because it has a factory/no adapter overdrive option. Any way you cut it, the car could be made more fun/enjoyable to drive with traditional components vs spending an average Americans yearly wage to “modernize” it. Remember, Greg is retired on a fixed income now, he can’t blow all of his money on cars. He needs to be able to afford Ensure and joint supplements
Travis..