Questions from a newbie...

[jonn6464]

Fellas, first off sorry for these elementary questions but I'm brand new to Mopar. I'm a Ford and Pontiac owner, but don't hold that against me.

I recently bought a '70 Duster, base car (6 cyl, bench seat, etc.). I'm going to take her down to the bones and I'd like to build a 4 speed car. I'm looking at A833 trans and I keep seeing them listed as a B body or A body. Is there a difference in the tail shaft or some other component that won't allow it to work with any car from the model year? Do I have to find an A body trans or will any A833 work?

Finally, I still haven't decided between a 340, 383, or 440. Does the spline count matter for small block vs big block? I've seen 18 spline and 23 spline.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Well John, They can all be made to work

I'm a big fan of 360s, and a big fan of the A833.
As to the 4-spds, Yes the A-bodys and Fs use the shorttail tranny. The reason for this is to put the shifter mount in the correct place, so that you can actually mount the shifter. If you look in the tunnel, you will see a big old U-bracket spot welded to the underside of the tunnel at the rear mount. the shorttail puts the mounting pad in front of that. Then you get to cut out the side of the tunnel, to fit the shiftrods. Then you buy, and weld in, a floorhump, install a new carpet, dress it up,and you are in business.
That's the easy way. See below for "my way".
>As to the output shaft size;choose only the large one.
>As to the inputs; Originally only the hemis and 440-6bbls got the coarse splines, and the gearsets were also made to handle the brute torque that these engines put down on the racetrack. For the street, with street tires, IMO they would be pricey overkill.
>Clutch discs can be had for either sized input and for any size clutch.
>As to ratios;
There are three direct drive ratios and two overdrives.
The right ratio to choose Depends on the powerband of your engine, the rpm of peak power, and the application.
The overdrives,IMO, are only suitable for engines with low-rpm cams.By 220*@050, the splits are getting unreasonably big. You can drive these on the street, but they really drag the Rs down on every shift,So you will need some sharp tuning and lots of compression to be happy.And the low-ET for your power level will prove that they are a poor match at the track.
The direct drives have three applications. There is a close ratio for road racing, a deep low one originally designed for the 273 engine back in the early 60s, and another one for everybody else. If you have enough torque, the deep-low tranny will allow you to run two sizes less rear gear, so you can still cruise the hi-way. They are only good on the street with up to 3.91s. After that, first gear is getting crazy deep.They work really well with 3.23s to 3.73s, but your engine better have some oats to pull second gear.
If you want some help with gear selection, I am willing.

>My way
Go look at some factory floor-shift examples. Notice how far forward that shifter is. Getting into third in the heat of battle with long legs, has always been a challenge for me. I solved it with a longtail tranny.
The Longtails come with a shifter pad at the B-body location and with a dual position B/E pad. I used one with a rear pad. I drilled a small hole in the floor where I wanted to put that shifter, quite a bit further back. I have buckets. Then I poked my head under the car to see if that was doable, and I thought yes. The position I chose was with the seat comfortably located, such that I could push the clutch pedal down far enough for it to work, and of course still be able to steer the car. Then I hung my arm straight down. Where my palm fell, is where I cut the hole.Well I had to move it over to the passenger side so I could still find sheet metal to screw the boot to. I just cut a little starter hole, in case I had to move it a bit. Then I bolted the tranny in. The first thing I ran into was that I could not bolt up the rear mount. The interference point was that pesky front pad. I hacked just enough off to provide a rattle-free clearance, then bolted it in.
I had an old Mr.Gasket short stick "Bang!" shifter that I wanted to run. And I wanted to put it up really high, so I could put the top bolt in from the cabin side. So then I grabbed a piece of cardboard and mapped out a new adapter.Then I made it from 1/4 in steel flat stock.By now I was married to the longitudinal placement, si I cut the hole just big enough to drop the shifter down. Then I made some spacers to move the shifter laterally to where I wanted it, and trimmed the hole over to the passenger side.
>Of course while this was going on, I always kept in mind that the shift-rods, still had to connect the dots when I was done. So the position I finalized, provided an amazingly straight shot to the tranny.
I mounted the shifter on only the top bolt, not yet having finalized the angle I wanted to run it at. Now I did that. Checked below, that it was all good, marked it and finished it.
>Then I fabbed up the extra-long shiftrods.I use some 7/16 cold-rolled (I think that's what the provider called it) seamless tubing. I tapped the shifter end for some fine thread ready-rod. At the tranny end, I cut the ends off the Mr.G rods, and installed them into the levers. Then I bent up the rods the way they should go, inserted the tranny ends, hung the shifter ends with the shifter locked in neutral,and indexed them. Then I tacked those little guys in there, double checked the fitment, took them down and finished the job.
>Then I went for a roadtest. What a treat to have the shifter where it shoulda been all along. Back to the shop to do something about all the hot air and noise coming up through the floorhole.
>You cannot do this mod to the shorttail. The shifter pad is on the wrong side of the tunnel-brace/tranny mount.And you cannot do this mod with a bench seat.Well you could, but your upholsterer will have to get creative. I have seen that done.

