Slant 6- v8 centerlink

-

philip's66

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
191
Reaction score
213
Location
Houston,Texas
What is the difference between the slant 6 & v8 center link. I have a/6 in my '66. My crude measurements show Ihave close to 2" drop on the center link. It appears I have 6 inches of clearance between the oil pan & suspension but that doesn't mean anything.Does anyone have the measurements between the two? I tried to search but did not come up with any results. Could be operator error. It would be awesome if I did not need to purchase this piece .
 
It's around an inch lower, but I don't know the exact measurement. FYI some 66's with a slant came with dropped Centerlinks. Mine did! Must have been a case of them using up what they had left
 
Here's a picture I took a long time ago if you'd like a visual. I don't have exact measurements though.

2qwleep.jpg
 
DSC_0003.JPG
It was fairly common for a 66 slant cars to have the V-8 dropped center link. The measurement for the V-8 is right at 1-3/4 drop.

DSC_0003.JPG
 
Last edited:
Thank you very much.I will double check what I have -sure does look like the v8 center link.This is what I really like about this forum -there is a deep pool of knowledge & expertise to help us when we need it.
Thanks again!
 
Great info. If anyone runs across a 66 slant in the junkyard, check the centerlink since V-8 early A ones are always needed. Hope you have your pickle fork & hammer w/ you.
 
Many people doing a V8 engine swap find that with a little spacer on the motor mounts they can run the /6 centerlink.
 
I really appreciate all the replies & info. I can roughly measure 1 1/2 inch drop in the bar -/6 motor is in & it is pretty tight to get measurements. But it does look like the v8 centerlink .I also wondered about raising mounts a little but I am always cautious about changing things from the original specs .Once again thank you all for your wealth of of knowledge
 
While discussing centerlinks, one little gotcha is that early-A small block oil pans are slightly different (at least 1964 & 65). They need a little depression to keep the centerlink from hitting the pan at the extreme of travel. Those swapping in later engines sometimes adapt their oil pans w/ a rubber mallet. That is necessary w/ a 360 (or 5.9L Magnum) since an early 273 pan doesn't fit a 360 (larger rear bearing hump).
 
While discussing centerlinks, one little gotcha is that early-A small block oil pans are slightly different (at least 1964 & 65). They need a little depression to keep the centerlink from hitting the pan at the extreme of travel. Those swapping in later engines sometimes adapt their oil pans w/ a rubber mallet. That is necessary w/ a 360 (or 5.9L Magnum) since an early 273 pan doesn't fit a 360 (larger rear bearing hump).
This is exactly what i am talking about! The knowledge & experience of the A body Forum Members is AWSOME!
 
I would stay <1" spacer on the motor mounts, since raising the engine leads to other issues. You probably need only 3/4" to clear the slant center-link. Other issues are that the fan may hit your radiator shroud, especially since 1" at the mounts extrapolates to ~1.5" at the fan if you don't also raise the tranny mount. Less hood clearance. The angle of the driveshaft will change, which can cause vibrations if you don't change the "pinion angle" of the differential to match. I recently tried installing hydraulic motor mounts (~2002 Corvette) in my 1985 M-B diesel and the 1" increased height was unworkable (plus made engine vibrations worse).
 
While discussing centerlinks, one little gotcha is that early-A small block oil pans are slightly different (at least 1964 & 65). They need a little depression to keep the centerlink from hitting the pan at the extreme of travel. Those swapping in later engines sometimes adapt their oil pans w/ a rubber mallet. That is necessary w/ a 360 (or 5.9L Magnum) since an early 273 pan doesn't fit a 360 (larger rear bearing hump).
I measured a 360 and 273/340 pans. the 360 pan is 1" smaller over the 273/340 pan. found this out trying to find a Dakota pan for a 360. we made a spacer to make it fit.
 
I tried spacers, but the danged /six center link still just about wore a hole in my oil pan, not to mention the noise it made when going over bumps. So I finally had to break down and buy a V8 center link. Those things are getting pretty pricey.
 
If anybody needs a 64-66 273 oil pan for this swap, there's one for sale in the classifieds here, and I have a few....or more!!
 
At 24" long that sure looks like a 67 link. Plus one end is flatter than the other. Pretty sure 64-66 links are 22 1/4" as shown in earlier pics.
The center link in my photo was removed from my 64 Barracuda V-8 car which I have owned since 1970, bead blasted, powdercoated, photographed with the tape measures to provide measurements and reinstalled in the 64 V-8 Barracuda.
 
I have 10mm spacers under motor mounts. I found V8 centrrlink afterwards, but I haven't bothered to change it.
 
-
Back
Top