Nathan's 1978 Dodge Magnum GT T-Top Story

[blkmagnumgt]

My girlfriends dad back in high school (1988) had a used car lot in Southern New Mexico that mostly bought auction wrecks, drove them to Juarez, Mexico, and had them fixed for pennies on the dollar. I would sometimes help him drive these cars back to the lot, where he sold them for top dollar. On a trade, he got a 1978 Dodge Magnum GT T-top. Black on Black. I really took a liking to the Magnum. Asked him the price, and I remember it was way out of my price range. He said its a rare car. Everytime I visited the lot, I had to check out the Magnum. It sat in the front row of the car lot for the next year or so, until it finally sold around 1990.

Flash forward to Feb. of 2001. I had a 4 month old daughter, and had a 74 Ford truck I was looking for an engine, so I figured I would go to the old lot, and see if he had any prospects in the back lot where he had MANY dead, burn't, wrecked, cars I might find a motor at a bargain. ALL the way in the back, blocked in by 6 cars, a boat and a GM front suspension, was the SAME 78 Dodge Magnum GT!! Faded paint, 4 flat tires, and tucked in to the other cars SO tight, you couldn't open the doors. WOW! I thought, a blast from the past!!! I went and asked about any Ford engines, and he claimed he didn't have any. Then I mentioned the Magnum sitting in the back lot, and was surprised to see it. He explained that a lady in Albuquerque picked it up in 1990 and was making payments. Within a year she was behind on payments and was hiding the car. The lot owner sent some of his buddies to repossess the Magnum. They broke the steering column so the wheel won't lock, and ran a remote starter switch. They drove the car back to the lot, and the Magnum sort-of fell through the cracks, and has been sitting back there for 10 years, He claimed he just didn't get around to repairing the column, and have keys made.
I explained that I always liked the Magnum from way back in the day, but with the new baby I wasn't in for a new project. $600. he says....... NO, just looking for an engine..... $400. he says...... I really don't need another project....OK $250.00 and drag it outa here.....Im not in the market for a, WAIT a minute! $250? SOLD!

It took a full day to move old cars out of the way, as well as that boat, front end, and a half a dozen barrels. It had one Stock GT wheel, and 3 black and chrome wheels ALL the tires were flat, and had locking lug nuts. With NO key!! In the back window was an old faded windshield banner " Direct-Connection"
With a come-a-long we pulled the Magnum on the flatbed trailer with 4 flats, and took it home. I've always claimed I built this car on a budget, and with a NEW daughter, starting a project seemed like a bad idea, but my wife was supportive, and let me have my dream. It took a long time, My daughter is 12 now, and after all the years, the Magnum looking cool!               

[blkmagnumgt]

Its amazing the power of rubbing compound! It shined up nice for factory paint. A few dings here an there, and it seemed it had been wrecked. the drivers door was originally white, and the black paint didn't seem to match. Plus who ever re-attached the door guard strips, drilled like 80 holes in both doors to attach them.   

[blkmagnumgt]

For the record. The 78-79  magnums came with 3 engine sizes. 318, 360, and 400.
You would think the GT would have the 400 4 bbl, but actually I've only seen 2 400 cars in the junkyards, and they were basic XE models. Sad fact, NONE of these engines were DESIRABLE. Just a basic, no thrills, economy small block. My Magnum came stock with the 360 with the Holley Lean-Burn 2 bbl. A sticker on the fender stated " For Use Under 4000 Feet " Mine also had the Spark control computer.

I came across an intake and 4 bbl, and much to my surprise, when I removed the stock intake, EVERYTHING was caked with CRUSTY oil. I tried my best not to disturb the crust, but when I finished installing the intake, it ran for 2 days before loosing oil pressure. Clogged oil pump pick up.

Around this time I came across some money and decided to go to Checker auto parts and buy a rebuilt 360.
$1100. plus the 250 core. This was ENGINE #1! I had nothing but trouble with this engine!!!

