'68 383 Barracuda idler arm/center link clearance

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Dave NEO

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has been hitting 699 pan for quite a while apparently on sharp right turns. The indentation/notch in the pan is too far forward to help with clearance - link hitting just behind indent/notch. Wondering if this has happened to others with a BB transplant and if a some different drag link or idler arm might solve? Moog K7042 is on there now. Car started life as a slant 6, 3spd - now 383 4spd.
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Also neatly clips off the top grease fitting on the idler arm when turning opposite direction.
 
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You might even try shimming the passenger side motor mount a bit- doesn't look like it'll take more than a quarter inch shim or so... worth a try.
 
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As mentioned above different idler arm for a factory 383 car. You can also buy the repop 893 pan for $200 and not worry about anything forever...
 
As mentioned above different idler arm for a factory 383 car. You can also buy the repop 893 pan for $200 and not worry about anything forever...


893 pan is a big difference and make sure to get the correct pickup with it. $350 total maybe!
 
Just a thought, (everyone else knows way more about 383 transplant than me) but if your trans mount was old and compressed, and your engine mounts same that might account for some of the interfering.

But it sounds like the idler and steeing arms and oil pan are the real problem.

Do you know if the K member was changed to a big block k member?
 
Just a thought, (everyone else knows way more about 383 transplant than me) but if your trans mount was old and compressed, and your engine mounts same that might account for some of the interfering.

But it sounds like the idler and steeing arms and oil pan are the real problem.

Do you know if the K member was changed to a big block k member?


Good question, I have a 7.5 Moroso pan at the moment with very little contact on a straight 383s setup. It does hit the pan on hard right and contact is there. My 893 is yet to go back on as waiting for finding an original RR type cam to revamp.
 
thanks all for input -I've see the 893 and 187 and to me they look identical to 699...notch is same - am I wrong on this?. A far as shimming, wouldn't I want to do both sides same ideally? how doable would it be for a shop to take a new one and cut and weld as needed? probably ridiculous $ ....
 
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The pitman arm is what is different on big block cars, but we had clearance problems with all of our builds using the early steering linkage. You can hammer the pan or swap steering components to the '73-76 parts (gear, pitman, idler, and center link). There is more clearance.
 
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