>As to engine selection: All will fit and all will work.
Its a fair bit easier to stick a small block in there.
I'm a fan of the 360 cuz; Cuz it's versatile. You can build them for torque, for power, or for economy, or for a bit of everything. Any target compression ratio is easy to get. Heads are out there for any reasonable power level, and there are a Zillion cams to choose from. And they can rev!.If you have never heard a 360 screaming at 7200, for 8 seconds, you are in for a treat.
On the street they have more than enough power to be a lot of fun.
For a street/stripper 12s are easy, and cheap.
For a weekend warrior, they can be brutal.
For a long distance cruiser, they can be set up to pull 65=1300rpm
That's versatile.

BTW
During the years I was developing my combo, I learned to remove the tranny in 17 minutes,on a drive-on hoist.That's GVOD included.I didn't even break a sweat. I have witnesses,lol.
What's the point of that little tidbit?
When you go on vacation, an OD tranny can be less than 40 minutes to install.
A rear end swap is about 80 minutes.
OD trannys can be had at swap meets for $50. The bellhouse,IDK.I can't see getting a 2.76 for that.
The standard box and a 2.76rear will get you roadgears of;
7.64(seriously dog)-5.27(pretty lazy)-3.84(who cares)-2.76 (awesome cruiser).
The overdrive box and 3.73s will get you roadgears of;
11.53(lightning)-6.23( still snappy)-3.73(who cares)-2.72(awesome cruiser).
Y'all come back now

 

[TrailBeast]

Tackle a big block right out of the gate huh?

 

[jonn6464]

Well John, They can all be made to work

I'm a big fan of 360s, and a big fan of the A833.
As to the 4-spds, Yes the A-bodys and Fs use the shorttail tranny. The reason for this is to put the shifter mount in the correct place, so that you can actually mount the shifter. If you look in the tunnel, you will see a big old bracket spot welded to the underside of the tunnel at the rear mount. the shorttail puts the mounting pad in front of that. then you get to cut out the side of the tunnel, to fit the shiftrods. Then you buy, and weld in, a floorhump, install a new carpet, dress it up,and you are in business.

Thanks AJ. Good info. I'm assuming the longer tail shaft can be removed and replaced with the shorter version, if I find a good price on a trans. Is that correct?
THX

 

[barbee6043]

welcome to the site. and I am recent transplant to this area, I live up north of you by Shepherd. tons of info on this site and great people. most opinions, most valid on here! ha
you are probably looking at finding a 23 spline a or f body A833 short tailshaft 4 speed. many pros and cons as to either big block or sb. depends on what your use will be, budget, etc.... building mopars is a different deal than GM and Ford .

 

[jonn6464]

Tackle a big block right out of the gate huh?

Well, I upgraded my '70 Firebird from the 350 to a 455 so I'm not afraid.