At the same time I ordered a TCI Streetfighter 727 from Summit

[blkmagnumgt]

Although, it seemed I couldn't get the power I wanted out of this engine, It WAS my first motor and tranny swap. I drove the Magnum like this for another 4 years

[blkmagnumgt]

My family gave me the old ranch house property, that was in terrible condition, with property taxes running $2500. a year. I hung on to it a few years before I figured I would put it on the market, and move closer to my brother living in Branson, Mo.
Found a buyer, and had 30 days to clean the place up. As if I didn't have enough on my plate. The Magnum engine started knocking. I knew I was getting some decent money soon, and I was so TIRED of the Magnum looking good, sounding good, ran like crap!
Opened the Summit catalog, and found what I wanted! Classified as a Mopar Magnum 380. Actually it was a NEW production performance 360 crate motor. rated at 380 hp, and 411 torque. Right out of the box! 750 carb was needed, so I ordered the holley street avenger 770. This SHOULD solve my power issues!!
I had ONE big issue. I wouldn't get the engine for a month. It was on back order, and I HAD to move in 2 weeks, and the Magnum wasn't up to driving 900 miles. Dilemma! Solution! Although I know my car very well and can swap the engine, I decided to leave the Magnum behind, take to a shop, have the motor shipped there, I gave the garage a deposit, and requested that when the engine arrived to give me a call, and I would make the trip, to help get the Magnum trip worthy. Lets just say it didn't quite go as planned....

[blkmagnumgt]

Back in Branson, keeping tabs on the Magnum, and the delay of the engine, Summit offered to let me get the 320 hp instead of the 380 on back order, but I really wanted those extra ponies! One morning I contacted the garage only to find out my engine had been there for a week, and the garage was thinking I asked them to BUILD me a race car, working on the suspension, and doing MORE than I asked for...
I got pissed, so my brother, another friend and I drove back to New Mexico. We got there Saturday morning early, and DO OR DIE, My brother HAD to be back to work Monday Morning.. I stopped by the garage, and left a note stating I only wanted the engine installed, nothing more. Went to the hotel, and got a call from the garage saying HE was not gonna be told what to do, and my car has been pushed out in the parking lot. I arrived, and got in a disagreement about the return of my deposit if he wasn't going to do the engine swap. The cops got called, and I had to leave the property with the Magnum. Small town Saturday afternoon, nothing open. u-haul too expensive. Went by another shop, with some younger employees working, I explained my position, and they claimed they were both busy with customer cars.. I laid a few 100 dollar bills on the counter, and said WE can do the work, WE just need a bay. They agreed. Lucky for us in the same shopping complex was Napa auto parts. Between the 3 of us, we installed the new engine, new torque converter, and reinstalled my TCI tranny. in close to 3 hours, but there was another problem. I installed the new headers, but had no exhaust. I Had the new Afterburner mufflers I ordered, as well as the crossover tube, it was getting close to 5pm when the only exhaust shop in town closed. I called and explained my situation, and he said its almost closing time, come back Monday. I asked how much it would cost me to get it done today, and he started talking about how late it was getting, and I told him I'll give you $500. to wait for me, and do the exhaust TONIGHT! He agreed! The exhaust was done close to 8pm, but for some reason the magnum still didn't run right, It had a nasty hesitation... We continued to work on it till late at night with NO LUCK. We had to be on the road in the morning for the 16 hour drive.
By morning it was running better, but not quite right, but It was time to go, so we rolled out of town. drove about 30 miles, and in front of us was my wife driving her truck, with the old 360 engine sitting in the back. My brother said I have an idea, lets swap the BRAND new distributor that came with the crate motor, with my old one in the old engine. We pulled over and swapped the distributor, and it solved the problem! Had a defective part! The magnum came alive, and drove flawlessly 16 hours, without a single problem!!

[blkmagnumgt]

I got the Magnum to Branson, wishing I didn't have to spend as much money as I did, but I also had a NEW crazy story getting it all put back together in just a few hours!!! I sort-of ate my words because NOW the magnum is STRONG, SUPER fast, and almost unsafe to drive with THAT much power. Really getting on it causes me to need both hands on the wheel, and got the adrenalin kickin' when you really opened it up. I took it to another shop, and had the front end worked on. New tie rods, Etc. It still felt CREEPY, and it has the most radical cam I've ever had. I pull up to a traffic light, and sounds like i'm at the drag-strip. Crazy Radical Cam. Timing this engine proved tricky. It said it had to have premium fuel, but I felt it needed even higher octane. I was sort-of confused where I was going with the magnum. The paint was pretty rough, the Interior was still tore up, and yet I had a $3400. engine under the hood. Fate had other plans for the Magnum   

[blkmagnumgt]

