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'Crazy talk' here: a late Jeep 3.8L V6 into an early A body?

13K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  Rick Anderson 
#1 ·
I just sold my Studebaker and may wind up getting a different project car in the near future.

Contemplating swapping in a late 2000's Jeep 3.8L with matching auto tranny into a 1963-66 Dart or Valiant SW.

I'm quite happy with the 3.3L V6 in my 1994 Caravan and at least the 3.8L (same engine family) was available in a longitudinal configuration.

Any ideas, thoughts, brickbats, etc. here? I'm mostly concerned about oil pan and possibly tranny clearance issues; everything else i.e. motor mounts, exhaust, fuel system, computer etc. should be (relatively) easy to sort out.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
I think the reason for the 3.8 is, well, it was a much better engine than the 3.9 -- better gas mileage, much more power, less vibration.

I often think about repowering my Valiant, but really, I like it as it is... well, I wouldn't say no to a 318. A 340 would be pushing it. I used to think about putting in a 2.2 Turbo 3 but that would be a waste of an engine that would be much more fun in a Reliant. (There's a project I have to love -- in concept at least.)
Another thought may be a later model multi speed AT adapted to your 225 Slant Six: better MPG and more performance. Maybe an 8 spd out of an LY car? :)
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
pentastar...eight speed.
They should start to show up at junkyrds any day now.
To bad mother doesent sell em as crate units with standalone electronics
Standalone controllers will become available (more likely aftermarket) IMHO since I'll bet the farm that many swappers/rodders will be interested in those 8 spd trannys. :)
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
If you're going to go through the trouble of rigging up a drive by wire setup, mounts, and everything else to put a 3.8 in, why not just call AEV and get a take-out Pentastar instead?
Question: are you the same 'Lt Dan' who had a 1972 VaSP Ply Fury I 440 some years ago? :)
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
For whatever it's worth; my late 1994 Dodge Caravan short WB with it's 3.3L returned just over 20 MPG running at 75 MPH, the legal freeway speed limit here in Arizona.
 
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