 

[jonn6464]

welcome to the site. and I am recent transplant to this area, I live up north of you by Shepherd. tons of info on this site and great people. most opinions, most valid on here! ha
you are probably looking at finding a 23 spline a or f body A833 short tailshaft 4 speed. many pros and cons as to either big block or sb. depends on what your use will be, budget, etc.... building mopars is a different deal than GM and Ford .

Yep, that's what I'm finding out. Torsion bars, K members, short/long tail trans... WTF did I get myself into?

 

[barbee6043]

if you enjoy learning of new things you will love this Mopar deal! great thing bout this site is the "search"engine. if you have HOURS , for instance read under Big Block here, and it will answer lots of questions as to what works, what hassels putting say a BB in a duster will present, for instance.......
" I am NOT afraid"...... what I told my buddy once as I rode shotgun in his 70 Hemi cuda, as I watched the speedo hit 130. ha

 

[TrailBeast]

WTF did I get myself into?

Refer back to post 3
Gotta commend you on the "No Fear" approach.

 

[Sedanman]

Welcome to the site. I prefer the balance of a small block in an a body than a big block myself and I don't make my knuckles bleed trying to get a big block set up in the car. The 4 speed parts gathering can get expensive and you will have about $1500 in just parts. They make adapter mounts for any engine in your /6 k frame so you just need to figure out which one you really want. I would also upgrade to disc brakes if you like stopping. We can help you make a list of what you need for your build once you figure out the drivetrain set up.

 

[abodyjoe]

Mopar Big-Block A-Body 4-Speed Conversion


B/E body four-speed in an A-body

 

[AJ/FormS]

Thanks AJ. Good info. I'm assuming the longer tail shaft can be removed and replaced with the shorter version, if I find a good price on a trans. Is that correct?
THX

I've only done the long/short swap twice, and both times yes it went well. You may need some tools;unless the rear bearings you want to swap in,match the ones that are coming out.
I wouldn't fall for this tho, cuz you may not find a good deal on the A/F version. You may end up owning two trannys,which may not be a bad thing,cuz sooner or later you might need some of the parts from the second box,lol. Be careful, the O/D boxes look very similar, and an unscrupulous person might try and sell a newbe an O/D box disguised as a 2.66 box. The O/D boxes normally sell at about 1/4 to 1/2 of the regular stuff, from what I have seen.

 

[harrisonm]

I did the swap in a 69 Barracuda. I did get lucky and find a decent A body 4 speed, and It went very smoothly. A few years later, I pulled the tranny and rebuilt it myself (grinding 3rd gear synchros). That went smoothly also.

 

[jonn6464]

I've only done the long/short swap twice, and both times yes it went well. You may need some tools;unless the rear bearings you want to swap in,match the ones that are coming out.
I wouldn't fall for this tho, cuz you may not find a good deal on the A/F version. You may end up owning two trannys,which may not be a bad thing,cuz sooner or later you might need some of the parts from the second box,lol. Be careful, the O/D boxes look very similar, and an unscrupulous person might try and sell a newbe an O/D box disguised as a 2.66 box. The O/D boxes normally sell at about 1/4 to 1/2 of the regular stuff, from what I have seen.

AJ, man thanks for your awesome reply, there's a ton of good info in there. If you live anywhere close to Houston I'd like to fly you in for a couple of days so you can help me out. Kidding of course... but kinda serious.

Anyways, I'll just go ahead and say it... I'm totally and utterly lost now. I spent a few hours researching last night and I'm more confused than ever. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just drop in a 727 and go the A/T route, since the car is already set up for A/T. Yes, yes, I know that a 4 speed car is the best but sometimes I do like the "point and go" ease of an auto trans. And driving in Houston requires A LOT of shifting. I know that Ebay is a high price haven for car parts, but I'm seeing trannys anywhere from $850-$2500 (I've only seen 1 A body). That's both A833 & 727. There's one or two on local Craigslist but they need rebuilt. So, now I'm trying to figure out areas to cut cost on this build but I'm not sure where to start.