Friday night, leaving the bowling alley. Coming around a curve, and theres a deer crossing the road. He stopped, and turned towards the shoulder, so I went left to avoid him, suddenly he changes direction and darts in front of me. Brakes locked up, I see him flying through the air, as well as one of my headlights. Front clip smashed, grill cracked, and dented fender...I had seen front clips for the Magnum on ebay in the past, BUT this time I can't find anything... A few days later my wife shows me a listing for an entire car on ebay. Only 150 miles away, Very Rusty, but real clean white 78 Magnum XE, and the interior, although being red, is in fantastic condition! This was a grandma car, low milage 65,000, always garage kept, but had BAD fender well rust. I bought this car for 1100. Went and picked it up. It started right up, and besides the carb being a little sticky, it ran really good, and for a little while I thought of keeping it, and having 2 Magnums to drive, but the damage to my car looked bad, so I drove the white Magnum 150 miles home, and tore it apart.     

[blkmagnumgt]

This now brought me to needing a paint job. I really liked the gray on the Mustang on Gone In 60 seconds movie, but my wife and brother insisted the black was so cool! I found a paint shop, and discussed colors, he said black would be even more expensive, because it shows imperfections easier, and requires more labor on prep. I looked through the paint books he had, and decided on a 1999 Chrysler silver-gray. I explained I wanted to bring the car with the nose clip, fenders, and the doors removed. I wanted a GOOD paint job, thats gonna last, and NOT show over spray, or lacking in the door jams, etc. I decided on black stripes on the hood, and trunk. The stripes were painted on, not stickers....   

[blkmagnumgt]

Then I swapped the entire interior from the white Magnum. carpet, seats, dash board, and gauge cluster, door panels front and rear. Kinda gave a slight 2 tone look, because I left the black seatbelts, headliner, and the steel portions of the dash, black. My steering column was still broken and cracked when it was repossessed, so I swapped the column as well. Only my column had tilt wheel, and cruise control on the blinker, but the parts column, did NOT have tilt, nor cruise, and it had the shifter. I removed the column shifter, but looking at the inside, it has 2 shifters...

[blkmagnumgt]

One of the reasons I had problems getting power out of the Magnum, besides the engine is the gear ratio. Come to find out my Magnum had a 2.76 rear gear. Thats how they tried to make the Magnum more fuel efficient back in 78. I figured I would check the axle tag on the parts car, and WOW! I think this car had the tow package. tag shows 3.98! Removed axle, cleaned it up, and swapped out.

[brads70]

Nice story on your car !

[blkmagnumgt]

Thanks Brad! Believe it or not, this is the first project that has almost been totally finished. My last project was a forest service green 1977 Dodge W200 Powerwagon. 440, 4 bbl, automatic, with full time 4 wheel drive. As much as I've thought of a 440 in the Magnum, I ran out of money trying to rebuild that 440, and the project failed. I swore after that, small block Mopars, are still kinda expensive, but not as bad as a 440... Damn I miss that truck!

[blkmagnumgt]

I notice a scruffing noise when in 3rd gear. We jacked up the rear axle, put in gear, and let the wheels free spin. Sure enough when it hit 3rd gear massive scruffing from my TCI 727. By this time my budget funds were LOW. The white parts car had a A904 transmission, and I thought of using it until I could repair the 727. From what I researched the A904 is a light duty tranny, normally used in 318's and even slant 6 motors.  I can not install the A904 behind the Magnum 360. Torque converters are different. I decided to PULL the 360 Magnum engine, and refresh the engine from the parts car. The engine was really greasy, but clean inside! I put a new oil pump, timing chain, and a mild RV cam. We did a mild port job on the heads, replaced valve seals, and used the stronger valve springs from the truck motor. Gasket kit, 8 cans of carb cleaner to DE-grease the engine, and 4 cans of Mopar factory blue engine paint. Used the 4 bbl intake from the 1st engine I had, as well as the 600 cfm carb.   

[blkmagnumgt]

With the mild 360 in the Magnum I am able to have all the factory A/C components installed, and use the large size heavy duty 100 amp alt. I'm still using the headers, cross over tube, and my free-flow exhaust, so although I've down-graded the Magnum, It really runs good, with plenty of torque! I've thought of leaving the Magnum with this configuration, and using the TCI 727, and Magnum crate engine in another Mopar project.