Shift linkage for a 545 RFE in '70 Dart

[retroron]

Anyone have any suggestions for floor linkage for a 6.4/545RFE swap in a '70 Dart? Most of the sheet metal fab is done and it's time to think about shift linkage. Will factory linkage work and if so from what?
I've given some thought to paddle shifting the the car but I don't have any data on if it's good way to go, etc.

 

[JDMopar]

If you're going for a kind of stock interior look, you should be able to use a factory console, and floor shifter. You would have to make the lower piece that bolts to the bottom of a 727/904 tailshaft housing work, and modify the piece of linkage that goes from the bell crank to the transmission, but it shouldn't be hard at all. I'm doing a 70 Duster with a 5.7 and 545RFE, and I'm planning to use a factory column shifter. Did you keep the torsion bar suspension? If you did, can you post some pics of the mods you did to your torsion bar crossmember...and how you made your transmission mount? I'm at the point where I have the torsion bar crossmember hacked apart, and the motor and trans sitting where it needs to be. I've got ideas on how I want to make mine, but it would be nice to see what someone else is doing too.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Any 3 speed shifter will work. With that said, I used a B&M cable from my shifter (64' Polara 500) to the 545rfe. Some minor adjusting and I was in business.

 

[Hellcat Cuda]

If you want newer technology, you might try the shifter from a Jeep Grand Cherokee. We have my wife in an '05 model with 4.7 , which comes with the 45RFE. I've eyed it in case I were to go with an automatic instead of the Tremec 5 speed that I decided on.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

I used a TCI Fast Gate shifter without issue other than the cable is 5 foot long and I replaced it with a B&M 3 foot one.

 

[retroron]

If you're going for a kind of stock interior look, you should be able to use a factory console, and floor shifter. You would have to make the lower piece that bolts to the bottom of a 727/904 tailshaft housing work, and modify the piece of linkage that goes from the bell crank to the transmission, but it shouldn't be hard at all. I'm doing a 70 Duster with a 5.7 and 545RFE, and I'm planning to use a factory column shifter. Did you keep the torsion bar suspension? If you did, can you post some pics of the mods you did to your torsion bar crossmember...and how you made your transmission mount? I'm at the point where I have the torsion bar crossmember hacked apart, and the motor and trans sitting where it needs to be. I've got ideas on how I want to make mine, but it would be nice to see what someone else is doing too.

Thanks for the input. I chose to got with Magnum Force tubular front end and that eliminated the torsion bars. I cut out the torsion bar crossmember altogether. The Gen3 Hemi made me move the master cylinder 3 inches to the left., but since the firewall is all new it was just fab work. I'll post some more pictures ( cross member etc.) later.

 

[loganscuda]

Lokar has two available mount perfectly to the trans and it looks stock

 

[retroron]

If you want newer technology, you might try the shifter from a Jeep Grand Cherokee. We have my wife in an '05 model with 4.7 , which comes with the 45RFE. I've eyed it in case I were to go with an automatic instead of the Tremec 5 speed that I decided on.

Well, I got the shifter from a Cherokee (2010) and what I found is the harness assembly I got along with the engine didn't want to play with 545RFE. I spoke with HotRodAuto and they are going add the necessary circuitry and reprogram the ECU so it talks to the 545.

If I were doing this today I'd opt for the NAG-1 transmission instead of the 545, it gives a lot more options. Having said all that, thanks for the information, attached is a picture of the shifter in the console.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Well done..

 

[JDMopar]

You're much better off with the 545RFE. The NAG1 is damn near impossible to make operate properly in an old car. The NAG1 has no speed sensor, and relies on the readings to go from sensors on the ABS brakes, to the ECU, so it can tell the transmission when to shift. Unless one has come out since I checked a few years ago, nobody makes a stand alone controller for a NAG1. After you get all that done, then you've got the non slip yoke tailshaft to deal with. I'd rather fix the shifter....lol.

 

[retroron]

I need to give credit where credit is due, it was HotWire Auto that is providing the mods. So when all is said and done, it's the 545RFE that gets used.

CudaSRT8 if you're at P-Town for the June show, stop by & say hello, I'll either be in the little race car or the coupe (or both).
And thank you all for your transmission shifter input.