I'm under the impression (please correct any of these points that are wrong) that since I'm doing the /6 to V8 swap, I'll require the following:
-Upgraded K member to handle V8 weight (I'm thinking about the tubular type)
-New front suspension for V8 (might as well do upper & lower control arms too)
-New torsion bars
-Motor mounts
-Trans cross member
-Drive shaft altered
-New floor hump
This is at a minimum...

In another post I saw someone say that 4 speed conversion parts would be about $1500, but I can't see how that's possible.

I also figured I might as well drop in a rack and pinion steering set up since the entire front end will be out, and a front sway bar too. All topped off with disk brake conversion. Not to mention radiator, engine accessories, and wiring.

So back to my original comment, maybe an A/T would save me a bit of money to put towards other needs...

 

[jonn6464]

Welcome to the site. I prefer the balance of a small block in an a body than a big block myself and I don't make my knuckles bleed trying to get a big block set up in the car. The 4 speed parts gathering can get expensive and you will have about $1500 in just parts. They make adapter mounts for any engine in your /6 k frame so you just need to figure out which one you really want. I would also upgrade to disc brakes if you like stopping. We can help you make a list of what you need for your build once you figure out the drivetrain set up.

I agree about the small block. There is a shop here in TX that does 360 stroked to 408 builds, so I'm going with that route. In all honesty, I'd be over the moon ecstatic if I could get all of the conversion parts for $1500. I'm guessing that doesn't include the trans itself? I'm also considering just doing a 727 swap and keeping it A/T. Can I use my /6 k frame? I was thinking it would need to be upgraded to handle the V8. Disk brakes are on the list, for sure.

 

[jonn6464]

if you enjoy learning of new things you will love this Mopar deal! great thing bout this site is the "search"engine. if you have HOURS , for instance read under Big Block here, and it will answer lots of questions as to what works, what hassels putting say a BB in a duster will present, for instance.......
" I am NOT afraid"...... what I told my buddy once as I rode shotgun in his 70 Hemi cuda, as I watched the speedo hit 130. ha

Do you know of anyone in the Houston area that has Mopar parts for sale?

 

[AJ/FormS]

Comments in the post

AJ, man thanks for your awesome reply, there's a ton of good info in there. If you live anywhere close to Houston I'd like to fly you in for a couple of days so you can help me out. Kidding of course... but kinda serious.

Anyways, I'll just go ahead and say it... I'm totally and utterly lost now. I spent a few hours researching last night and I'm more confused than ever. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just drop in a 727 and go the A/T route, since the car is already set up for A/T. Yes, yes, I know that a 4 speed car is the best but sometimes I do like the "point and go" ease of an auto trans. And driving in Houston requires A LOT of shifting. I know that Ebay is a high price haven for car parts, but I'm seeing trannys anywhere from $850-$2500 (I've only seen 1 A body). That's both A833 & 727. There's one or two on local Craigslist but they need rebuilt. So, now I'm trying to figure out areas to cut cost on this build but I'm not sure where to start.
I think I would stick to a well sorted out A904, and a hi-stall, to be determined after we know in what direction this is going. There's nothing wrong with point and shoot.

I'm under the impression (please correct any of these points that are wrong) that since I'm doing the /6 to V8 swap, I'll require the following:
-Upgraded K member to handle V8 weight (I'm thinking about the tubular type) Not 100% required.
You can use any SBM 68 to 72 K. The advantage is that the engine mounts are guaranteed to be in the right place. This makes fitting headers less of a pain. The Schumacher mounts are an option, but several fellows here have had trouble fitting TTI headers with those.
-New front suspension for V8 (might as well do upper & lower control arms too)Suspension is basically the same for these cars,Upgrading the brakes is a great idea,Tho. Control arms are a non-wearing item in this car, the balljoints are replaceable in them. But before you order stuff, you need to commit to running certain brakes, as the BYs are not all the same.
-New torsion bars Good idea, I like my 1.03s
-Motor mounts and engine brackets, and a torque strap.
-Trans cross member Same across the board 67 to 72, all trannys
-Drive shaft altered that depends on what rear end and transmussion tou will be running.But probably yes.
-New floor hump mandatory
This is at a minimum...

