johnmucci
moparmucci
OK Besides a wallet full of cash, what would i need to put a 426 hemi in a 66 dart gt that is now a 6cyl..?????? the motor of course ...ha ha...I am talking frt end issues, kframe, etc... please chime in... thanks!!!
Alterkation will defintly make it easier. Then you'll need:
Custom Headers
Big Block Tranny
Bigger Rearend
Bigger Radiator
Probably some inner fender Tweaking
Custom Driveshaft
Torque Converter
I'm missing a bunch, but that will give you a reason to start saving money and working overtime.
You should call Bill at Reilly Motorsports and talk w/ him about his front end.
first thing you might want to do is measure the 426 at it's widest point. second measure across the engine bay between the shock towers. if i recall correctly the 66 and older "A"s are 2" narrower then the 67 up ones and the 426 was REAL tight in those.
Basically, take the fenders and hood off, cut off fenderwells and offending metal. Bolt fenders & hood to engine.....
Don't even bother measuring it, it physically won't fit between the original fenderwells, it will need major modifications.
Believe it or not but it will fit with only modification to the pass inner fender/ shock tower, a little str column work, and moving over the master cyl. Check out the link I posted.
first thing you might want to do is measure the 426 at it's widest point. second measure across the engine bay between the shock towers. if i recall correctly the 66 and older "A"s are 2" narrower then the 67 up ones and the 426 was REAL tight in those.
Now why,d you have to go and post this link.LOL.It would be nice to have a Hemi for my 66 Dart race car,but isn,t in the cards nor my pay check.:wack:Would be cool just for the WoW factor if I had unlimited cash flow.:burnout:http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/mmo12007.html
This should help a lot. I am collecting parts for my Hemi 66 gt. Going with coilovers to make room for headers.
Actually the years are 67 and older or 68 and newer,I found out while building a Hemi Dart about 19 years ago that the 1967 shock towers had to be moved back to accomodate a Hemi. The 68 and later are a smidge wider. You still cant get your hand between the valve cover and the fenderwell on 68 and ups. I still have an offset brake block if you need one to move that master cylinder.
I put a few Hemis in the 67 and up A bodies (no AlterKation, but my own custom K-frame)......everything under a stock flat hood,column shift automatics,4 and 5 speeds, A/C.....all without any sheetmetal modifications....and it's tight.
the older ones ....66 and older...being a bit narrower....be prepared to do some surgury....and ruin any resemblence of a stock install.
but as they say...if you got enough money...you could put a helicopter motor in a submarine
Don't even bother measuring it, it physically won't fit between the original fenderwells, it will need major modifications.
Believe it or not but it will fit with only modification to the pass inner fender/ shock tower, a little str column work, and moving over the master cyl. Check out the link I posted.
I'm not sure if you tried to mock anything up yet, but I did have a 440 sitting in my car, and with a 440, there is only 1" of space between the exhaust ports on the heads and the shock towers. a 426 Hemi will require the complete shock tower assemblys (both sides) and the inner fender that surrounds it to be moved, not to mention the steering box will also have to be relocated because the top of the gear box will not clear the Hemi head in it's stock location. And once that is done, you still have to find a way to route headers, which there is barely room for with a smallblock.
I would say that is major modification, can it be done? yes! but it isn't as easy as some make it sound, especially if it is being done correctly and not butchered.
I know Petty had one in his Cuda, but everyone that I talked to about that car said it was so butchered together that it was unsafe, and everyone knows that he did loose control and go into the stands and killed a kid with it. Not sure how true, but rumor has it that Petty buried the car behind his shop shortly after that crash.
Blownfish, first let me say I love your car ! I built a 65 440 Bcuda with fenderwell headers. Had to tip out the right shocktower a bit. It wooked out well. The petty car was all cut up, firewall moved back etc. The link I posted is about a replica of the Petty car. It was built on a budget and no major surgery was done to it except the pass fenderwell/ shock tower. Take a minute to read it. I asked about a hemi in an early A maybe a year ago and someone posted that link. When I start squeezing it in I will post some pics.