LS Swapped 69 Charger

[super-bee_ski]

Took the charger out for the first time with the turbo. Unfortunately it blew the oil cap off and sprayed oil EVERYWHERE lol. Other than that it ran pretty good, still needs lots of tuning thoughView attachment 1024259 View attachment 1024260

As with many builds, you need to iron out the bugs...
Again, good looking car...but heck..
and yes, one more critical comment that has been already stated..
Want to go fast with new tech?
"Why didntcha put in a New Generation Hemi?
I'm sorry...I just don't get it
But hey...it's your car
Kind of like having the "Hottest Gal at the party...you know...sexy, asian...super exotic looking...tall and lithe, but when you get her home...she has an 8" dick"

 

[super-bee_ski]

Addendum:
Great car and congratulations on the "build"
I'm confused but that is your car...it's all cool....

 

[Car Man]

Took the charger out for the first time with the turbo. Unfortunately it blew the oil cap off and sprayed oil EVERYWHERE lol. Other than that it ran pretty good, still needs lots of tuning thoughView attachment 1024259 View attachment 1024260

Very nice looking Charger!

 

[Car Man]

Very nice looking Charger!

 

[joemish]

....or want!
If you like it, that is fine but you are pissing into the wind trying to get many Mopar guys to accept this. You could have gone with a totally stock late model 6.4 Hemi and had 500 HP naturally aspirated. This would have kept the car all Mopar and had just as reliable of an engine as any LS mill. You picked a Chevy engine because it was cheap. That is why so many guys do it. I do understand that they can make great power for less bucks but to use it in a Mopar is just bullshit, man. Build a Nova, a Vega or a mid 70s Camaro.
Sure, the sight of a Charger with a 440 is pretty common and I will admit that they do get repetitive when every car you see looks the same. You took it too far though by going with a Chevy engine. Good luck even finding 1% of the Mopar crowd that will accept it.

Some people do not understand Loyalty. OK you are happy don't push it on others looking for affirmation, tell it to the Chevy Crowd instead.

 

[joemish]

Take your LS swap to the Chevy Only site.

 

[Pritchert403]

Some people do not understand Loyalty. OK you are happy don't push it on others looking for affirmation, tell it to the Chevy Crowd instead.

lmao. Looks like you don't know how to read either

 

[Danny Tuel]

All of the guys that are giving this guy a a hard time wouldn't have been welcome in any old timer hot rod group. Hot rodding is about trying different things and making something that is your own. In my opinion it shows how immature you are and I'm guessing that most are still kids that just don't get it !!! It really isn't sacrilegious to put a different brand motor in a Mopar. I've been driving Mopars for 50 years and they really are only cars you know

 

[Kern Dog]

F A L S E.

 

[Hemirunner]

F A L S E.

Kern, an LS swap isn’t any different than putting aftermarket suspension or wheels on a car. Remember the 90’s when everyone and their brother swapped Corvette suspensions into everything under the sun? Even Mopars! Non-original parts are non-original no matter what they are. I have two non-original turbos hanging underneath mine and I hacked the original rallye dash up for my non-original EFI dash. There’s not one original mopar part on my engine... not even a single bolt! Look at the Hate Tank roadrunner.... BBC power but still a cool car!

 

[INTMD8]

Have to disagree. I feel the engine even if in architecture only is a big part of a vehicles identity.

Your hemi for example, even if not a single part original still at a glance can be identified by many, even, non 'car people'.

There are as this thread shows, far easier and cheaper options so why go through the trouble otherwise?

 

[coronet68mx]

With all this comments we probably miss the opportunity to check this guy restoration, and a new young member, we need this kind of participation here, we may disagree on the engine choice but is undeniable that for a young boy this car is an attractive car , we need the young people to continue this hobby, we should better encourage him to keep going, beside, this cars are what they are, merely toys for grown up men, i disagree too in the engine choice but I love to see how he's moving forward with this.

 

[ch1ll]

LS stands for LESS SATISFACTION.