In another post I saw someone say that 4 speed conversion parts would be about $1500, but I can't see how that's possible.Me neither

I also figured I might as well drop in a rack and pinion steering set up since the entire front end will be out, and a front sway bar too.Probably a good idea All topped off with disk brake conversion. R&P is pretty pricy, overkill for a streeter. Other options exist; Like the 73 up stuff and the early KelseyHays; my favorite.
Not to mention radiator,yes engine accessories,maybe and wiring.some

So back to my original comment, maybe an A/T would save me a bit of money to put towards other needs...
And here I was thinking you were loaded,newbe. Yes the AT will save you hundreds and hundreds, at least at first.

 

[barbee6043]

Do you know of anyone in the Houston area that has Mopar parts for sale?

I just hauled home a 72 duster project, got a sb 904 in the deal. car is a stick car so the AT is for sale, $100. i also got a v8 k frame in the deal i won't neeed, ..... but look up schumacker's conversion engine brackets. that is the easiest route.changing to larger t bars is good idea if street driven. yes you will need a 8 3/4 or 8 1/4 rear for the v8.
Wayne Brewer in Oh has specialized in rebuilt 4 speed parts for decades. good guy. hit his website for insite as to what all he has and rebuilt prices, new parts etc. that gives you an idea of it all. yes you can pick up... lets say.... used set of pedals off members here no doubt for less $ than brewers, but his stuff is cleaned and reburbished. cheaper rout the AT for i figure a stick car is always worth $1-2000 more than an auto car. just my opinion.

 

[Sedanman]

Try talking to moparmatt2000. He lives in TX and may have some of what you need. If your going small block and 4 speed you need to figure,radiator,pullies,manifolds/headers,engine mounts,throttle cable,manual/power steering,4 speed Trans (500),bellhousing (150-200),flywheel (150-200 used),Z bar and linkage (75-100),inner fender bracket for z bar (40-50),clutch/pressure plate (?),shifter and linkage (250-300),pedals (125-175),floor hump (75-100). An auto core is $50-$75,rebuild is ($500 +),converter (200 +) then you need kickdown and shifter linkage and trans lines. This is just a guesstimate

 

[AJ/FormS]

Post 17 edited

 

[66fs]

You don't need a bunch of fancy stuff for a quick 1970 Duster. You have the widest wheel wells already. Torsion bars are great, you could not give me a spring front end. Handling is quite acceptable with the 340 Duster formula, .875 torsion bars, heavy duty leafs in the back and a .875 OD front sway bar. Have your steering box rebuilt by someone good, Firm Feel does great work. The K frame is fine, all you need is a set of motor adapter brackets and with a little work they will drop right in. Swap to disk brakes and a rear, if you have an 7 1/4. A 727 is a great trans, a 904 will do if upgraded. Any Mopar engine can be made to run. Welcome, by the way.

 

[barbee6043]

You don't need a bunch of fancy stuff for a quick 1970 Duster. You have the widest wheel wells already. Torsion bars are great, you could not give me a spring front end. Handling is quite acceptable with the 340 Duster formula, .875 torsion bars, heavy duty leafs in the back and a .875 OD front sway bar. Have your steering box rebuilt by someone good, Firm Feel does great work. The K frame is fine, all you need is a set of motor adapter brackets and with a little work they will drop right in. Swap to disk brakes and a rear, if you have an 7 1/4. A 727 is a great trans, a 904 will do if upgraded. Any Mopar engine can be made to run. Welcome, by the way.

