This latest episode of Carnage is the final instalment of Scotty’s build-up of the 318ci Chrysler small-block, which he’s been itching to drop into his dad’s VE Valiant ute.

Last episode he finished off the short-block by bolting on the Edelbrock heads and the valvetrain gear, so this time all that’s needed is the final fit-up of some parts before it’s ready to throw in the Valiant for the last time.

First up was fitting the Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap intake manifold, a favourite of Scotty’s. The Air-Gap provides a decent bit of room between the valley plate of the manifold and the actual intake runners for cooler IATs, and Scotty knows flow is no issue, having made over 500hp with the same manifold on another Mopar mill we built for a giveaway car a few years ago.

Rocker covers can make or break the look of an engine, and with this much work going into the little 318, Scotty didn’t want to bung some crummy factory units onto the mill. He opted for a classic pair of finned Edelbrock covers, along with some shiny breathers, which will definitely be needed given the amount of ring gap Scotty dialled into this thing.

The last things to be added were an Edelbrock high-flow water pump and the bigger-capacity Russell Oil Pans sump that Scotty test-fitted a few eps ago. We calso couldn’t help ourselves, and bolted on the Pacemaker extractors for some glamour photography.

And with that, the 318 is done! The build is far from over though. We know the engine will fit into the VE with no dramas, but it still needs to have all the vitals plumbed, the transmission fitted and then fired up to bed-in the flat-tappet Edelbrock cam.

Victoria has also been shoved back into another lockdown, so that will slow progress down a fair bit. But stay tuned! We’ll get this old Val fired up as soon as we can.