Three on the tree to auto

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wayneswirld2

wayneswirld2

I need a vacation...
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Want to swap my three on the tree to an automatic. 1965 Valiant, 170 slant. I've been told that I'll have to swap the crankshaft as well because "you can't put an auto behind a slant that's had a manual behind it".... I really wanna call bullsh*t on that, but thought I'd ask the experts around here.

I've got the crossmember, the trans (904), the trans tunnel out of an automatic car, the Hurst shifter from a '65 Barracuda, linkage and all the rest.

So, what's the deal on swapping?

Wayno
 
I have never done the swap, but most of the time you change the fly wheel out on the crank. now most of the stuff that i have Ford GM and Jeeps
 
you can not just change the converters. There is different amount of splines on the input shaft in the AT. Up to -67 is small snout, few splines (17 if I remember correctly). -68 and later is big snout, many splines (21 I think)

let me finf more info and thread
 
I've done several manual to auto swaps on other stuff, just never a slant. I know that you have to bolt up a flexplate where the flywheel was, but will the bolt patterns be the same? I dunno, that's why I'm here.....
 
memike, I'm not looking to swap converters. I've got the automatic trans and converter from a '66 'Cuda that I'm looking to install behind my '65 170 that currently has a manual three on the tree....
 
wayneswirld2 said:
memike, I'm not looking to swap converters. I've got the automatic trans and converter from a '66 'Cuda that I'm looking to install behind my '65 170 that currently has a manual three on the tree....
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As long as it is indeed a 66 you should be good to go :cheers:
 
So what was the final outcome of your swap Memike? I may just have to PM Slantsixdan and see if he can point me in the right direction....
 
wayneswirld2 said:
Want to swap my three on the tree to an automatic. 1965 Valiant, 170 slant. I've been told that I'll have to swap the crankshaft as well because "you can't put an auto behind a slant that's had a manual behind it".... I really wanna call bullsh*t on that, but thought I'd ask the experts around here.
You call it right!!
Click to expand...
I've got the crossmember, the trans (904), the trans tunnel out of an automatic car, the Hurst shifter from a '65 Barracuda, linkage and all the rest.

So, what's the deal on swapping?

Wayno
Click to expand...

No need to swap trans tunnels as the tunnel for automatic car is the same as for a 3 on the tree. If you have a Hurst shift I'm assuming you mean from a manual shift 4 speed car. You need either a shifter from a column shift car or one for on the floor. Since you're using a 904 from a 66, use the flexplate from the same car and you'll be good to go. If you use the sterri ng colun from the 66 and it has the shifter on the column, it's pretty much a bolt-in. If \using the floor shifter from a 66, you'll need the tunnel brackets to bolt the auto shifter in. You can use the 66 console; however it's a really tight squeeze between factory 65 buckets. Hope this all helps
 
The Hurst shifter is the original Hurst AUTOMATIC shifter from a '65 'Cuda. I've gathered a hodgepodge of parts over the past year to do the swap. I do NOT have the flexplate though, I'm probably going to get an SFI approved one as this car is going to see some track time....If I can't use the factory Hurst shifter I'll end up getting an aftermarket floor shifter.
 
wayneswirld2 said:
The Hurst shifter is the original Hurst AUTOMATIC shifter from a '65 'Cuda. I've gathered a hodgepodge of parts over the past year to do the swap. I do NOT have the flexplate though, I'm probably going to get an SFI approved one as this car is going to see some track time....If I can't use the factory Hurst shifter I'll end up getting an aftermarket floor shifter.
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on the later slants a v8 flexplate will bolt up, not sure about the early ones

only mods you have to do to the crank is take the pilot bearing out, sometimes this can be a real PITA but after that its straight forward, same bolt pattern for bellhousing, might need a different driveshaft, and you'll need the auto linkages and kickdown
 
wayneswirld2 said:
The Hurst shifter is the original Hurst AUTOMATIC shifter from a '65 'Cuda.
Click to expand...

That shifter is for a dual cable 65 904 and will not work with a 66-up 904 as is. There is a conversion kit available from Imperial Services to use the 65 shifter with the later 904. It includes a special cable and parts to modify the valve body. I am doing the same thing to my 65 Dart using a 340 & 904. Otherwise an aftermarket shifter will be your best choice. If you need further info, drop me a PM
 
I'll end up using an aftermarket floor shifter I suppose. I do have a later model a-body center console that I'd like to keep in the car, but if it hinders the shifter then it won't go in the car. Engine will be turbo'd, rear end will be upgraded to a Ford 8.8, front k member and suspension will be Volare.
 
wayneswirld2 said:
The console may or may not work wit the shifter you use.

front k member and suspension will be Volare.
Click to expand...

Volare K frame and torsion bars will not work in an early A or for that mater in a later A. If you're using the steering knuckle for the Volare disc brakes, you'll also need a 73-76 A Body upper control arm.
Click to expand...
 
wayneswirld2 said:
I'll end up using an aftermarket floor shifter I suppose. I do have a later model a-body center console that I'd like to keep in the car, but if it hinders the shifter then it won't go in the car. Engine will be turbo'd, rear end will be upgraded to a Ford 8.8, front k member and suspension will be Volare.
Click to expand...

K frame will not fit from volare to A body, neither will most of the steering components, however the spindles and upper control arms will
 
Good info to have guys, thanks. Looks like I'll be doing a little more research on what's needed to install a disc brake set up in front. Although I DO have the upper control arms, spindles, discs, calipers, etc from my Volare suspension.
 
The upper control arms on the Volare are too wide at the adjusters, similar in width to the B/E bodies. You need the 73-76 A Body large ball joint UCA.
 
wayneswirld2 said:
Want to swap my three on the tree to an automatic. 1965 Valiant, 170 slant. I've been told that I'll have to swap the crankshaft as well because "you can't put an auto behind a slant that's had a manual behind it".... I really wanna call bullsh*t on that, but thought I'd ask the experts around here.

I've got the crossmember, the trans (904), the trans tunnel out of an automatic car, the Hurst shifter from a '65 Barracuda, linkage and all the rest.

So, what's the deal on swapping?

Wayno
Click to expand...

The problem isn't when going from a manual to an automatic, it's the other way around. The 198 & 225 all have large diameter pilot holes. All 170 from '68 on have large diameter pilot holes. The /6 uses a different flange pattern from the V-8s, so a /6 flex plate is required.

Somewhere about that time Mopar quit using ball & trunion joints and went to the now common Spicer universal joint. Your 904 and drive shaft need to have compatible joints.

There have been issues with later transmissions being used with pushbutton linkages. There should not be any problems with the shift linkage and transmission coming out of same year cars.
 
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