Charger w/ Modern engine? Good? Bad?

[zacater]

Thinking of buying a charger that had a modern 392 engine. What more can I do to get a better economy with it? Is it even worth having a modern engine? It doesn't necessarily kill my love for a classic car if it's going to help with cty/hwy...

Thought I'd ask you guys what you think.

[Drache]

I love classic muscle cars and it's hard to get over the carbureted V8 engine but sometimes a modern engine is just nice. Way better gas mileage with the same amount of power. Plug in a code reader to see how things are doing is always nice. Man trying to get some help tuning a carb in along with the timing on an old V8 in this day and age is nigh impossible, no one knows how anymore. The only problem with new cars is the computer controlling everything in the car. The idea of a classic car where the only computer controlled item is the engine itself is the best of both worlds in my opinion now.

[John_Kunkel]

I'm less concerned with economy than I am with drivability. New drive trains are simply more drivable...lots of power without fender-shaking cam lope and cantankerous carburetors.

[70 sublime]

Two cars side by side and same price I will take the original every time
You will have more pride in ownership with an old car and all the parts

If and when I want a new motor set up I will just find a modern Challenger with one in it

Old school all the way

[Kern Dog]

When a guy shows concern over "economy" with a classic car, I have to wonder how much of a  car guy that he really is.
Does a 10 mpg number really scare off a car guy? How often do you drive it for that to matter?
Hey, it is good to get decent fuel economy but these cars were never built to achieve high MPGs. That was not the appeal.
These cars are popular for their styling, for the sounds, smells and feel of what was once the popular trend 50 + years ago. During the 80s and 90s, not many new cars could keep up with a properly built classic muscle car so many of us preferred a 1960s classic for our "fun car". The modern engines have really closed that gap and leaped over them to where many 100% stock newer cars blow the doors off most classics while getting twice the fuel economy with much better drivability.
I know of several people that have used late model Hemis in classic Mopars. I almost did one myself. I see the appeal but for me, fuel economy was not at the top of the list of reasons to consider it.

[496polara]

If it was done properly with the transmission the 392 came with and the controllers then it is a win/win. If it was a hack job then it could be a nightmare worse than an old car that needs everything rebuilt.

I see no reason not to if it was done correctly. The older I get the more I appreciate getting in something and enjoying driving it. I guess I didn't  learn much along the way as all my old stuff is in one state of project of another.

[Kern Dog]

I did look into this for my Jigsaw Charger.



It was not a cheap prospect. These cars can be built with a big block for half the money using mostly stock parts.
The third generation Hemi will require different mounts, headers, a fuel system if some sort of EFI is used, some sort of computer management system...I did the math and I was at $5000 before I even got to the engine itself.
Part of what I love about these cars is the lope of the engine with a bigger cam. You lose that with a modern EFI system because that lope is inefficiency at idle. EFI engines do run cleaner, longer and get better fuel economy which is great for a daily driver but they strip the "soul" out of a classic car for me. I don't mind the noise, the shaking of the fenders, the smell of raw fuel sometimes and the reduced mpgs.
Maybe my definition of "car guy" differs from others but the guys I consider car guys have scuffed up hands and sometimes dirty clothes but can do a roadside repair without resorting to calling a tow truck.

[John_Kunkel]

Maybe my definition of "car guy" differs from others

That's the nature of "opinions".  Maybe it would be more fitting to categorize "car guys" by using adjectives.  I quit going to the local annual Mopar show because of the number of modern LX platform cars, I consider them "car guys" just as much as the "old" car guys or the "sports" car guys...no need to not define them as "car guys" because their taste differs from yours.