65 Dart Wagon Conversion to a Sedan Delivery

65 Dartman said

I know that the early A is gonna require some major floorpan and crossmember mods to fit an A500. I after looking at the upper crossmember at a Barracuda carcass I had, I thought that if I cut it out and modified it, it just might work with some modifications. So I removed the center part of the part of the upper crossmember, then sliced it in half in the middle and added new metal so that it had plenty of room around the A500 transmission where the lower transmission support is mounted. It leaves an inch or so clearance on the sides of the A500. I think I could adjust the height during installation to the crossmember in the wagon.

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Well, that’s what I get for thinking that I could adjust the height of the crossmember during installation! I need around another 2 inches of clearance at the top to clear the transmission. I made a paper pattern of what I already constructed and added 2 inches on the pattern to both sides. The very top of the crossmember also needs to be shortened since the sides are going to be lengthened. Got it all assembled and welded together and test fit to the transmission - plenty of room to the sides and top of the transmission.



To fabricate the lower transmission support I think it will be prudent to assemble the transmission to the motor and motor to the K Frame so that the exact front to back transmission relationship to the new lower support is exact.

Next is to start fabricating a new tunnel. For ease of fabrication I think it will need to be constructed in several sections and welded together.