 

[Budnicks]

I agree, with others
it's your car, do whatever blows your skirt up

but with all the great engine choices out there
you go with a GM LS platform
It's like everyone else is all doing, in all kinds of builds
(follow the trendy BS)
it's not something new or fresh or even different

don't get me wrong I think they make great power
they are plentiful & less expensive to build

but in such an Iconic Car as a 69 Charger

the car does appear really nice

to each their own, I don't have to agree with it
I just don't think it's a good choice
But;
I didn't pay for it either

 

[747mopar]

As with many builds, you need to iron out the bugs...
Again, good looking car...but heck..
and yes, one more critical comment that has been already stated..
Want to go fast with new tech?
"Why didntcha put in a New Generation Hemi?
I'm sorry...I just don't get it
But hey...it's your car
Kind of like having the "Hottest Gal at the party...you know...sexy, asian...super exotic looking...tall and lithe, but when you get her home...she has an 8" dick"

 

[747mopar]

Top fuel cars ARE boring. Purely because they’re basically all the same, there’s no uniqueness to them. Same goes for big block powered mopars. IMO once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. That’s why I like my car so much, it’s something unique that no one else will ever have

Couldn't agree more! I go to a Mopar show and walk right past every "correct" restoration at the show... I respect the time, money and work put into them but it's like looking at modular homes, cookie cutter cars... same ol, same ol boring cars. I may not agree with the LS but I'm 100% behind customizing and making them your own, enjoy the build and please do share.

As for the haters, if they have any dignity, now that they've voiced their opinion maybe they'll move along.

 

[rolling_Thunder]

Wow - there are some brutal people on this forum... let's all remember people... his car - his build. So what if he dropped an LS engine in his car? All you guys are raving about swapping in a Tremec or an A41 auto into your mopars... A41 is a GM auto trans...

Swapping an LS is just a pragmatic decision - cheap and easy to find. I am in socal and can throw a rock and hit a <$1000 LS - even the larger 6.0. I can't even find a decent 5.7L Hemi core for <$2500... then add in the limited PCM options and the more expensive swap parts... The LS has been scienced out and has HUGE support that Gen III hemis still don't have

Would I do it? no. Am I going to chastise someone for how they build their car? nope.

 

[Avantguy]

When was the last time you saw an LS in a 69 charger though? Bet this is the first one. The car it’s in is the reason it’s unique. But since you’ve brought it up, “lack of knowledge” isn’t any reason for not building a BBM, cost is. Why would I choose to spend $5k+ to make 800hp when I could spend 1500 and do the same thing?

Actually, I saw an LS in a 68 Charger that was the movie car from Fast and Furious several years ago at a Hot Rod show in Pittsburgh. Being a Charger owner myself, I was a bit taken back. But when the people at the exhibit explained that it was easier to maintain, and replace if needed. Made sense to me since Chey enginges are a dime a dozen, and B/RB not so much. I applaud you work and ingenuity. Don't let some of these old farts discourage you. Good work kid. And welcome.

 

[TK-421]

I find it amusing how bent out of shape people get with a swap like this...it's called hot rodding! You take parts and pieces from other cars, due to desire, artistic vision, or finances, and build a car to your own tastes, hot rodders have been doing this for close to a 100 years now. Has nothing to do with being lazy, cheap, or unknowledgeable.

...I think it should also embrace the people who think outside the box and maybe build a machine that is not so cookie cutter. For every one mopar powered by a SBC, SBF, LS or other power plant there are 100's of the exact same car out there that are restored to original specs, so really it has very little affect on the hobby in general other then ruffling a few feathers.

...I say encourage a young person like this to keep going in the old car hobby, there are few enough taking up the wrench these days.

This. I'll never get the purist stance on cars. I get where it's coming from but I'll never really understand the need for such purity. Many of the Mopar purists rival the air-cooled Porsche folks in this respect. Among the car groups I'm in it's almost always the Mopar guys that take it farthest. You want to keep your car all Mopar? Fine. But don't hate on everyone who dares stray from your holy path. Let people enjoy things and stop gate-keeping the hobby. People say they're disappointed that more of our generation (millennials and gen x) don't pick up a wrench but when we do and it's not to your tastes all you do is degrade our work. I wouldn't LS swap a Mopar but I see no reason to look down upon someone who does, specially when done well (as appears to be the case here).

Keep on motoring Pritchert. That's a sweet ride you've got there. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

[alfaitalia]

It could be worse.....Id rather see a Chevy (or Merc or BMW or Cummins....whatever) engine in a Charger than a Mopar engined one with the body modified...you cant beat perfection!....Very few Chargers with modded bodied are an improvement to my eye. In the future that motor could be torn out and a 605 all alloy Hemi with a 8-71 on the top might be slid in there (still no Mopar parts again but most on here would see that as fine!!!....Hmmmmm.).....much easier to do that (and you would have the LS to sell to part recoup costs) than it is to put a body back to stock. Go for it son.....and hopefully members wont frighten you away.