What would You Choose and More Importantly WHY?

Which would you choose and WHY

  • HiPo slant/904

    Votes: 2 3.8%

  • HiPo slant/833

    Votes: 15 28.3%

  • HiPo slant/A500

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 273/235 904

    Votes: 5 9.4%

  • 273/235 833

    Votes: 27 50.9%

  • 273/235 A500

    Votes: 4 7.5%
  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .
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65 Dartman

65 Dartman

1 of None 65 Dart Sedan Delivery
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Let's assume the following senario: you've acquired a decent early A - say a Mordoor with no engine or transmission. It came with LBP discs and an 8.25 rear end with let's say 3.21 gears. You own 2 motors to choose from - both rebuilt - a 66 273/235 and a high performance slant from another car that was dynoed at 215HP. You possess manifolds and/or headers for both motors. You have numerous transmissions choices - both slant and LA 904s, 833 with both slant and LA bellhousings along with the parts to install either and finally an early Dakota A500 (you possess a slant to 727/904 adapter). So which would you choose and WHY?
 
I like how the 273-4v with a four speed drives, not fast but quick & responsive plus I'm a vintage type guy. Although an extra gear for the highway would be nice.
 
no point in didling around with a slanty, no matther how hi power it is
get the biggest engine you can with the best tranny (i choose the A500 for the 4th gear, if the car has 3 pedals (wasnt mentioned) the 833 is good too)

plus this way, the car is ready for a 408, once you get serious with it
 
I'd like to run the slant 6 and the 4-speed because I already built a 273 and a four speed. It would be fun to note the similarities and differences.
 
I agree with the HP slant, but I think a World Class T-5 would be even better. With say, 4.10 gears.
 
Depends what your normal use for the car is, but if purposely staying away from a V8 I would have to agree with Dan on the /4 speed.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I agree with the HP slant, but I think a World Class T-5 would be even better. With say, 4.10 gears.
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I took it as using what he has, but heck yea that'd be the ticket for a little driver car.
Probably get better than 25mpg with that combo.
 
2 main reasons I'd vote for the 273.

1st It has more power potential. /6 head sucks. 273 head flow pretty good especially for the size of engine of plus theres 8 intake and exhaust ports vs 6.

2nd gearing. Torque to the ground is important, thats why people spend thousands of dollars stretching a 360 into a 408. 2 main ways of getting torque to the ground displacement or gearing. Since most only want to run 3.23-3.55 gears that leaves displacement. To put it another way 273/3.55 225/4.30 440/2.20 would all ruffly have the same torque to the ground.
 
Actually, if I were building it for myself, I'd probably put in an A833OD with a 3.5 rear axle: tire-frying torque with the 3.09 first gear, great highway MPGs with an effective 2.6 final drive ratio in 4th. Or yeah, if I had a mountain of money for the build I might put in some kind of a 5-speed, or a non-OD A833 with a Gear Vendors overdrive.
 
Do the slant with the 4-speed, and I agree with Dan - the OD is a great way to go. Going to the 273 is so common. An honest 215HP out of a slant is nothing to sneeze at. And besides, it's easy to make it look like a sleeper. When you spank some punk in his rice rocket you can pop the hood and let them know they just got beat by 50-year old technology.
 
slantsixdan said:
Actually, if I were building it for myself, I'd probably put in an A833OD with a 3.5 rear axle: tire-frying torque with the 3.09 first gear, great highway MPGs with an effective 2.6 final drive ratio in 4th. Or yeah, if I had a mountain of money for the build I might put in some kind of a 5-speed, or a non-OD A833 with a Gear Vendors overdrive.
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T5s are cheap. Figuring out a bellhousing would be the most difficult part......and it just "ain't" that difficult. And from 85 on up, the first gear ratio in the T5 is 3.35:1. It also has a .68 OD ratio.

3.35, 1.99, 1.33, 1.00, .68. Better ratios than the 833 OD.......at least better for the slant.

Hear are the 833 OD ratios:

3.09, 1.67, 1.00, .73

The T5 has a shorter jump from 1st to 2nd and has a better OD ratio. The slant would respond better with the T5.
 