I have to agree with that. these dusters are plentiful great little cars. can be made to run and handle without big bucks. so many people get into "perfect-idus" which involves spending many $ on "upgrades". yes a stroker 360 is great, till people put too much CAM and Compression there till they cannot use it for their intended purpose, say drive it on the street!??? .....
again I say, welcome to the world of Mopar... and learning is part of the fun.... we never stop learning....

 

[AJ/FormS]

Come out of the fog;Here's your recipe;
For a dual purpose machine that is more than occasionally going to hit the hiway;
5.9 roller, cleaned up heads,223/230MAXIMUM cam(050s), 8.6 Dcr,Oiling mods to live at 6800, springs to go there,HO mechanical fuel pump with 3/8 supply line, electronic ignition upgrades to support the occasional stomp to 6800.
HD-904 with semi-auto kit and 2800TC, Narrowed 8.75 with tapered bearings and 3.23s and LSD.
73 up V-8 A-body;Front K-member, UCAs, Disc fronts and 10x2" rear brakes. sway-bar,.
Relocated with the offset perches HD rear springs,1.03 T-bars,and HD shocks all around,
Minimum tire sizes of 235fronts/275rears. 295s will be better.
Optional P/S,P/B,tilt steering,frame connectors

3.23s?! Yes 3.23s will get you 60mph@6200rpm, in first, with 5% slip, a one gear run
3.55s will get you 60@6800 in first.Quite a bit out of the cams happy place.
3.73s will be 7150, just doable with the oiling mods, but you are waaaay off the peak power


If you do not care about hiway rpm,nor about ET,or Trapspeed; then consider a two-gear run to 65/70mph, and choose a smaller cam, cuz your average power during the run will be higher, and a shorter TC, cuz you are gonna have plenty of starter gear.With this combo you will not have to do the oiling mods, just try to keep the Rs down to 1000rpm over the cams peak,say 6200. And you can run this on a 5/16 fuel line, if your fuel volume test supports your horsepower level.
I suggest 4.30s minimum, and the A999. These will get you 60@5200 in second gear.This woll leave you some headroom, to redline. The starter gear is 11.78 so a stockish 2200 TC will be fine. You only need a little cam now, say between 215 and 223.This combo will make tons of torque down low, try to keep the smile off your face; people will think there's something wrong with you.You will need a traction aider. Below 60 mph the engine will not have to buck much wind, so all the power can be used to propel the vehicle, instead of using some or a lot of it to overcome wind resistance.
Use a spreadbore carb and anyold manifold (like the 71 TQ stuff).I would order a small custom cam. maybe on a 108LSA; counter-intuitive I know but;We need to shed some low-speed torque, and we need some power up top, cuz the Rs are gonna be down. This cam will run well with headers. I suggest as much lift as the heads can support and the grinder is willing to supply.
Honestly,before you hit the key, take a few breaths,mellow out. Repeat 7 times; I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile,I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile.
I guarantee you can't make it through first gear without smiling.
The only way to cure that, is with a smaller engine. Perhaps a 273.
The downside of course is the 3500@65 cruise rpm. I solved that with a GVOD.The Rs will drop to 2700ish.

 

[jonn6464]

Come out of thefog;Here's your recipe;
For a dual purpose machine that is more than occasionally going to hit the hiway;
5.9 roller, cleaned up heads,223/230MAXIMUM cam(050s), 8.6 Dcr,Oiling mods to live at 6800, springs to go there,HO mechanical fuel pump with 3/8 supply line, electronic ignition upgrades to support the occasional stomp to 6800.
HD-904 with semi-auto kit and 2800TC, Narrowed 8.75 with tapered bearings and 3.23s and LSD.
73 up V-8 A-body;Front K-member, UCAs, Disc fronts and 10x2" rear brakes. sway-bar,.
Relocated with the offset perches HD rear springs,1.03 T-bars,and HD shocks all around,
Minimum tire sizes of 235fronts/275rears. 295s will be better.
Optional P/S,P/B,tilt steering,frame connectors

