Rich T V8 Avenger Discussion

[avenga]

This is a tread to discuss Rich T's V8 Avenger http://www.avenger.co.nz/forum/index.php?topic=454.0

[avenga]

I love how you have kept it looking so stock from the outside. Total sleeper.

You must of got crazy looks at the traffic lights when you pulled up next to people, V8 rumble coming from the Avenger, classic. I could see it smoking most things at the lights. With an engine that big in such a small car.

I can see in the first shot how much you had to cut in to the firewall. Looks pretty major. I have always wanted to fit a Hemi 265 in an Avenger, there are a few in NZ with 300hp+ E49 265 Hemis. Never thought you would be able to fit a small block in there.

Do you mind if I post a link to your post on the NZ mopar forum? I know they would get a hoot out of seeing the 318 in the Avenger. They are always giving me stick about my little Avenger and it's 1500, so they should be blown away by the 318 conversion.

[richt]

no mate go ahead ive had it on the road since 2006 but then last year our fuel prices went crazy and it doing only 20miles to the gallon driving steady ,which is hard to do cause the car brings the worst out in me, i took it off the road as family life got in the way.
I had it featured in an engish car mag called practical performance car in 07 but id love for the world to see it as its just dry stored behind closed doors at the moment . The inspiration came from chargers and other mopars id love a valiant like yours but ive only a tiny driveway and a valiant wouldnt fit , and avengers are my true passion so best of both worlds eh . thanks for the positive comments i cant post any videos as i have non of it doing its stuff , theres some more pictures going on in a moment .
Yeah it gets lots of attention when cruising, funny enough not so much when your along side of an m3 no eye contact at all they see the scoop and it scares em.
It was gonna be even more of a sleeper origionally , the first bonnet had a capri<perana> to you chaps ,bonnet bulge grafted on to clear the origional2 barrel carb , but the carb went tits up so i fitted the performance bits and you know whats coming next , yeah thats right the bonnet wouldnt shut hence the scoop . its very quite at tickover and up to about three thousand rpm ,then it gets loud then you know its a v8 . I spoke to one of your fellow kiwi chaps at real steel v8 specialist in england where i got all my v8 parts from he said its approximatly got 250 hp and cause the engine came out of a van 370lbft of torque due to the van camshaft its got that much torque and no weight it spins the wheels in 3rd in the dry if abused it would make a perfect drift car it handles awsome when powersliding

cheers rich

[avenga]

Man, Those new photos look crazy good. I think I just feel in love. Love the cage and everything. It just looks so tough underneath. And the side pipes!!!!

Must resist the urge to put a V8 in mine now.

The small blocks are really tunable. They make heaps of performance parts for them. What size carb are you running?

[JoKer]

what size tires? doesnt look like much other cosmetic work : perfect

[richt]

yeah the only giveaway i wanted was the side pipes, the carb is a holley 600cfm vac secondary on a edelbrock rpm performer inlet manifold , i lightly ported and polished the heads , the cam is standard 78 dodge van with a cloyes heavy duty timing chain the bottom end is standard . the engine came out of an ex usaf 150 tradesman van when i pulled it apart i found it had had a new short motor the bores and bearings were perfect so i just freshend up with core plugs and gaskets. the wheels are made by oz and are fitted with avon zv3 195/50/15 v rated tyres.
im glad you guys like it
rich

[avenga]

Good Carb/manifold combo. a lot of guys I know run the same setup on their 318's. I run a smaller Holley 390cfm vac sec on a cain 4 barrel long runner manifold on my 265 Hemi.

[richt]

well it all started when my freind with the pinto powered avenger said he wanted a v8 i had no intensions of doing it to mine ,as id assisted putting the pinto into his avenger i said i would help with his v8 conversion so he got me all v8 fired up, he tracked down a really rough 302 ford lump but with bits missing when he found out some of the prices of the bits the project came to nothing . but the v8 idea had got me by then so i went out with some money and bought a complete dodge van so i could hear the motor run i was hooked fully at this point , id already got the body shell back to good health removing the accident damage and rot , so i measured the v8 yes it will fit between the strut towers i just took the electric saw to the bulkhead cut out loads of metal a bit at a time till the engine was where i wanted it . the van engine had a rear bowl sump so when  i lowered it in it fitted about right for good handling . only snag was where the hell is the brake and clutch pedal gonna go hence the inboard nissan vannete brake pedal unit , and land rover inboard clutch pedal unit , i welded two avenger front crossmembers together to make a supersize subframe you can see this in the underside picture if you look close. i just rebuilt the bulkhead around the engine and gearbox, the first incarnation of trans tunnel was hugh to accomodate the mopar a833 four speed box but this went tits up and made some nasty noises on the way too ,so it was replaced with a borg warner t5 so the metal work had to change again after about a year , the propshaft is an avenger front joint linked to a suzuki jeep middle of the right length with a volvo rear flange , the back axle is a volvo 240 3,73 ratio with avenger mount welded to it and it just fitted a treat only 2in wider the front struts are avenger with 60% upratred insert and a coilover coversion kit welded so its adjustable height, the front brakes are complete ford granada hubs, discs and calipers all i had to do was machine the hubs to take avenger bearings in the front the front hub inner bearing was the same and its just a bolt together conversion now , the exhausts are just homemade single box at each side with 3in pipe that was fitted to the van. the radiator is the van unit shortened 3inches to fit the avenger front end . yeah ive never had the carb/ manifold set up but it just runs so well i dont think the mixture is to far out .
cheers rich

[avenga]

Man, I am so tempted to do the same. I posted some info about it on the NZ MoPar forum and now all my mates are pressuring me to do the same conversion. I think it would suit my new body work.

Damn it!!! maybe next year

[avenga]

What accident damage?? That will buff out

That is some pretty major surgery to fit the 318.

[avengertiger]

thats a lovely looking avenger,i to had aspirations to do a v8 conversion had all the bits only rover v8 with t5 cossie box and tvr bellhousing was planning on using my 2 door shell all those plans went when we moved to new zealand.
you must put up a video of a 100mph drive by