I voted 273/833 however I would (as mentioned) do the 833OD. Here are my reasons
1. The slant will seem like enough power for a bit, but most likely you’ll get bored, so the 273 sets you up easier to grow. Either in engine mods or a bigger small block.
2. I LOVE my OD, literally the best money I’ve ever spent on my car. However, I believe the a500 eats power as it is actually a 3spd with a tailshaft OD. For smaller engines, less torque, you’re gonna be happier with the stick for sure.
3. The 833OD has a Lower first gear (not a great spread for racing) but will really help that thing move off the line... I think they say a strong street/strip car should have a first gear of about 10.5-11:1.
3.21 x 2.45 (904 first) =7.6
3.21 x 2.66 (833 first) =8.5
3.21 x 3.09 (833 OD) = 9.9


Joe
 
I have and have had plenty of mopar v8's, 4spd and auto, plenty of mopar v6's auto fwd, hipo and std performance. I have also had several 225/ 833's, and they are like a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend 3.23 or better yet 3.55 gear.
 
me personally, I would go with an 833 ...but of course I would say that because everyone knows I am Miss 4 speed.

I would stay away from the OD because I have one in my daily and I find the wider ratio kinda annoying for when you are trying to get on it or even when coming on an onramp to the highway. The wider ratio just takes too long and I usually end up side slipping the clutch pedal to get the RPMS up to get to speed faster. This is especially true with a low horsepower engine like a stock slant which would be my first pick.

The close ratio 4 speed make you feel more control and you know when you dump the clutch at the right moment that it's not going to soak out any RPMs while it "winds" up.

I cant wait to swap out the OD for a close ratio on my daily driver which is a stack slant with an OD833

I would go slant all the way even if it was a low performance stock version, I love the sound and reliability of them. Since 2012 of daily driving, I had to replace the timing chain once and replace a fuel pump and valve cover gasket. Miles of fun.
If you are feeling spendy then sure, why not soup up a slant but that costs $$$$$.
 
SSVDP said:
I like how the 273-4v with a four speed drives, not fast but quick & responsive plus I'm a vintage type guy. Although an extra gear for the highway would be nice.
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273 ,and any stick .would motor it nicely, and then some. Pay close attention, to exhaust here. Bolt it in ,tune watcha got ,these 273 are warriors. :)
 
I’d choose the 273 for more torque and power and the A500 because it is a 4 geared trans instead of 3. I would then get ride of the 3.21/3.23 gears and move up to 3.55’s as a min and probably do 3.91. Which in O.D., it would be something around 2.70 final drive ratio. Hwy. city!
 
In my '64 dart 170 2dr sedan, I've run a slant 3spd, slant 4spd od and the current setup is a 360 close ratio 4spd.

If I was to do a 4dr I'd def go slant, but I'd avoid the 4spd od unless you do a lot of interstate driving. The gear spread sucks. A reg 833 is much more fun to drive.

The built slant over a 273HP is a close call, but I really love the ease of working on a slant in an early A, vs the LA that really fills up the bay.
 
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can none of the above be a valid answer? all the late model upgrades have been neglecte/over looked....
 
bigaadams said:
can none of the above be a valid answer? all the late model upgrades have been neglecte/over looked....
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I think he's looking at these options because he already has all those components.
 
good point, many builds are based on what is to hand still, good high ouput engine tranny combos are being overlooked and I find mostly due to two facts, the mopar folks don't embraced the retro crowd with affordable readily available wiring kits, second, many do not adventure on their own into the realm of the electronics.
 
after having a warmed up 318 and now the slant in my 66 I say slant all the way. it has been a fun project for me and my daughter.
I went auto ( because I had the parts ) but, may collect the few pieces I'm missing to make the 4 speed swap in the future.
I had a 64 more door belvedere with a /6 3 on the tree. was probably the most fun car I drove as a kid.
 
vitamindart said:
I had a 64 more door belvedere with a /6 3 on the tree. was probably the most fun car I drove as a kid.
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now, if you were anything like the average young kid given access to anything with steering and an engine it was FUN ...(as Enzo Ferrari said, brakes, they only slow you down) actually the most fun thing I drove as a younger driver, a Cat dozer and turned lose on a lot and told, see them trees, I don't want to see them when I come back.
 
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