3.23s?! Yes 3.23s will get you 60mph@6200rpm, in first, with 5% slip, a one gear run
3.55s will get you 60@6800 in first.Quite a bit out of the cams happy place.
3.73s will be 7150, just doable with the oiling mods, but you are waaaay off the peak power


If you do not care about hiway rpm,nor about ET,or Trapspeed; then consider a two-gear run to 65/70mph, and choose a smaller cam, cuz your average power during the run will be higher, and a shorter TC, cuz you are gonna have plenty of starter gear.With this combo you will not have to do the oiling mods, just try to keep the Rs down to 1000rpm over the cams peak,say 6200. And you can run this on a 5/16 fuel line, if your fuel volume test supports your horsepower level.
I suggest 4.30s minimum, and the A999. These will get you 60@5200 in second gear.This woll leave you some headroom, to redline. The starter gear is 11.78 so a stockish 2200 TC will be fine. You only need a little cam now, say between 215 and 223.This combo will make tons of torque down low, try to keep the smile off your face; people will think there's something wrong with you.You will need a traction aider. Below 60 mph the engine will not have to buck much wind, so all the power can be used to propel the vehicle, instead of using some or a lot of it to overcome wind resistance.
Use a spreadbore carb and anyold manifold (like the 71 TQ stuff).I would order a small custom cam. maybe on a 108LSA; counter-intuitive I know but;We need to shed some low-speed torque, and we need some power up top, cuz the Rs are gonna be down. This cam will run well with headers. I suggest as much lift as the heads can support and the grinder is willing to supply.
Honestly,before you hit the key, take a few breaths,mellow out. Repeat 7 times; I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile,I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile, I will not smile.
I guarantee you can't make it through first gear without smiling.
The only way to cure that, is with a smaller engine. Perhaps a 273.
The downside of course is the 3500@65 cruise rpm. I solved that with a GVOD.The Rs will drop to 2700ish.

My biggest hang up right now is deciding on the trans. I'd love to save a bit of cash and rebuild the 904 that is in it now, but I just can't see this car finished without a 4 speed/pistol grip. I'm guessing about $3000 to fully convert it. I'm going with a 360 stroked to 408, and thinking about the Fi-tech fuel injection set up.

I'm not a red light to red light drag racer, so I'm looking at 3.23 or 3.55 gears to keep it streetable.

Classic Industries is having a 30% sale so I can pick up the k frame, sway bar, full handling package, and disk brake kit at a good price. I'm going to sleep on it though, I don't want to do anything rash!

 

[AJ/FormS]

My biggest hang up right now is deciding on the trans. I'd love to save a bit of cash and rebuild the 904 that is in it now, but I just can't see this car finished without a 4 speed/pistol grip. I'm guessing about $3000 to fully convert it. I'm going with a 360 stroked to 408, and thinking about the Fi-tech fuel injection set up.

I'm not a red light to red light drag racer, so I'm looking at 3.23 or 3.55 gears to keep it streetable.

Classic Industries is having a 30% sale so I can pick up the k frame, sway bar, full handling package, and disk brake kit at a good price. I'm going to sleep on it though, I don't want to do anything rash!

John
If you build that 408 with a very mild cam, to go with those gears, you will have a great combo. For your application, Don't let anybody talk you into a monster cam. If you do this right, you can have a very nice pkg, with plenty of giddy-up, awesome response, impressive power, and great mpgs,too.
I've driven stick cars most of my life,starting in 1970. As I get older,I'm just not into it that much anymore. Besides with 3.23s/3.55s you're always in the bottom two gears anyway.
So here's an idea; put a pistol grip on your console stick, and shift your auto manually.
If you have to have a clutch pedal, you might like to do what one guy here did; he fabricated a clutchflite kit.Now he just might have the best of both worlds; a variable stall automatic.
As for the EFI; It will be a long time yet,before you could convince me to give up my carburetor.That would be on the bottom of my list.Then again, at the price of new carbs today.......